10 Characteristics of a Well-Designed Brand

You’ve seen it before: an amazing brand design that is perfect in every way.

From the logo, to the color scheme, to how well the concept fits the business’s theme, a stunning brand like this can have you spending hours eyeing everything their shop has to offer.

This is much more powerful than a brand that lacks this alluring feel.

Why is this the case? A well-designed brand creates an entire experience around a business. So it’s no longer just a product or a service or a blog and is instead transformed into a captivating aura that draws people in.

Instantly, items in the shop become a little shinier and more special. Services become more desirable and engaging. Therefore, a well-designed brand increases the entire value of a business and makes its audience more eager to invest money into whatever the brand is offering.

This can be your business, too!

Many careful decisions go into developing successful branding; it’s the result of a design strategy and process that hits all the marks. Much brainstorming and planning is required to elevate your brand in this way, as well as techniques and know-how.

In short, with a brand like this, there’s more than meets the eye.

But I’m spilling some designer secrets today to help you make sure your brand creates an irresistible experience that draws in customers and clients.

Branding, Getting Started, StrategySarah ForestSeptember 23, 2019Design, Experience, creative entrepreneur Comments

Creating a Responsive Filterable Gallery in Squarespace

Have you ever wanted to create a responsive gallery to feature different collections of your work all within one page?

While Squarespace doesn’t have a content block to create this magic, I do have handy trick I’ve used in various ways across my website. This method actually uses several pages, and the results are so similar to a one-page feel that your audience will hardly realize it while your responsive gallery changes with a click of a button right before their eyes.

On this “one page,” your audience can select different categories to view. And they can easily toggle between these filtered views without losing their bearings or ever having to click the <— Back button of their browser.

Similar to a storefront with categories listed at the top for easy sorting, this Squarespace work-around has many uses.

Let’s jump right into today’s step-by-step tutorial!

SquarespaceSarah ForestJuly 24, 2019creative entrepreneur Comments

Squarespace 101 for Creative Entrepreneurs and Bloggers

video + blog post

In this Ponderstream episode, learn the basics of Squarespace as I take you behind my computer screen and give you a step-by-step tour of the back end.

Get a detailed glimpse of Squarespace’s many features to see how simple and easy it is to use.

From creating pages to setting up shop, I cover practical ways creative entrepreneurs and bloggers can use Squarespace to build their brand’s headquarters.

Missed joining this one live? Register for next week’s Ponderstream webinar here.

An Inside Look at My Brand and Website Design Service

My love for graphic design and creative entrepreneurship is what led me to venture out and start Ponder Trail. I wanted to offer branding for small businesses and be a valuable resource, too.

While I have a page dedicated to my design service, I haven't yet spelled out the process on my blog.

So today, I’m sharing the details of my brand and website design package.

There are several features that make it a little different, and this post walks you through the process and highlights some of the elements that make it unique.

I hope you enjoy this in-depth look at what it’s like to work with me to transform the visual brand identity of your business.

The Top 2 Critical Strategies to Consider when Starting and Growing a Business

video + blog post

There’s so much noise online about what you need to do before you launch a business, but today I’m taking the stand and saying there’s a Top 2.

In fact, if I had known and followed them before I ventured out and launched my first business (a handmade knitwear company), these two strategies alone would have saved me from running around in time-wasting circles, and my business would have taken off much faster.

One of them is a fundamental, yet often unnoted step to ensuring your business doesn't dwindle away from you and fail due to a simple overlook.
The other is a new, growing need I’ve noticed in recent months and is a byproduct of the modern online business era. But I’m not sure how a business can survive in 2019 and onward without implementing this strategy.

While extremely effective, the are both simple methods to follow and only require a bit of creative brainstorming time with you, paper, and a pen.

So here’s what I would say if I could tell every creative entrepreneur only 2 things I wish I did when starting and growing a business . . .

Missed joining this one live? Register for next week’s Ponderstream webinar here.

