Business, Blogging
Lauren Hooker
40 Ways to Use Adobe Illustrator to Improve ...

Adobe Illustrator is my go-to software for anything and everything design-related. It's the one program I truly couldn't work without.

And while it's easy to assume that the program's primary focus is illustration based on the name, there is so much more to this design software. 

With tools for type, color, photo cropping, image tracing, drawing, and much more, it has innumerable benefits for bloggers and business owners, alike.

To get your creative gears turning, here's a look at 40 ways Adobe Illustrator can take your blog and/or business to the next level.

40 Ways to Use Adobe Illustrator to Improve Your Blog and Business
Blogging, Business, Branding, Design
Lauren Hooker
How to Create Eye-Catching Blog Post Graphics

First impressions are crucial, especially in business.

Potential customers and clients make judgments about your business within the first few seconds of coming into contact with it, whether it’s through your website, your social media accounts, or a simple blog post graphic.

And those initial thoughts - whether they’re spot on or far off from what you want them to be - are within your control. You have the opportunity to make a killer first impression through high-quality, branded visuals.

If your blog is a large part of your business or you’re hoping to drive more traffic back to your site through your blog, you have to have eye-catching blog graphics to not only generate a positive first impression, but to encourage readers to share your posts on sites like Pinterest and be seen by an even wider audience.

So how do you create eye-catching blog post graphics? And better yet, how can you set them apart so they’ll stand out from the rest and be recognized time and time again?

How to Create Eye-Catching Blog Post Graphics
Business, Visual Marketing
Lauren Hooker
40 Easy, Engaging Video Content Ideas for Your ...

“When I discovered YouTube, I didn’t work for 5 days.” - Michael Scott

Video platforms like YouTube (and more recently, Periscope) are easily the world’s greatest time-wasters. We’ve all been guilty of losing track of time on YouTube at least once, because videos are easily consumable, very addicting, and highly entertaining.

As a matter of fact, studies show that a whopping 78% of us watch videos online every week and 55% watch videos online every day.

Which is why Youtube is also the world’s greatest overnight-success-maker. If you’re on the production-side of a video and you’ve come up with a clever idea, you might just have a viral hit on your hands.

Video holds a lot of potential for interaction, engagement, and shares for creative businesses. And for that reason, it’s one of the best visual marketing tools you can use.

But it producing videos can be a little overwhelming, can’t it? Even with helpful video tools out there like Animoto, many of us struggle to come up with simple ideas for video content that would appeal to our audience. 

And that’s where this post comes in. I’ve rounded up 40 easy, engaging video content ideas to help get your creative gears turning. My hope is that you’ll find a few ideas to implement and as a result, bring your business more exposure.

40 Easy, Engaging Video Content Ideas for Your Creative Business
Business, Visual Marketing
Lauren Hooker
Why You Should Be Using Infographics for Your ...

If you’re looking for a good way to kill at least an hour of your time, type in the word “infographic” in the Pinterest search bar.

Thousands of clever graphics will pop up on everything from “how to make a salad taste awesome” to a baby’s first year in a review. There’s even an infographic that answers the pressing question, “Is your dog sleeping a little too much?”

Then, after you’ve admired the genius creativity behind them, take a gander at how many repins and likes each of those infographics receives. Thousands upon thousands.

In fact, infographic volumes have increased by over 800% in 2 years. Publishers who use infographics grow in traffic an average of 12% more than those who don’t. 

What is it about infographics that makes them so appealing? And better yet, how can you come up with some clever infographics for your business so it gains more exposure through likes and shares?

I have all the answers for you in this post.

Why You Should Be Using Infographics for Your Business (And How to Create Them)
Blogging
Lauren Hooker
How to Create Catchy Headlines

Is your headline the first thing you consider when you sit down to write a post?

Probably not, but creating a catchy blog post title is one of the most important aspects of each blog post. It's the gateway to your content; it convinces people to click or scroll right past your latest post'. 

In fact, studies show that 8 out of 10 people will read your headline but only 2 out of 10 will read your entire post. 

Here are a few pointers for drawing in potential readers and a couple "templates" to help you create a catchy headline for your upcoming posts. 

How to Create Catchy Headlines

Business

Ellechat Recap: Streamlining Your Client Process

Ellechat Recap: Streamlining Your Client Process

What are the most difficult parts of handling client work in your business? 

