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Running a Successful Fundraising Campaign

How to Run a Successful Fundraising Campaign

Old Bill’s Fun Run is a local philanthropic fundraising race in Jackson Hole that is quickly setting the standard for what community wellness can look like in rural areas. The mission of Old Bill’s is to highlight the critical work and increase funding to local non-profits. This includes funding to support public health, reach marginalized populations, and support emergency service work in Teton County. Bringing the community together over shared philanthropy creates stability in a mountain community that can often be in motion. Strategic messaging can bolster and increase the credibility of your non-profit mission. The Old Bill’s fundraiser and community race every Fall is the perfect platform for you to raise awareness and tell the story of your non-profit.

Old Bill's Fun Run race. Via: Old Bills Fun Run
via Old Bill’s Fun Run

Old Bill’s Fun Run has poured funding into nonprofits in the community since 1997. Philanthropic events like Old Bill’s Fun Run center their mission around the community. Did you know that there are more than 200 non-profits that serve Teton County, WY! This community, like most all over the country, has its setbacks, challenges, and barriers. We also know that when we amplify non-profits they pour back into the community.

Old Bill's Fun Run

This guide will hopefully help you tackle a fundraising campaign, similar to Old Bill’s Fun Run. It can be a daunting task to stand out among the rest, but it is possible!

Preparing Your Marketing and Fundraising Campaign:

1. Target Market Audience

Who is your audience and where do they spend their time? Your donors may be a bit older and may not be a social media like your younger audience may like to spend their time. Plan to add targeted ads to your strategy for an impactful campaign and explore more platform like radio, newspaper, and digital ads on popular community websites.

2. Set a Clear Budget for Fundraising

There is a fine balance between making an impact with your ad spend versus unintentionally wasting marketing funds that could’ve been used strategically on other goals in your campaign. Having a clearly defined marketing budget, that includes an advertising budget for print and digital media, will help your organization to move more efficiently through the length of your marketing campaign.

3. Get Real and Tell the Story

Tell your impact story in the campaign. A non-profit’s mission is only as effective as the lives that it elevates. Empowering people and enriching the lives of the locals who serve a community is the goal of any non-profit. It becomes critical to make your brand story authentic and believable with your marketing to build trust with viewers.

Building a strong narrative that is supported by high-quality imagery, testimonials, consistent brand identity, compelling storytelling, and messaging lends itself to an authentic and honest story. If you can pierce your audience emotionally with the impact you are creating for real people – you can fund the mission of a non-profit servicing Teton County.

4. Pacing Your Campaign

Prepare your media and scheduling (for the most optimal time) can be a critical part of your campaign visibility. Do you have a plan for preparing, organizing, and scheduling the media for your campaign? Whether you are utilizing supportive graphics, photos or videos, having them prepared and ready to go will help keep the rhythm of your campaign steady and consistent.

Rising Together with Strategic Fundraising Campaigns

Intentional preparation and attending to the 4 key steps listed above can help your campaign run successfully. We rise together by funding service industry work and supporting every non-profit’s success. Consider donating to support the livelihood of the individual stories that hold up the economy in Jackson Hole. Together, we can make a difference!


Interested in working with Transcend Ideas for your non-profit campaign in 2025? Reach out to our team and let’s get coffee!

Make Your Content Stand Out in 2024

Make Your Content Stand Out in 2024

The internet evolves at lightning speed. ⚡️

Trends from a decade ago are long forgotten, and even last year’s sensations have faded. With countless accounts competing for attention across numerous platforms, standing out in this saturated digital landscape demands a more strategic approach than ever before.

When looking at social media forecasts and predicted trends, it’s important to remember that anticipating future trends is always a challenge. For example, today I created a meme for a client based on Olympic pommel horse specialist Stephen Nedoroscik’s bronze medal-winning routine—a twist I never would have predicted last week.

However, we can do our best to observe where momentum is shifting. Staying ahead of trends and paying close attention to emerging patterns is crucial for success in content marketing. Effective content serves as a powerful tool for small businesses to build brand awareness, engage with customers, and drive sales. So, what might be in store for 2024?

A Few Ways to Make Your Content Stand Out in 2024:

Make your content stand out in 2024: 1. Videos are King 2. Embrace the Power of Authenticity 3. Optimize for short attention spans

1. Videos are King

 In the visual-centric world of social media, video content continues to reign supreme. Short-form videos, live streams, and interactive videos are all particularly effective at capturing audience attention.