4 Key Areas of Branding a Small Online Business

By now, you’ve probably heard it: a brand is more than just a logo.

As a brand identity designer, I know this first-hand and talk about it often on the blog. A business’s branding is created from building color palettes, pairing fonts, and through compiling an entire style guide—just to mention a few of the visual elements.

However, branding goes even deeper than what the outside of a business looks like. And many of these other critical areas are often neglected and in much disarray.

Branding is more of an abstract concept—like developing a writing style; it’s something that takes quite a bit of unpacking to understand fully because there are so many components and the possibilities are endless.

So I’ve broken the essentials of creating a brand into 4 simple parts to make it easy to digest and implement in any creative business.

Learn the ins and outs of these 4 key elements of branding in today’s crash course.

What is Branding? And Why it is Important?

These days, branding gets a lot of buzz. However, I still come across many businesses that just don’t seem to grasp the full concept of branding.

I suspect this is the case because branding is a bit difficult to master. It’s an abstract concept made up of many parts and often looks different for every creative company.

But the truth is, branding will either drag your business down or allow it to soar.

So it’s paramount for every entrepreneur to set aside time to delve into forming and refining their brand identity.

Maybe you’re new to learning about branding, or maybe you’ve already covered some bases. Either way, I’m spelling out the nitty gritty of this critical notion to make it easy to understand.

As a brand designer, this is one of my favorite topics to talk about, so I hope you glean some helpful insights from today’s post on branding basics!

Branding, Getting StartedSarah ForestMay 1, 2019creative business Comments

How to Plan Out the Perfect Quiz for Your Audience

I was featured on the Interact Blog today! Here is the free quiz-planning template that goes along with my post.

While it’s easy to come up with a great concept for a quiz, it’s often difficult to translate that into questions, answers, and results.

This is where implementing an effective planning method comes into play.

I created a Quiz-Planning Template to make it even easier.

Create your quiz right here!

Business, Marketing, Getting StartedSarah ForestFebruary 26, 2019Quiz, creative business Comments

How to Plan 30 Days of Instagram Content

Planning Instagram content 30 days in advance has many benefits.

It allows you to create and prepare everything so you only need to spend a few minutes on Instagram each day.

It helps you to “show up” consistently without Instagram becoming your full-time job.

It saves so much time and lets you create an Instagram routine that works with your busy life.

And, you never again have to stress out about throwing a post together last-minute.

If you’re wishing for a better posting strategy, or if you’re just curious about this whole “planning” thing, you’ve come to the right place. Because today, I’m sharing my simple step-by-step process for intentionally planning 30 days of Instagram content.

How to Build a Quiz to Grow Your Email List

Everyone loves a good quiz. They are interest-peaking, interactive, and often informative.

But quizzes don’t have to be “just for fun;” they can be a great tool for growing an online business, too.

A quiz can offer a solution to the first step of a problem. It can shed light on the value of your products and services. It can be a great opportunity to build trust with your audience and demonstrate your expertise. And a quiz is the perfect way to grow your email list.

I recently created my first quiz for Ponder Trail. I used Interact for the platform and was impressed with how easy it was to use.

I’m excited to show you my step-by-step process for creating a quiz: from brainstorming ideas and implementing strategy—all the way to building it in Interact and embedding it into your website. Here’s how:

My Step-by-Step Process for a Successful Year

It’s that time of year again—when everything feels fresh and new. Goals swirl around our minds with ever-growing excitement about what we hope to accomplish in the new year.

We dream big about our businesses and can’t wait to get started on our latest and greatest ideas.

But without a methodical way to set and reach goals, there isn’t much hope for success.

So today, I’m giving you my step-by-step process to effectively plan for a successful and productive year. This is an in-depth blog post you won’t want to miss.

How I Got a Head-Start on the New Year

I wanted to try something new going into January this year: get a head-start.