Booking clients in advance? Figuring out what to charge for your time? Meeting deadlines? Balancing multiple projects? Maybe all of the above? 

In last week’s Ellechat we discussed streamlining your client process. A streamlined process is crucial to getting great results and having an efficient workflow. The more you follow the same process, the more you’re going to produce great work with less stress and more efficiency. 

I walked Ellechat attendees through the step-by-step method I used to not only streamline my process, but figure out my prices and schedule projects in my design queue. 

Business Owners: Stop Focusing on Yourself

Business Owners: Stop Focusing on Yourself

Since starting Elle & Company two and a half years ago, I’ve become increasingly aware of the many blessings involved with running a creative business. 

4 major blessings, in particular.

First, that I would be given some sort of creative gift in the first place. (Because, as helpful as it was to go to design school, creativity is innate to a certain extent.)

Second, that I would enjoy design and have a passion for creating brands and websites for other creative business owners.

Third, that I’m able to bring in an income from my lifelong love of design.

And fourth, that I’m able to help other creative business owners in the process. 

If you have your own creative business (or hope to start one in the near future), you can probably relate to all of the above. In fact, these blessings probably sparked your interest in creative entrepreneurship and led you to take the leap.

1  |  You have a creative gift
2  |  You have a passion for it
3  |  You want to make an income off of it
4  |  And you want to use it to help other people

It’s easy to focus on the first 3 on the list because they’re self-focused: Mygifts, my passion, my income. 

We take courses and spend time honing in on our craft. We read how-to posts and soak up strategies on how to gain more subscribers and customers to eventually make more money and increase our income. 

But that fourth one? It seems to get easily get overlooked in the hustle and bustle of running an online business. 

In an industry where it seems like more and more people are trying to share tips, build courses, and get ahead, I think there’s one thing that’s often lacking: a genuine interest in the success of others, without focusing on self gain.

Creating and Selling Digital Products with Kelsey from Paper + Oats

Creating and Selling Digital Products with Kelsey from Paper + Oats

Digital products are a fantastic passive income source for creative businesses. 

Unlike service-based work, items like stock images, printables, and digital files can be created and sold over and over again. You can do the work once, sell your products on autopilot, and bring in more income without little extra effort. 

More creatives are becoming aware of the benefits of digital products, and I thought it would be helpful to start a conversation on the topic. So two weeks ago I invited Kelsey Baldwin of Paper + Oats to join me for an Ellechat and discuss the ins and outs of creating and selling digital products.

The Power of Personal Connection: How One Tweet Landed Me In Entrepreneur.com

The Power of Personal Connection: How One Tweet Landed Me In Entrepreneur.com

If you use content marketing for your business, you’re probably aware that guest posting on other blogs is an effective way to gain influence and boost credibility much faster than simply posting on your blog. 

Especially if the website you’re writing for is established and authoritative. 

In fact, guest posting is a quick way to build your audience before you actually have an audience of your own, because you’re siphoning traffic from someone else’s site. 

Danny Iny is one of many who’s experienced massive growth through guest posting. (And if you’re curious, you can read about his success here.)

Guest posting is a powerful way to gain influence.

And it seems simple enough. You just write a post, send it to a website, and get published… right?

Fish Pants, Blue Hair, and More Unexpected Ways to Be Memorable

Fish Pants, Blue Hair, and More Unexpected Ways to Be Memorable

Kimra Luna has blue hair.

Rand Fishkin wears bright yellow sneakers to every speaking engagement and sports a huge mustache.

Pat Flynn jumped out of a Delorean onstage at a conference with a skateboard in hand.

All of these things are attention-grabbing and memorable; you can’t help but take notice of them and remember people by them. Oddities and unexpected features help people stand out.

And that’s especially important when you’re speaking at conferences or workshops. 

I’ve had the opportunity of speaking at several over the past year and a half, but I’ve had trouble answering one question:

How do you stand out?

Because any speaker knows that while you want to share helpful information, you also want to be entertaining and engaging. You don’t want to sound like a boring college professor, but you also don’t want to be a circus act. 

But if you know me personally (or have spent any length of time on this site), you probably noticed very quickly that I’m normal. Like, very normal. 

I don’t have any crazy tattoos. I’m not super trendy. And I definitely don’t have blue hair.

The creative designer always wishes that I would push the envelope a little bit more, but the safe, type-A side of me always holds me back.

And that’s where the story of the fish pants comes in.