Creator's Block

If there's one thing most marketing professionals -- creative or otherwise -- can agree upon, it's that meetings are often terrible for productivity, but remain a very necessary evil. On paper, meetings should bring people together, provide opportunities to align expectations, and move projects or initiatives forward. Still many of us avoid them -- or, at the very least, we consider many of them to be a nuisance. And we'll drag our feet and whine about how we wish were still at our desks, getting "actual work" done. But why?  That was what we attempted to get to the bottom of in this episode -- but our carefully outlined conversation took an interesting turn.  We started with the usual beats of noting the key differences between meaningful meetings with too many people vs. meetings that should be meaningful, but are simply not run well.  Then, as we dove deeper (and moved away from our original outline for the episode), we started uncovering some interesting truths around what we do and do not control, when i

Jessie-Lee and I are back this week, fresh off HubSpot's #INBOUND17 conference in Boston. We spent three full days with 21,400+ of our closest friends in the INBOUND community, learning and getting inspired -- so needless to say, we're a little tuckered. But we're not too tired to talk about our biggest takeaways. Prior to this year, Jessie-Lee and I had both been to INBOUND more than a handful of times as part of the Quintain team -- this year, however, was distinctly different.  Not only was the tone of this year's conference a departure from previous years, we were there as new members of the IMPACT family. (Oh, and we were named HubSpot's Partner Agency of the Year, which is kind of a big deal.) We didn't go the ho-hum route, passively attending sessions to get a few tactical takeaways to start using back at home. We worked. We did live website throwdowns. We were moved by incredible speakers. We crushed some of our personal, big, audacious goals -- and now realize we need new ones. We gained perspective.

I love working at an agency. (Lucky for me, the agency I work at rocks.) In fact, I made a joke with someone the other day that I didn't choose the agency life; "the agency life chose me." Each day presents new challenges and opportunities to learn and push myself to solve complex problems. As someone who gets bored easily, this kind of dynamic environment is critical to my professional happiness -- I couldn't imagine it any other way. But here's the thing about working at an agency -- while it's great for marketing creatives who want to dive right in and get their feet wet in an energetic, fast-paced environment, it's not for everyone.  No matter what style of creative you are -- designer, website developer, writer, editor, etc. -- agencies will always ask more of you (from a skill sets perspective) than the creative projects in your portfolio. Given that Marcella, Jessie-Lee, and I have all been in the agency world for a long time, we're spending this episode sharing our experiences, as well as the skills t

Just over a year ago, Jessie-Lee Nichols (a designer) and I (a content creator) launched the Creator's Block podcast with a single goal in mind -- we wanted to blog less. Desperately. Little did we know that our concerted effort to be lazy and spend less time in front of the keyboard would turn into an always insightful, but often hilarious labor of love. Week after week, Jessie-Lee and I would "pull back the curtain" on inbound marketing, content, and design, leveraging our marketing world "odd couple" perspectives to provide unique insights for entrepreneurs and marketers. We staged interventions. We philosophized. We answered questions. We debated. We ranted. We raved.  Of course, nothing stays the same forever -- and big changes were on the horizon. In fact, with the exception of a "very special episode" back in August that focused on how that kind of change impacts us, there hasn't been a new, full episode of the once-weekly podcast since April. Well, until today, that is. We've Got a New Mission & a

For long-time listeners of the Creator's Block podcast, you know it's been awhile since I've stepped into the recording studio to "pull back the curtain on inbound, content, design and agency life" for all of the creatives and content creators out there.  The podcast is still undergoing a bit of a virtual face-lift, so we won't back on a regular basis for another few weeks. But in the interim, I've invited two guests to join me for a special edition of Creator's Block -- Kathleen Booth, our very own VP of Strategy, and Jessie-Lee Nichols, Marketing Manager at Link Labs. Given the events of the past few months, we're dedicating this week's episode to the big, hairy (and often scary) elephant in the room...  Change.  It doesn't matter what your job title is or how long you've been in the game, we all know that nothing stays the same forever. Of course, sometimes changes are welcome -- a new promotion, for example. But they aren't always.  So, how do you go with the flow and not reach for the panic button when t