Video content creation

2. Embrace the Power of Authenticity 

Audiences in 2024 crave genuine content that feels real and relatable. Don’t shy away from showing the human side of your brand. Share behind-the-scenes glimpses, customer success stories, or even the occasional blooper to build trust and foster deeper connections.

3. Optimize for Short Attention Spans

 With the rise of platforms like TikTok and Instagram Reels, short-form content is more popular than ever. Get to the point quickly with a strong hook, break complex ideas into bite-sized chunks, and use visually appealing graphics. Apply this to written content too by breaking up blogs and newsletters into lists and highlighting key points.

Make Your Content Stand out in 2024: 4. Provide value-driven content 5. Leverage the power of storytelling 6. Experiment with interactive content

4. Provide Value-Driven Content

Your audience is looking for solutions to their problems. Focus on a strategy that educates your audience on industry-related topics, offers practical tips and actionable advice, and addresses common customer pain points.

5. Leverage the Power of Storytelling

 Humans are wired to respond to stories. Use narrative techniques to share your brand’s journey and values, highlight customer experiences and testimonials, and create emotional connections with your audience.

6. Experiment with Interactive Content 

Engage your audience by encouraging participation. Try incorporating polls, quizzes, user-generated content challenges, and live Q&A sessions or AMAs (Ask Me Anything) to boost engagement.

7. Diversify your content formats 8. Stay platform-savvy.

7. Diversify Your Content Formats 

While video may reign supreme, don’t put all your eggs in one basket. Mix it up with engaging blog posts, eye-catching infographics, podcast episodes, and interactive webinars or workshops.

8. Stay Platform-Savvy

Each social media platform has its own quirks and best practices. For Instagram, focus on creating visually stunning Reels and Stories. On LinkedIn, share industry insights and thought leadership content. For TikTok, tap into trends and create entertaining, snackable content.

9. Embrace AI-Assisted creativity 10. Don't forget the basics

9. Embrace AI-Assisted Creativity 

While maintaining that human touch, consider using AI tools to generate ideas, optimize your posting schedule, and analyze performance data to refine your strategy.

10. Don’t Forget the Basics

 In the rush to stay trendy, remember these timeless principles: consistently post high-quality content, engage with your audience through comments and messages, and use relevant hashtags to increase discoverability.

Remember, the key to standing out in 2024 isn’t just about following trends—it’s about understanding your unique audience and delivering content that resonates with them. Keep experimenting, analyzing your results, and refining your approach. With persistence and creativity, your content will shine bright in the crowded digital landscape.

At Transcend Ideas, we’re passionate about helping brands create messaging that truly connects. Whether you’re looking to revamp your content strategy or need a fresh perspective on your brand’s voice, we’re here to help you transcend the ordinary and make your mark in 2024 and beyond.

Photo of hand holding smart phone with instagram profile over an orange background

Ready to elevate your content game? Let’s chat about how we can bring your brand’s unique story to life!

From Burnout to Balance: Rebuild Empathy When Faced with Compassion Fatigue

From Burnout to Balance: Rebuild Empathy When Faced with Compassion Fatigue - Rebuilding Empathy when Faced with Fatigue

How are you doing managing the stresses in your life and with maintaining compassion? There are 3 key indicators for you to do a self-assessment to see where you reside on your empathy health, also called the 3 A’s of Compassion Fatigue. The ABCs of Compassion Fatigue are Awareness, Balance, and Connection.

Non-profit and service-industry work is exhilarating when you feel like you are making a tangible difference in your community.  Compassion fatigue results when there is a loss in your ability to nurture effectively when catering to others’ physical and emotional pain. Often, the demands of service-oriented industries can take a hit on our energy levels and the risk of burnout is real. Executive Directors and limited staff members have to wear the hat of many different roles in an organization and run on limited funds and time to make critical services available. The work is meaningful but the pressure can be intense if not effectively managed. If the distinction between another person and yourself becomes blurred and the emotional pain of the other is taken on as one’s own, you could be at risk for fatigue. If not effectively managed, compassion fatigue can have negative physical, mental, and emotional repercussions.

Many service providers and caretakers don’t realize when they are facing compassion fatigue. The condition can be surrounded by feelings of helplessness and powerlessness with patients or family, reduced feelings of empathy and sensitivity, feeling overwhelmed and exhausted by work demands, feeling detached or numb, and loss of interest in activities you used to enjoy.

