The art of getting great photos
A great photo can do so much to make your brand stand out – and make your personal branding memorable. One of my favorite methods of making sites feel fresh and different is to use custom photography. Wherever possible I try to avoid using stock photos – nothing worse than using the same old tired […]
passive income and promoting your evergreen products
Passive income. The holy grail of online businesses. Products, courses and offers that make you money while you sleep. I’m here to tell you that there’s real work behind generating passive income! This week’s Minima question comes courtesy of one of my readers, Lucy. “Can you share how you launched your book and how you […]
The five things you need to test right now
Here’s the problem. You have a site, but you never visit it (or maybe you don’t keep it up to date) – so you don’t know that anything is wrong until other people tell you! Here’s how you can avoid the 5 biggest site mistakes I see all the time. 1. Contact form doesn’t work […]
9 lessons in 9 years running a design business
I never thought when I started my business that I’d still be working for myself (and still loving what I do). I’m so honored to work with amazing clients and challenging projects that make a difference in this world. I’ve collected 9 tips from some of my hardest lessons – I’d love to hear from […]
What to do when you think you’re not good enough
I’ve been mentoring and talking with designers for the last few years – and when I survey my audience about what they struggle with most in their business, three answers pop up the most. The most common responses? the fear that they don’t know enough the fear that they’re not credible enough to promote (and […]
How to make your stock photos look “not so stock”
Looking to make your site stand out from the crowd? Using stock photos can often make your site feel generic. In this special photoshop Minima Tutorial, I’ll show you how you can use filters and actions to create gorgeous, unique graphics for your custom site. Products used in this tutorial All of the effects, fonts […]
How do you get more design clients – especially if you’re just starting out?
I’ve been getting this question a lot lately in my one-on-one designer consultations. Maybe you’re new to design or maybe you started out like me – having worked for someone else for years, you’ve got no idea how to generate leads and get new clients. When you’re just starting out, everything about your business can […]
The art of the followup
Want to know why some designers are consistently busy and others can’t seem to get enough work? What’s the secret to a never-ending a stream of new clients and consistent cash flow? Explore the art of the follow-up. How many times have you gone into a store and not purchased anything. Did the clerk or […]
Building a better pop-up optin
Looking to create your own version of a pop-up optin box? In this Minima tutorial, I’ll show you exactly what I use to easily create high-converting pop-up boxes. Create, test and tweak away! Click here for the OptinMonster plugin featured in this tutorial.
Lessons from a goldfish
Last week I was in Denver for a tech conference. When I called to check in with my husband, he asked if I had gotten the pet fish. I didn’t know it, but one of the fun perks of my hotel was a goldfish for your room. When I relayed this to my new friends […]
The art of the redesign
Are you planning a website redesign? Watch the video below to review a few points to consider before you redesign your site.
Before you leave that day job
Recently I’ve had a few folks write me about when is it the right time to leave the day job. When I started my business over a decade ago, I was terrified that I had no idea what I was doing. I’d been working at a small firm in DC that had its own office […]
How to pick the perfect plugin
Confused on how to pick the right plugin? Watch the video below to see how I evaluate and review plugins for my site. Determine your needs Don’t just install the first one you see without researching it Check to see when it was last updated Check for support issues Check the cost Evaluate plugins on […]
Behind the Curtain – what happens when a web designer redesigns her own site?
Watch the video review of my own site as I explain my 6 goals for my website redesign and the strategies I employed to remake my site. Links mentioned in the video Parallax Pro Theme from Genesis Business Professional Font from You Work for Them Typekit from Adobe Envira Gallery
How to create a FAQ page for your website
If you’ve got any sort of business that deals with clients and the general public (and especially if you’re offering digital or software products), I’ll bet you’ve answered a lot of the same questions over and over again. In this Minima tutorial I’ve got a simple solution that will cut down on your customer support […]