April 2015

A Step-By-Step Guide for Creating Infographics

A Step-By-Step Guide for Creating Infographics

Studies show that 90% of all of the information transmitted to the brain is visual. Many of us are visual learners, so it's no wonder that infographics have become increasingly popular among blogs and businesses. They create interest and engagement among an audience. they're more visually attractive than pages of text for sharing information, they're more likely to be shared, and they're also a great way to break up and vary the content on your blog.

Infographics can be used in numerous ways to display information for your blog or business, from showcasing reader survey results to displaying your creative process and everything in between. But the problem for most creative entrepreneurs and bloggers isn't why infographics can be beneficial; it's how. So today I created an infographic about infographics as a little guide for how to go about designing these helpful images on your own.

My Secret for Rapidly Growing My Business

My Secret for Rapidly Growing My Business

When I first started Elle & Company over a year ago, I faced many of the common struggles that most creative entrepreneurs face at the outset of their business: growing an audience, developing a loyal following, making the leap to full-time, and gaining credibility in my industry. And now, over a year later, I receive inquiries each week from new business owners and freelancers asking me how I jumped those hurdles. My answer isn't complicated, but it seems that it's never quite the answer that the inquirer expects (and hopes) to hear. I'm usually asked for other answers, because surely blogging can't be my only answer to all of the above. 

But it is. This blog has had the quickest and greatest impact on Elle & Company. It's allowed me to appeal to my target audience, spread the word about my business, build trust with my followers, book clients, and make sales. I attribute the majority of any success I've had with this business to this space that updates once every weekday. 

4 Reasons Why You Should Never Turn Down a Paying Customer

4 Reasons Why You Should Never Turn Down a Paying Customer

There's a common train of thought that's catching on across the creative industry and advises business owners to pick and choose who they should work with. And while I agree with branding a business to attract an ideal customer within its niche, I disagree with turning down paying clients who desire to work with you. Today I'm offering an alternative point of view on this controversial topic, not to create a heated debate, but to encourage you to be purposeful and well-informed on the decisions you make for your business.

Our Journey to 100,000 Unique Blog Visitors

Our Journey to 100,000 Unique Blog Visitors

I'm letting you in on a big goal of ours in today's post. Last week I shared the story of Elle & Company and how I got this business off the ground. I filled you in on our journey up until this point, but today I'm letting you in on our biggest goal for Elle & Company this year...

There's also an announcement at the bottom of this post for the next Adobe Illustrator e-course. Don't miss it!

This One Site is My Largest Blog Referral (And How to Make it Yours, Too)

This One Site is My Largest Blog Referral (And How to Make it Yours, Too)

Many creative entrepreneurs overlook how valuable Pinterest can be for their business and blog. These past 5 months I've seen Pinterest climb to the top of my site referrals in my analytics, and I've started to realize its potential for generating traffic and reaching a larger audience. Not only that, but I've had 3 design clients find my work through Pinterest, follow it to my site, and book my services. The power of this free social media platform is huge. 

In an effort to help you grow your audience, drive traffic to your site, book clients, and generate sales, I'm focusing on the benefits of Pinterest today as well as sharing 7 ways that you can utilize Pinterest for blogging and business.