Rebuilding Empathy: Combatting Compassion Fatigue. Image of therapist and a client.

Do You Know How to Manage Compassion Fatigue?

Compassion fatigue affects everyone. The trick is finding a meaningful way to anticipate and work with the fatigue that will enhance your ability to combat it. We’re here to bring awareness to the most important step in any position is to take care of yourself. To heal the healer reinforces the fortitude needed to get back to the demands of work by incorporating the ABC’s of compassion fatigue: Awareness, Balance, and Connection into our regular routines.

Awareness

Building awareness of and taking action is the first step needed when recentering yourself in responsibilities. Your ability to attune to when you are out of sync is key to knowing when to take action and make a needed change. Your awareness skills will grow the more you recognize when your compassion is waning thin. ****Take a moment to step back and breathe. In. Out. In. Out. Is there any tension in your body? Taking intentional moments throughout your work day, on days off, or when with others – take your minds off of the demands and find where sources of stress may lie; whether they be physically with tension throughout your body or mentally with distractions and disruptive thoughts and get curious with the sources of stress.

Balance

Is your day a never-ending list of demands? Effective planning can help you find a balance between what can stay and what needs to go from your priorities in a day. Write out a list of everything that requires your presence in a day and write a secondary list alongside this to how you will ‘balance’ out the responsibilities on your plate to stay grounded through your every day. Finding balance can be as simple as stepping outside in the middle of your work day and taking a moment to be present with beautiful surroundings.

Connection

Isolation has started to dominate our existence in the past few years. From the pandemic to streaming subscriptions, it has become more convenient to enjoy the comforts of home. Rather than venturing out and forging meaningful connections with people in your community, people often opt out. The discomfort it takes to find a routine outside of your home is well worth the relationships you gain. There are so many people to meet with different backgrounds and views on the world. Even from the comforts of home, we often remain disconnected and distracted. Spending meaningful time with the ones we love is where we can find the most empowering healing.

Rebuilding Empathy: Combatting Compassion Fatigue. Image of tired doctor sitting on the floor in a hospital hallway.

Live Empowered in Your Compassionate Roles

Keep the 3 ABC’s of Compassion Fatigue front of mind as we roll into the busy summer months. Remember to foster awareness, find balance, and build connections in your life to stay above overwhelm. Your ability to find a manageable pace of working with stressors will impact how you show up in your community. Sharing the tools to combat compassion fatigue will help us build more resilient communities and empower our non-profits to thrive!


Need an effective management plan for your non-profit marketing? Transcend Ideas would love to support your organization. Let’s get coffee and discuss the compassionate messaging goals for your organization.

If These Fonts Could Talk

Fonts tell us a lot about a brand, and there is much to discuss about them. We like to think that fonts have their own personalities, and they make a big difference in how consumers communicate with a brand. We could go on for a while, but we’ll try not to get too nerdy. We’re font fanatics here at Transcend Ideas. 

Typography vs Fonts

Let’s start by clarifying the difference between typography and fonts. Typography is the art of arranging type to facilitate effective communication. While typography encompasses everything related to text, we are focusing on fonts in this discussion.

Font Vocabulary

To discuss fonts, it’s helpful to understand some of the important terminology you might hear surrounding fonts.

Typefaces: The visual designs that give characters their distinct style.

Fonts: The digital files that allow typefaces to be displayed on screens and in print. (Typefaces are what you see and fonts are what you use) 

Weight: Refers to the overall thickness of the strokes in a typeface within a specific font. (ie. bold or regular)

Style: Regular, italic, oblique, and small caps are all examples of styles that can exist within a single typeface.

Font Family: If we consider a typeface to be the core design, then the different weights and styles could be said to be instances of that design, and together they form a family (or type family, or font family).

Definitions source via Google fonts. Learn more typography-related terms here.

Serifs vs Sans Serif

A serif is a small line or stroke regularly attached to the end of a larger stroke in a letter or symbol. Fonts are either serif fonts or sans serif fonts, with “sans” meaning “without” these strokes. For example, Times New Roman is a serif font, and Arial is a sans serif font. This text in particular is a sans serif font. 

