Category: nonprofit branding

Your Design Is Full of CRAP

How to use the four principles of graphic design to create images that engage audiences and make your organization look good As a 20+-year professional veteran of the graphic design field – most often working with nonprofits – I believe an organization’s marketing materials need no, require good design. In my experience good graphic design has…

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Get your house in order: how to use brand architecture to repair a fractured brand image

Get your house in order: how to use brand architecture to repair a fractured brand image

Do you sometimes feel your nonprofit is having an identity crisis – like one of your programs or events is more well-known than the organization itself? If the public recognizes the event or program, but not the organization that has worked so hard to make it a familiar success, this can be a problem —…

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Ideal Audience Personas

How to create an Ideal Audience Persona: three reasons & a worksheet

Knowing who you are as an organization and how you are perceived is a critical part of the branding process. Once you’ve got a handle on your mission, vision, values, and messages (congrats!), you’ll want to start disseminating your brand identity to the world. But do you really know who you’re trying to reach? A…

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In the Mood for a Mood Board

In the mood for a mood board

A Mood board is a tool that can be used during branding to help organizations get a sense of how their brand is evolving. Mood boards are a collage of: Colors Textures Patterns Images I’m a creative person and graphic designer. Even if I’m not working on a project that involves designing visual identity, I’ll start to…

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The one critical element every great brand needs

The one critical element every great brand needs

I feel like I’m always using the word authentic to qualify the word brand. I do this because authenticity in a brand is of paramount importance. You can’t just make up your brand. No matter how much you want to pay me, I can’t develop the character of your brand either. Your brand is who…

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Brand Awareness Quiz

[Quiz] What is your brand awareness?

Eventually we want to re-design our website, but first we want to redo our branding. Can we discuss your process?” We are headed into a major transformation and need big brand development. I’d like to get a general sense of what your approach might be.” When I’m contacted by a prospect, often they’ll ask about…

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