three-hundred-years

Why your website needs downloads

Sat, 28 Mar 2026 18:49:15 GMT

Five reasons the effort is worth it.

Publications and digital downloads are an important part of any content strategy. Downloads are visual workhorses. They go where your website can't. The best are saved and shared, helping you generate sales leads, increase reach, and land new customers for the long-haul. Thing is, digital downloads are a lot of work to get right. Even when you're working on a seasonal project, think "evergreen" during all stages of design, because it's an investment. But the effort is definitely worth it. Here are five reasons why.

Build credibility

Position yourself as an expert. Teach your audience something new with a white paper or an e-book. “Audience” and “something” are broad terms, with lots of room for creativity. Identifying both is the best way to set the objective of your project. Ask yourself who you want to reach, and pinpoint what they’d find most useful. Cater to beginners with a definitive “101” guide that covers all the basic essentials on a topic, or get technical with an insight piece that examines and demystifies current issues within your industry. Those are just two possibilities from the endless wellspring that the “teach something” to "an audience” formula provides.

Many companies end up creating a collection of e-books and white papers so there’s something relevant for everyone. They’re great choices for start-ups and entrepreneurs who want to demonstrate qualifications and expertise when entering an industry, and they’re extremely popular with big businesses who are already well-established, with tons of competition.

Showcase products & services

Let’s face it. Online product descriptions can only do so much —a major reason why influencers and user-generated ratings and reviews are so popular (as they should be.)

If you have a big story to tell about a product, and want to share beyond basic specifications like price, size, color, and a short blurb that’s no longer than 180 characters, consider offering a product guide or brochure.

They’re a dedicated place to:

appeal to the emotions
share features and benefits more comprehensively
showcase success stories
provide instructions for optimal use
up-sell complimentary products

Get more mileage out of them by designing guides for everyone — customers and employees. They do double-duty as product training guides for your sales and customer service teams.

Generate leads and spark sales

It takes time, expertise, research and resources to put a polished publication together, and during the process, it’s helpful to keep in mind that you’re creating premium, high-quality content. Quality gets results. One way to ensure good results is to include a lead-capture feature in the process.

Download with lead capture is one of the most effective ways to get high-quality leads when you have a website without ecommerce, where there's no shopping cart or online ordering. For example, your audience provides their contact info (an email address) in order to download your free "101 Guide". Or, maybe they share their opinions in order to download a handy reference checklist. Everybody wins, and you’re building your database of high-quality customer leads. They get the comprehensive guide that they’re interested in; they discover more about your company; and now you can keep in touch with them and initiate your sales process. It all happens without a shopping cart. And it's an awesome way to learn more about what your audience wants, and what they are interested in. It's the gateway to meaningful segmentation.

Show the depth of your brand

Think of digital downloads as an alternate stage for your brand, where you can experiment with and show different aspects of personality. Get creative, push some limits, and see what resonates with your audience.

For example, ‘Zines (short for magazine) are playful, illustrated, artsy publications that ignore the standard conventions of more traditional publications like catalogues, circulars, or product guides. Go right ahead and include quirky, memorable content. Try out an original comic strip, gather a seasonal play list, recipes, or show off a fashion-forward mood board. It’s fun for everyone, and you’re differentiating in a big way. Get fancy. You can even design "purchase incentives."

Educate customers during and after purchases.

Product guides, e-books and brochures help customers make informed decisions about a purchase they’re considering. But here's something most businesses overlook: guides are just as useful after a purchase has been made. Identify the questions customers ask most frequently after they’ve made a purchase and address them in a product guide to save everyone time. You’ll proactively dispel confusion, increase customer satisfaction, and decrease the amount of service inquiries, email, and phone calls that you receive. Consider sending a guide to customers after a purchase or service is complete to maintain a great relationship, recommend complimentary purchases, and encourage and inspire their feedback.

9 tips to put you in a creative mood

Tue, 03 Mar 2026 21:29:52 GMT

Stuck in a rut? It happens to the most creative people. Check out these tips to lure the creative muse back into your lair.

#1. Don't overthink.

Creativity takes courage and authenticity, and that can be scary. When I work with clients, we get clear about what makes you different, better, and unique — because this is how you stand out — and it’s how you convey your distinct identity in whatever space you’re playing in.

It’s the opposite of conformity, and it makes us feel vulnerable. So vulnerable in fact, that many get spooked and decide not to put their creative ideas into play. But this is not an option.

To ease your nerves, keep in mind that you judge yourself more harshly than anyone else ever will. There’s so much creative content out there already - good and bad. What people want more than anything is something different that they haven’t seen anywhere else. So be yourself. Have your point of view. Be different or unexpected. Reveal your daring or quirky side. And be original with confidence.

#2. Enjoy the process of your project.

Make work fun. Start an inspiration file, and add to it regularly. Create a project mood board, and decorate the walls in your workspace. Set up a playlist that helps you connect with the creative vision of the project. If you’re using a project management tool, reward yourself when you check off a task or hit a project milestone.

#3. Write down every idea.

Don't ignore them.

In a Meditation workshop I attended, I learned that an average person has between 12,000 to 60,000 thoughts per day.

I was so surprised by this that I googled it, and found the scientific research the instructor shared with us. It’s impossible to remember everything that crosses our mind every day.

Treat yourself to a new notebook or journal (one that you really dig) and start using the notepad on your phone to record ideas on the fly, whenever inspiration strikes, whether you’re stopped at a traffic light, or emerging from the shower. (As I write this, I just peeked at my iPhone. There are 5,299 notes, spanning years. Some are lists, some are full-fledged poems, some have embedded photos and drawings, and some are private vent sessions. All of it helped.)