Typically, serif fonts make for an easier reading experience and work well in body text, especially at smaller sizes. Sans serif fonts tend to work well on signage where there is minimal text. However, there are exceptions, and serif and sans serif fonts can be paired within the same document to create a harmonious look.

Primary & Secondary Fonts

When selecting fonts for your brand, you should choose a primary typeface that reflects your overall brand identity. You should also select a secondary font that complements the primary font and helps create supportive documents. Sometimes, contrast is effective with a thicker primary font and a thinner secondary font or a serif paired with a sans serif. Other times, more subtle differences between the primary and secondary fonts can work well.

The Use of the Font

Consider the purpose of the font when choosing one. Is it for a logo, a newsletter, a graphic, or a flyer? Font use will vary depending on the content you are creating. For example, the controversial font Comic Sans tends to work well within a classroom setting, but using it for a funeral program would be deemed inappropriate.

Tone of the Font

The choice of font can come down to the tone you want to convey. How do you want to present your brand to your audience? A lot depends on the taste of the organization itself. For example, a bank will likely have different fonts than a flower shop. Is it important for your brand to be approachable? Formal and informative? Quirky and cool? 

Accessibility

Another important aspect of fonts and typography is considering accessibility. Some fonts can be more difficult to read for individuals with intellectual differences and physical disabilities. Clarity, size, and contrast are crucial details to consider. In general, you want your fonts to be easy to read both up close and from a distance. Learn more about accessible design here. When we design inclusively, we widen our audience and extend the reach of potential customers.

Choosing the Right Font for Your Brand

an unfortunate font choice

Fonts significantly influence how customers and viewers perceive your brand. A poor font choice can lead to embarrassing consequences. Many problematic fonts are overused—looking at you, Papyrus. With a bit of knowledge and careful observation, you can avoid these mistakes. A carefully selected font can make an immeasurable impact on your brand’s perception. Finding the right font takes time, knowledge, and experience. Often, it also requires some typography work from a graphic designer to make it truly shine.

Feeling Overwhelmed?

We get it, there’s an overload of information out there on fonts and so many to choose from. Take a deep breath and reach out to us to help with your design. There is a difference between a designer’s perspective and a client’s perspective. With clear communication between the two, the perfect font is out there waiting to be put to use.

📧Email Marketing with Subject Lines that work

What stands out to you in your inbox?

Email marketing with subject lines that work will help draw in readers to increase open rate and click rate. The first things the recipients see is the Subject Line and the Preview Text, it’s true.

You’ve probably hear it a million times when you run a business, the most valuable lead you have for your business is through email addresses. If you can get into their inbox you are in the door, so to speak. When you are in the inbox, you are occupying their mind. They may not even open up the email but that first impression of your brand is in the Subject Line and in the Preview text of the e-mail. Those impression mean so much and can potentially motivate an open. Once you have them open your e-mail that’s the next step into peaking their interest. What is it that you want to share?

  • Could you be promoting a sale you are running?
  • Hoping to inspire them?
  • Share an event coming up?
  • Maybe you are asking them questions (like I am right now) to evoke thought.
  • Perhaps you are giving them some tips or tricks they can use themselves.

Emojis draw eyes to the text 👀

It’s true, emojis help bring up the inbox feed. Use emojis that draw attention and stay relatable to what you are writing about. I use getemoji.com if I’m formulating my emails via desktop so it’s easier to access the library.

E-mail Marketing Formula that works 🧪

Use a template that matches your brand. Don’t obsess over the fonts here (trust me, I will in another blog) but for emails, it’s not necessary. Fonts vary based on email client by the way. What you don’t want to do is use images only. Images only means you message is not coming through at all for all audiences. If you strive to be accessible to all users, keep your text dynamic and utilize alternative tags for all images. You want your text to be dynamic and clickable. Your header font and button font should be a color that stands out and matches your brand colors.

The most helpful emails have a summary of what they are about to read. Then following that, topics with photos/graphics, a brief summary of that particular topic and a CTA (call-to-action) bringing them to a landing page to read more/sign-up/buy now, etc. Simple formula for success we think.

The best way to tell if your emails are truly effective is reviewing the metrics like: open rate (the average industry open rate is 37.72% in April 2024) and click rate (the average industry click rate is 2%).*

Testing

Utilize the A/B Testing setting to check out the click map to see what performs the best.
Mailchimp shares some common ways to use A/B tests to improve your marketing:**

  • What day of the week gets better open rates?
  • Does a subject line with an incentive or a teaser work best?
  • Does including your company name in your subject line increase engagement?
  • Is it better to use your name as the From name, or your company’s name?
  • Does the time of day an email is sent affect the click rate?
  • Are subscribed contacts more likely to click a linked image or linked text?
  • Do subscribed contacts prefer an email that contains a GIF or one with static images?