The internet is full of design tips and tricks for the typical layperson. After all, this is the kind of information that helps us to learn and develop new skills – and design is a skill like any other. It demands time, training and experience. Yet most of these posts seek to simplify design down to a few bulleted lists, and to give birth to easy do-it-yourself (DIY) design. The question, though, is whether or not your average Joe should be designing graphics and content themselves, or whether they – and their brand – are better off seeking professional help. Liz and I focused this week's talk on when you should and when you should not try to do it yourself when it comes to design work. At the risk of sounding like a total design snob, I made it clear that there is a time and a place for DIY design, but it is very limited, and very much dependent on the preexisting skills and experience of the DIYer. Tune in to hear our feelings on this week's topic! What Did We Talk About? What is the right time and place f

Not long ago, Pepsi came under fire for a television advertisement, featuring Kendall Jenner, and for good reason. To put it mildly, the soda giant stumbled in their attempt to leverage a political conversation to sell soda, and it fell flat with consumers.  (Heck, they even got parodied by SNL.) So, this week, Shelby and I discuss what went wrong with that ad and what marketers can learn from it, as well as how businesses can effectively "newsjack" for their own marketing, without becoming a social media - and late night television - punchline. What Did We Talk About?   What went wrong with the Pepsi ad? Should politics play a role in advertising? What brands have gotten it right? How do you implement a newsjacking strategy if you don't do traditional advertising? How have we done like work for clients?    Resources:   DiGiorno Pizza Live Tweets the Sound of Music Live How Oreo Won the Marketing Super Bowl with a Timely Blackout Ad on Twitter Charmin: "Don't forget to look down before your speech." KITKA

Creator's Block co-host Liz Murphy is away this week, so I had a very special guest join me on this week's episode – previous Creator's Block co-host Jessie-Lee Nichols! (cue raucous applause and cheering) So essentially, while the word nerd is away, the designers will play! In this week's episode, Jessie-Lee and I bring back the topic of brand style guides in order to dive into what goes into a successful visual style guide – it's more than just logos. We also go over why we use them in the first place, how we get buy-in from our teammates and how we build them out. Plus, I get a little peek into Jessie-Lee's new life as an in-house marketing manager, and how this has driven her to start building out a brand style guide for her company. Listen in to hear what we have to say, and to hear Jessie-Lee's wonderful voice again! What Did We Talk About?  Jessie-Lee's experiences working in an agency versus working in-house What pains and issues can a visual brand style guide solve? Why does your business need visu

We're back with another episode to help you unlock your business' blogging potential. This week, we're pulling back the curtain on"how the sausage gets made" - more specifically, the physical act of organizing a blogging strategy and actually getting them written. This topic is important, because so many people don't talk about it. They'll wax poetic about developing the right strategy around blog topics, bringing in contributors and the value of having a strong promotion strategy, but there isn't much out there on how to actually create a blogging process that is sustainable and scalable - the latter, if needed. So tune in as I take Shelby through how we create blogs for clients, and what processes may (or may not) be well-suited to your organization. There's a bit of tough love thrown in for good measure - as I've said before, content doesn't just appear from the sky - but I think we all came out better for it. Enjoy! What Did We Talk About?   What is the first and most fundamental step you should take bef

As a designer who's worked almost exclusively for a marketing agency, I've noticed the divide that exists between designers who work freelance and those that work within larger firms. We are so much alike, yet our experiences can vary so widely since there are pros and cons to each path. Even when I started out, the decision was whether to work for an agency – or perhaps internally within a company's own marketing department – or to head out on my own as a freelancer. And it begs the question, which is better, the freelance design life, or designing within an agency? This week, Liz let me nerd out over design things with Joe Barsin, an Annapolitan freelance graphic designer whose work many Maryland locals will recognize under the Citizen Pride brand. He also brought us some awesome stickers, because he's just that cool. With promptings from Liz, Joe and I talked about our own experiences in the agency and freelance worlds, and we discussed how Joe has managed projects as both a freelancer as well as creative

