Blog
Well, this COVID-19 thing really threw a wrench into the works, didn’t it? What should have been another routine—ahem—year for us graphic designers instead turned into a mad scramble for new and innovative ways to reach clients and potential clients, particularly in the business-to-business world that I work in. Certainly, in my 20-plus years as…
It should come as no surprise that virtual learning opportunities expanded exponentially over the past year. With more people remotely working and studying than ever before, we’ve seen how COVID-19 has significantly shifted how and when we consume information, get trained, and learn. Businesses and organizations are investing more in growing eLearning programs and virtual…
When everything these days feels BIG and OVERWHELMING, let’s focus on an impactful micro-concept for writers and presenters: chunking. It’s not a new technique, but one that needs embracing since now more than ever we’re consuming most everything (except all that mac n cheese) on our (small) screens. Couple this with overall memory fatigue and…
For the past several years, fringe (and not-so-fringe) corners of the internet have been a haven for an alternative reality, a reality devoid of facts and quality sources of information. Yet until the last year or so, this world has felt far away for most of us, with the exception of perhaps the occasional sordid…
Wow, what a year it’s been. 2020 has been a rough one and the design world has had to adapt along with everything (and everyone) else. So, let’s revisit my graphic design predictions for 2020, and then see where I think we’re headed for 2021. For 2020, I figured that monochromatic layouts would be popular.…
Like everyone else, we were thrilled to see 2020 leave town on the horse it rode in on (trailing a few folks behind it, eating dust with every clip-clop). The year even had the audacity to extend the collective trauma it inflicted on us into January, with the seditious attack on the Capitol and the…
What drives a great story? The devil does, of course. Having something interesting to say–what novelists would call a good plot–is essential, but a great story hinges on its minutia. Details matter. Generalizations are boring. Unfortunately, minutia can also be as boring as hell. Too much of it, that is. That’s the devilish pitfall in…
It happens more and more these days. Young, scrappy startups want copy and some taglines for their new app, gizmo, or e-commerce initiative. Maybe they’re even open to a new name. “Tell me about your brand,” I ask to get the ball rolling. Is there an existing style guide? Press releases, sell sheet, or an…
“Don’t reinvent the wheel. Just realign it a little.” -Anthony J. D’Angelo, education pioneer Your content touches everything you do. It is the face and voice of your marketing strategy, the spear thrust of your sales outreach, and the persuasive power of your demand generation. Your brand messaging, customer experience, and market differentiators are only…
We’ve all seen it. We’ve even all done it. The typo, the doubled or omitted word, the malaprop. At best, it’s a barely noticeable oversight; at worst, you’ve become a hilarious “editing fails” meme. Whether you’re editing your own writing or someone else’s, we have some tips to help prevent “sloppy copy” and make your…