Don’t take unsubscribes personally. Watching unsubscriber activity might seem like a bad thing but it’s actually doing you the favor of narrowing down your audience. You want your audience to stick around to learn more about you and your offerings. If they aren’t engaging with your content they may not have the time or desire to read what you put so much time into. Focus on the audience who engages with you and experiment on what works.

Email marketing with subject lines that work:

Try different phrasing, or sales offers, or emoji to see what gets the most attention. A/B Testing is the best way to measure success here. Try different days of the week and times to increase open rates.

See samples of the subject lines that draw attention to your readers:

🍕Eat Pizza, Support the ARTS 🎨
Preview text: Join us tonight at Hand Fire Pizza 5-8 pm

👀READ 📧Email Marketing with Subject Lines that work
Preview text: Increase your open and click rate with a formula that works

🌿Grow your Garden ⚠️ without Invasive Plants
Preview text: Learn what native plants you can grow in your garden

💎Handcrafted GIFT Ideas: 💖Valentines Day
Preview text: Use Coupon code: VDAY24 for a 10% off discount


*Constant Contact: Average Open Rate – April 2024
**Mailchimp: A/B Testing

Was this helpful? Read another blog post we wrote about “Leverage the Power of Email Marketing”

Transcend Ideas Emails

😉A little plug of our own here: I like to provide our readers, clients and public information they can take and run with. Me and my team are collectors of information and if we think it’s helpful we will share it.

Building Awareness with Marketing

building awareness with marketing

The most effective marketing campaign is one that builds awareness on issues. They can evoke a thought, a pause, a consideration, an emotion, an action, a changed behavior, and at times all of those things over time. Learn how you can start building awareness with marketing. There are many tactics to make an awareness campaigns stick, here are some great examples:

In summary that this blog post covers:

  1. Catch Phrase
  2. Evoke Emotion with Bold Imagery/Design
  3. Consistency
  4. Educate and Inform
  5. Influencers
  6. Normalize Issues

1. Catch Phrase

A successful catch phrase will stick with the audience. Something short and sweet and easier to remember is key.

  • “Only you can prevent forest fires” from Smokey the Bear to build the awareness around what you can do to prevent forest fires.

What makes a catch phrase work:

  • Short and easy to remember/recall
  • Direct
  • Actionable (clear call-to-action)
“Only You Can Prevent Forest Fires” – Smokie the Bear

2. Evoke Emotion with Bold Imagery/ Design

When your audience evokes an emotion it leaves a lasting mark on their heart. Shock and abrupt imagery does get your attention and discomfort comes up.

When imagery stands out and colors are bold, that’s a great ingredient to a memorable campaign.

  • The plastic straws (single-use plastic) campaign
  • Quit cigarette smoking
  • Gun reform in America
“Plastic Straw Problem” – Green Peace
“Every cigarette rots you from the inside out.” – Search ‘ Smokefree’ for free quitting support

3. Consistency

Consistent is key. When you see and hear this message consistently it stays with you. You can even recall the slogan years later – that’s good and effective marketing tactic.

“This is your brain. (egg)

This is drugs. (frying pan)

This is your brain on drugs.” (fried egg in the pan)

“This is your brain on drugs” – Partnership for a Drug-Free America

4. Educate & Inform

When you offer up education to the public you are empowering them with information so they can discover what they need to do or not to do based on this new information. When a campaign lays out the desired behavior and the reason why it’s important to change it – that’s an effect campaign.

  • PlayCleanGo – Clean off your gear, clothes, dog to help the spread of invasive species
  • No Poop Fairy – Clean up after your dog and directly impact our waterways
PlayCleanGo – What are invasive species?

5. Influencers

The very definition of “influencers” are those that influence others. Many public figures (singers, actors, television personalities) know their influence on others and want to use their persuasion to promote campaigns they care about.

This is no difference today with influencers you see promoting products on social media. You may also see them share their opinion on social issues like reproductive rights, the climate crisis, etc. Building awareness with marketing is what they think about full-time in how they present themselves, how they talk, and the products they promote.