We've talked about the importance of style in your content before - on this very podcast, on our blog and in one of our webinars from last year. But this week, I came to the proverbial podcast mic with something specific on my mind: the importance of tone in your content. You see, early last week, I was having a discussion with an account manager about a case study. We had received some feedback from a client regarding the potential inclusion of an element that, in my mind, would have dimished the power of the final product.  Why? Unlike a blog post, an eBook or a webinar, case studies are supposed to be results-focused, because readers don't want to be burdened by mounds of editorializing and exposition. In fact, the more fluff you try to put into a case study - no matter how noble your intent - the more you may undermine or water down the actual point of your success story. This is just one example of how tone and message choices matter, when you're creating content for your business. So, that's what we'

There is a black hole in design projects. It's this realm right between the development of the creative brief and the presentation of those first few design concepts. Sure, the client knows is that their designer is hard at work – brainstorming, ideating and being as creative as possible in order to deliver the most fantastical design concepts imaginable. Obviously. But where exactly does the designer go? Do they trek through the mountains of Tibet in order to find inner peace and bolster their creativity? Do they flee to an uncharted island to perfect their focus? Most project managers and clients probably couldn't say what goes on during this time. And it's problematic because then, when the first rounds of designs are reviewed, designs come out of left field and no one is quite happy with how it all came out. Goals and expectations were not established, and feelings get hurt. Mood boards are like a lifeline back to the mainland. They bridge this gap that we all struggle with, whether you're a designer or n

Last fall, as I was perusing the lineup for speakers for #INBOUND16 and assembling my schedule, there was one session that immediately caught my attention: "Could a Robot Create Your Content?" Within seconds of mentally processing the title, I knew I was registering for it. I also muttered in a rage to myself that if the presentation was anything other the phrase "ABSOLUTELY NOT!" projected onto a screen for 45 minutes straight, I was going to completely freak out. Because I'm a rational adult and a professional who never overreacts about anything, ever. Of course, there was much more to the presentation than that. (In fact, it wasn't even close to my anti-robot vision.) And, as you might have guessed, the answer to that loaded question has many layers to it.  That's why this week, after forcing Shelby to watch the recording of the session I attended (linked above), we're talking about robots. Are they nefarious, dark overlords who will ruin my life, as well as content and marketing forever? Or, are they lik

Our work culture thrives on people telling others – coworkers, bosses, friends, spouses – how busy they are. Really though, we love to say it. Don't tell me you never feel just a little bit of pride when you tell your friends that "No, I can't go out on Wednesday night. I'M BUSY." But busy-ness becomes a dangerous trap. It's so easy to just say "I'm too busy" and to move along from one task to the next, checking things off your list without really putting your full brainpower into any particular item. So when we feel like everything is on fire, and out inboxes pile up with endless newsletters and emails, how do we – as marketers, content creators, and designers – keep our creativity flowing and continue to think outside the box? In this week's episode, Liz and I dive into the tools and techniques that we both use day-to-day to get ourselves out of the "check-the-box" mentality. We share how we push ourselves to keep thinking creatively, in order to fuel the passions that we both have for what we do, and to co

This week, we're taking a break from talking about content and design to talk about something we think everyone can relate to - whether you own your own business, or you're a marketer just getting started:  The challenges of networking. For so many, networking events (trade shows, conferences, happy hours, industry meetups) are considered a necessary evil. Unfortunately, it doesn't matter if you're getting out there to mingle with prospects or to connect with other professionals in your field, knowing how to work a room effectively can make or break you in those situations. So, inspired by a recent talk I attended, I decided to go digging for some of my favorite tips and tricks to help others feel more confident in networking situations. And, of course, Shelby brought in her own unique perspective, as well as a few things I hadn't even thought of... WHAT DID WE TALK ABOUT?   What is your body language communicating to others - both in a conversation and standing on your own? Why should you look out for pairs