The first few weeks of January usually get away from me, and before I know it, I’m halfway through February.

So I brainstormed ways to set myself up for success this year, and I’m happy to announce it’s made a huge difference so far. They are strategies I plan to continue implementing for the rest of the year, and I recommend you try them out, too.

This is what I did:

15 Reasons to Utilize a Newsletter and Email List for Creative Business

The “newsletter” and the “email list” are talked about a lot these days. And it’s no wonder because they come with countless benefits.

Even if you aren’t quite sure what they do or why you need them, you’ve likely come in contact with these tools before. (Ever get emails from your favorite stores?)

But newsletters aren’t just for big, established businesses.

In fact, they’re one of the best tools for creative small businesses and start-ups, too. And the sooner you start building yours, the better off your business will be.

Read on to learn the principles of a newsletter and an email list.

And if you still aren’t convinced or simply haven’t jumped on board, I’m also sharing 15 indisputable reasons to start your newsletter today!

Branding Project: Logo Suite for Rustic Spunk Decor

Caitlynn is in an exciting season for her business. She has just decided to transition her side-hustle into a framework that fits her family even better. With new things on the horizon for her and her husband, she wanted to focus on pursuing a new-found passion of clean living.

While she will be changing up the name and theme of her business, I still had to share her branding project and the fun logo I designed for her back when she was selling handmade candles and nature-inspired home decor.

Branding, PortfolioSarah ForestSeptember 27, 2018Portfolio, Design, Branding Project, Client Work, creative business Comments

An Inside Look at the Strategy Behind My Homepage

Last week, I shared a post about the 7 essential pages to include on your website. As I was writing, the content I wanted to share about the strategy behind a homepage kept growing, so I decided to create an in-depth post dedicated just to this one topic.

If you're itching for a look behind the scenes at the thought process and purpose behind an effective homepage, this post is for you!

If you already have a website, or if you're are just getting started with one, I hope you enjoy today's insights as I spill the beans on the strategy behind my homepage.

Business, Squarespace, BrandingSarah ForestSeptember 25, 2018Website, Strategy, Blog Pod, Experience, Design, creative business Comments

7 Essential Pages Every Website Needs (and the Strategies behind Them)

It’s no secret that every business in 2018 needs a website.

It’s the best place to build your online presence because you own and control your website.

. . . And because you won’t have to worry about changes to algorithms on social media.

While the possibilities are endless for designing and setting up your brand’s website, there are 7 pages in particular that are critical for a successful site.

Keep reading to learn how you can implement these essential pages on your business’s website.

How to Transform Your Service (or Course) into an Experience

People want to buy an experience--not just a service.

An experience elevates your service to something extra special.

It makes your service more beneficial and enjoyable for clients. It provides more value, which it makes your service worth more. And when clients get more out of your service, it helps you get better reviews and testimonials.

In today’s post, I’m sharing how to turn your service into an experience in 9 simple steps. (This system applies to courses, as well!)

Business, BrandingSarah ForestSeptember 19, 2018Experience, Value, Services, Blog Pod, creative business Comments

Why and How to Define an Audience for Your Creative Business, Blog, and Social Media

Who is your audience?

It’s perhaps the most important question you will ever answer about your business.

Your audience is the group of people who are ecstatic about your brand and want to buy your products or book your services. They’re your potential customer or clients.

If you want to have a profitable business, you need to reach and connect with them. And every element of your business needs to be designed and intended for that market.

Until you know your audience, you won’t have complete clarity or get the full potential out of the work you put into your business.

You’ll miss opportunities to speak to your potential customers or clients through intentional branding and messaging.

And you’ll likely put time into creating content that isn’t effective.

But once you follow the steps in today’s blog post, you’ll be on your way to building a loyal following for your creative business.

Business, Marketing, Blogging, Social MediaSarah ForestSeptember 11, 2018Blog Pod, Strategy, creative business Comments

The latest insights for creative entrepreneurs