[this article first appeared in the DMA Nonprofit Federation Journal, September 2014] People are passionate about brands they feel connected to, and that doesn’t just apply to consumer products like cars, coffee and yoga clothes – it’s relevant to nonprofit brands too. Loyalty is the holy grail of branding, as it can lead directly to…
If you know anything about me, you know that whenever I am not working, I am outdoors – hiking, biking, skiing, paddling, camping, taking long walks with the dogs (my self-proclaimed motto is “I brake for trailheads”). So it goes without saying that when I moved to Indiana about six months ago, almost every weekend…
At Stone Soup Creative, we believe every great website starts with an organized, authentic, goal-based approach. Style tiles are a powerful tool in the initial steps of web design. Here’s an excerpt from my recent article for Nonprofit MarCommunity, How to Create Style Tiles for Web Design in 3 Easy Steps: Wouldn’t it be great…
Creating an annual report is never an easy endeavor. Here are 3 tips to make the process a little easier, a little faster, and a little more budget-friendly. 1. Make it Shorter Direct mail isn’t dead yet. For many groups, printing and mailing an annual report is still relevant. It makes donors feel good to…
Here are words of wisdom for the next generation (tips I shared with Millennials at the Behance Portfolio Review in Indianapolis), and how they translate for the rest of us. 1. Learn Before you Leap Next generation: I went off on my own too soon, and had to learn everything on my own. If I…
At Stone Soup Creative, before we begin the design process, there is a lot of information that needs to be gathered, assessed, and organized. This is Information Architecture (IA). And it’s the nerdiest—and best—thing that will ever happen to your website. What is information architecture? If the definition of information is “details about a subject,”…
You’ve surely seen them around – perhaps admired them for their tab-free, 3-D coolness factor – and wondered, is a single long page the right approach for my organization’s online presence? Not so fast. Here are 3 myths debunked about single-page scrolling websites: Myth #1: They’re easier to design, develop and maintain Properly-designed and developed…
Creative agency brings ‘magic stone’ to South-Central Indiana MARCH 26, 2014 TERRE HAUTE, IN Award-winning graphic design agency Stone Soup Creative brings their unique flavor of design, branding and marketing experience to South-Central Indiana. Stone Soup Creative opened its doors in New York City in 2000—and under the guidance of firm principal, Julia Reich—has grown…
I just can’t stop writing about infographics. They teach people, tell stories, and compel with powerful information—which is hard to do in today’s age of information overload. Since the majority of people learn things visually (I myself am certainly a visual learner), the subject is as topical as ever. Recently I’ve been presenting webinars on…
It’s the week after the Super Bowl and the internets have been slathered in commentary about Puppy Bowl X and Budweiser’s cute new Puppy Love commercial. Since I love my dogs (and all my animals!) so much – and I’m a sucker for the groups fighting for their welfare – this month’s topic is easy:…
