Telling Your Story Through Branding & Messaging

Everyone loves a good story. And your company has a story to tell. You might not think it’s that interesting, but you’d be surprised. People love stories that share a journey and end in a place where they can relate. Branding and messaging tell your story: who you are – what you do – why […]
The Pyramid of Local Online Marketing

A good foundation is the key to a lasting building. And using the right materials on top of that foundation adds to its longevity. The same is true of building an effective and lasting marketing strategy. Jack Jostes owns a digital marketing agency that helps the landscaping industry make a splash. I created a graphic […]
Impactful Website Content Strategy & Tactics

Our team built a website for Michelle Akers in 1996. At the time, she was the captain of the U.S. women’s soccer team playing in the Atlanta Olympics, and I helped tell her story, so she could connect with her fans. That was a great summer as they won the gold medal! It was also […]
4 Top Tips to Help Your Local Service Company Stand Out Online

Are you frustrated with online marketing for your local service business? Do you know you’re good at what you do, but feel out of your element when it comes to websites, social media, and search engines? Or you’re overwhelmed by all the choices to spend on your marketing budget, while each choice sounds like it […]
A New Look at Digital Marketing Consulting

I’ve talked to several people lately who have a need for Internet marketing and appreciated chatting with someone who has experience with this. The problem? They don’t have a budget to spend $2,000 or $4,000 per month, and they are willing to do the work themselves. That’s fine with me. Maybe one day they’ll be […]
Beginner’s Guide to Getting Google Reviews

Customer reviews are the lifeblood of many local businesses, no matter what industry you’re in. This can be especially important for local service professionals.
Most businesses don’t know how to ask for reviews. This article will give you simple step-by-step instructions on how to do it.
10 Signs It’s Time to Update Your Website Design

An old client of mine emailed a couple of days ago about making updates to their site. I designed their site in 2010 and has never been updated. A lot has changed over 10 years. I think we all know if our website needs updating. We put it off because it seems like a hassle. […]
Make Your Website Content Easier to Read

Make your online content easier for people to read so they actually read it! This is really more of a design issue than a content issue, but it’s worth taking note of. The following information would be for on-page content for a website. This would be somewhat different for a print piece: Color Normally a […]
Content Marketing for Local Businesses

The first content I wrote for the Internet was in summer 1996. Our team was building a website for Michelle Akers, the captain of the U.S. women’s soccer team at the Olympics in Atlanta. What I was doing was telling her story and helping her to connect with her fans. That was a great summer […]
Combining Internet Marketing and Furniture Making

Over the last couple of years, I’ve had a side hustle of refinishing furniture and making large signs out of old fence slats. I’ve even converted an old piano into a wine bar. Things got more serious about a year and a half ago when I started working part-time for 4 Chicks Furniture by helping […]