Already an avid notetaker? Up your game and try something different. Look for a guided journal with writing prompts to spark out-of-the-box thinking.

An average person has between

12,000 to 60,000 thoughts a day.

#4. Nurture your intuition.

Listen to yourself. Mindfully acknowledge your thoughts, impressions, moods, and whatever you feel drawn to— and not just the obvious stuff. Jot down subtle nuances that you notice in your notebook, too. They stand out subconsciously for a reason, even if you’re not quite sure what the reason is.

Seek out alternate ways of looking at things. Oracle card decks are a fun technique to try. Just shuffle them up, and pick some cards. There are many decks to choose from. Choosing one that resonates with you is part of the charm. In addition to beautifully drawn artwork, most come with guidebooks that help you see your personal life, work life, relationships, and creative projects in a different light. Feeling stuck or having trouble making a creative decision? Ask your deck a specific question, and see what shows up. Try keeping a pendulum or magic 8 ball on your desk. The next time you need unbiased answers, ask away. Start reading your horoscope, and keep a dream journal on your night table. All of it helps you tune in to your subconscious mind; plus it’s all in good fun, and braking for fun is an effective way to blow off steam, connect with your playful side, and dissolve creative blocks.

#5. Just begin something.

Roger Ebert said, “the muse visits during the process of creation. Not before.”

If you’re feeling uninspired or you notice yourself procrastinating, start anyway, even when you aren’t feeling it. Get all your ideas (even the bad ones) out, and see which one grows.

#6. Work while others are resting.

Having trouble concentrating during the day? You are not alone. Aside from world news that has everyone distracted with worry, there are *so many* notifications, bells, and whistles sounding off all day long. Email rolls in at the speed of light. There’s phone calls, text messages, meetings, and people who need your undivided attention. It’s challenging to stay ahead of.

When you have a creative project that requires focus, try working on it outside the hours of 9-5. You’ll gain some quiet, there’s less digital activity, and there’s science that backs this approach. Our brains are actually more creative at night, when we’re feeling a little tired. Google it and see for yourself. :)

Our brains are actually more creative at night, when we're feeling a little tired.

#7. Dabble with creative supplies and tools.

Fill your workspace with tools that make everything better. Do watercolors and acrylics remind you why you started so many years ago? Then figure out how to use them as part of your creative process in the here and now, even if you do digital work. In the planning stages, sketch everything out with creative supplies that you enjoy using.

Explore new creative apps. And checkout new productivity apps like Asana and Evernote, which make project management portable, and life so much easier. For days and days (and days) of inspiration, browse through creative ideas on Pinterest and Instagram.

#8. Take a break.

Take a *genuine* break when you find yourself second guessing, staring at a blank screen, or feeling stress. (Answering emails, checking social media, and surfing the web do not count as a break.) Go for a total change of scenery. Get up, and leave your computer or workspace, even if you’re on a tight deadline.

Go for a walk, get some exercise, browse through books or magazines, have a snack, listen to music. You’ll return feeling recharged.

#9. Everything is interesting. Look closer.

Zoom in, and do it early. At the start of a project, it’s the norm to spend a lot of time at the high level. We set objectives, map out tasks, assign deadlines and time frames, and we identify the resources and supplies we need. It’s all necessary, but it doesn’t feel like creative work, and you might find yourself less than inspired to begin. To amplify the excitement, devote more time to the fun stuff early on, even if creative decisions aren’t final at this stage. The point is to get inspired. Think about the little details. Research, gather imagery and photos, consider colors, materials, mediums, headlines, words- and start your inspiration file as early as you can.

Three reasons to hire a designer

lbroskett@yahoo.com (Lori Broskett) — Sun, 01 Mar 2026 02:38:35 GMT

Maybe you already have a creative team at your company, and if you don't, its no secret that nowadays it's easy to take short cuts. Anyone can get affordable templates online. So what’s the advantage of hiring an independent designer?

Aside from getting the design assets you need, there are surprising advantages when you collaborate with someone new. Check them out.

1. You’ll be Questioned...and that’s a Good Thing for your Brand

A professional designer will ask for branding guidelines, and help you establish them if you need to. And they’ll use a creative brief to define clear objectives for the project. It’s a helpful, formal process that doesn’t always take place in small and medium businesses or startups— and it’s one that forces you to think about audience, goals, and format. It's a chance to answer questions about your brand that often need attention. Picky questions. Do you need to use the tagline on your logo everywhere? Is this the right color blue? Is it ok to introduce a few new colors? Who can answer these questions, and how rigid are "the rules"? The answers are different for every company, and it’s an important part of brand management to define what they are.

2. Collaborate with fresh eyes.

Speaking of rules, if you have a designer you always work with, or you’ve got an in-house team with a set of established guidelines, the rules become ingrained. Everyone knows them, everyone follows them, no one strays. That’s the point. Things are what they are, and nobody questions it. The danger here is a creative team who feels confined, and brand messaging that feels stale or uninspired. Bringing in a “brand novice” for a temporary gig can shake things up in a positive way that customers will notice. A brand novice will ask questions about your products and services that seem obvious, and they won’t understand the internal jargon or technical answers, much like a potential customer. You’ll get a whole new way of looking at your products, all within guidelines of course.

3. Discover new ways to express ideas.

Think beyond the project at hand. Breaking things down for a novice designer helps you break things down everywhere. You’ll be able to express complex ideas with greater simplicity and clarity going forward. An innocent gig with an independent designer can have a ripple effect that reaches far. You just might plant seeds that lead to creative growth and brand development in the future.