One of the most important things you can do as a marketer is to step back, take off your marketing goggles and remember that you, too, are a consumer. As a designer who builds out marketing email templates, I love to read through my variety of business newsletters and marketing emails, because they shows me where other businesses are finding success. And I've noticed recently that many companies are beginning to play around with plain-text emails versus their normal, branded, HTML emails. And my marketing geekiness might be showing a bit here, but I find it fascinating. In this week's episode, Liz and I fight a little over the common debate between over-designing and under-designing marketing emails – and we see how plain-text compares to HTML. We ask: How far should we take email design, or should they be designed much at all? And like the conclusion of pretty much any marketing discussion, everything really comes down to knowing our audience. WHAT DID WE TALK ABOUT?   What are some good examples of both pl

As Quintain's dedicated content manager, I spend as much time creating content as I do reviewing content created by others. That means I have a front row seat to all of the editorial quirks and idiosyncracies of my fellow Quintain team members, our clients and... well, myself. (Alas, I am not perfect.) Then, a couple of weeks ago, I noticed something that almost everyone was doing - again, including myself. Most content creators - whether you're a marketer, or you're burning the midnight content oil for your own business - make wimpy word choices when framing their ideas or offering advice based on what is often years of experience. They play it safe and use apologetic language that undermines their authority and the power of their content.  For those of you sitting there saying, "I'm not 100 percent sure what you mean, but I am not the kind of person to be a wimp about anything," I get it. In person, you stand behind your ideas. In meetings, you speak with conviction and confidence. But who are you once you

A few months ago, I posted a question to Inbound.org, asking users to tell me how they would rate their own company's logo, on a scale of one to 10, and why. The responses were all very positive, each a rating of nine or even 10, and I enjoyed reading the reasons behind the ratings, all of which were varied and completely subjective.  But it gets us thinking – what is it that really makes a logo so great? How can you, someone in charge of your company's branding, make sure that your logo and other brand elements aren't outdated or missing the mark? In this week's episode, Liz and I explore the way people critique their own brands, and how they reach out to others for feedback as well. Ultimately, we find there is a balance between you taking charge of your brand, as someone who truly knows their own business, versus bringing other knowledgeable stakeholders into the discussion to really make sure your logo and brand are achieving the goals they were designed for. WHAT DID WE TALK ABOUT?   When should you con

We are no stranger to talking about blogging on the Creator's Block podcast. (We've talked about why people hate it so much, as well as three quick strategies for writing killer blog introductions.) Why do we talk about it so much? Because while we can all agree that blogging is an essential part of any successful inbound marketing strategy, it's also the marketing activity people tend to complain about the most.  Specifically, there are two excuses that crop up in conversations both internally at Quintain and with our own clients time and time again. First, "I don't know what to write about." Second, "But I don't have any time to write a blog - I am so busy!" So, on today's episode of Creator's Block, Shelby and I aren't just complaining and commiserating - we're providing you with tested strategies and tips for picking great topics and finding the time to blog. (Spoiler alert: You have more to say than you think, and guess what? We're all busy.) Enjoy! WHAT DID WE TALK ABOUT? Do you really not have time

The topic of cheap logo design, or low-cost design work in general, is one that quickly causes riots to break out in the design community. Keyboards sailing through the air, potted succulents shattered on the floor. Designer anarchy. Or, at the very least, passive-aggressive comment chains on social media. But what are the reasons business owners turn to cheaper design options in the first place? More importantly, what do you stand to lose by going with a cheap design, and what might you gain? I will always be an advocate for good, labor-intensive creative work, but the prevalence of cheap, quick design work can't be denied. In this episode of the Creator's Block podcast, Liz and I walk the line between these two extremes and dive into the positives and negatives of "low-rent" logo design, and what they mean for the people who write the checks. We also talk about what business owners truly miss out on by not being involved enough in the logo design process, or by overlooking what is essentially the cornerston