“Don’t listen to rumors about AIDS. Get the facts!” – American Red Cross
Logic’s song “1-800-273-8255” the Suicide Prevention hotline with a story about suicide ideation and asking for the help they need

6. Normalize Issues

Over the years there are many issues that are being normalized to lift stigma. When discussions are brought to the surface that many face in our society they begin to breakdown and remove the shame and stigma surrounding them. More than ever before examples of this happening now more than ever before;

  • Mental health
  • Pronouns (she/her | him/his | they/them)
  • Gender Identity – education of what it is and is not
  • Suicide Prevention
  • Body positivity
  • Race
  • Abortion
  • Sexual assault

Womxn Life Freedom campaign

This was a privilege to work on this campaign. The women in Iran are rising up and protesting all the country and the world. This campaign is meant to build awareness of the fight for freedom of women, including those that identify as women.

Ask yourself “What would I like to evoke in my next campaign?” Consider pulling in inspiration from past campaigns that have been effective, perhaps you have a personal experience with them yourself, look into campaigns that align with your brand or have some similar audiences. I personally like working with Pinterest to pull in inspiration.


Do you need help building awareness with marketing? Contact Transcend Ideas to learn how we can help you build awareness around your messaging!

Canva AI Apps: Canva Bulk Create

Our team is blown away at all the new apps that have come available in the past year on their site. Canva has unleashed the potential of artificial intelligence with content creation and it is a blast to work with! Enjoy this simple tutorial we’ve put together to show how you can increase your efficiency as a marketer and create content at a rapid pace by mass-creating bulk posts with the Canva AI Tool “Bulk Create” + ChatGPT.

Bulk Create Tutorial

1. Make your request to ChatGPT for how many posts / tips you’re needing.

I requested a list of 25 Nordic ski tips to enhance performance on the snow.

2. Ask ChatGPT to please arrange tips in a table.

Organize the table where [SAMPLE] as column 1, [SAMPLE 2] as column 2 as instructions for ChatGPT, etc. Copy and download the content as CSV or Copy/Paste it directly into Canva. (I used this query to return table for Nordic tips – Can you arrange the tips in a table where [TIP] is the tip number and first column, [Description] is the tip and second column, and [SUMMARY] is the longer description of the tip from above?)

3. Open Canva, navigate to Apps, Search “Bulk Create.”

It asks to upload a CSV or manual upload. I just copy and paste the columns I’m using right into the wizard. Scroll to bottom of table and hit OKAY. Hit Purple ‘Continue’ button on Bulk Create pane of Canva. (Bottom left screen once you’ve added your excel columns).

4. Now we are going to connect each of your columns to a different area of your Canva template/design.

The columns Canva recognized from my excel columns were “Tips” (Tip #), “Description”, and “Summary”. Now, right click on the element on your canva design you want a certain column to show up in. I wanted the tip number to be at the top – so I clicked/created the text box at the top, right click, and hit “Connect to Data”. This will show one of your recognized columns. Once you select your preferred column, it will show the textbox as a variable. Connect the other two columns to your data by right clicking on each of those text box elements.

5. Generate tips within the template.

Hit continue. You can choose which of the tips to create now from your excel or to create all pages. Once you click generate, all pages will generate in a different window. You can adjust sizing of text/other small adjustments for each before or after you generate the bulk pages.

6. You can schedule posts to connected apps

Schedule posts for FB or Instagram directly from Canva. Since we (Transcend Ideas) manages multiple client accounts we export the files either on our desktop or phone and schedule within our scheduling platform.


Bonus: An extra interesting use of Bulk Create is that can run this AI tool with multiple pages within one design file. That allows you to choose from your favorite formats. I recommend using different variations so your feed isn’t so redundant.

Bulk Create is made for everyone and any small business! Are you a fan of the new Bulk Create capability on Canva? Let us know! Contact Transcend Ideas today if you’d like to learn about Canva doing some heavy lifting for your business!

Canva AI Apps: All You Need for Rapid Content Creation

Canva AI - Rapid Content Creation graphic

Are you looking to have a more efficient workflow? Well, so are we! Having a one-stop shop like Canva is a lifesaver. We have all been there; there are many photos, videos, logos, and colors to work from. Canva allows you to craft the kind of professionalism that you want to see throughout your marketing. Canva saves the day again! Here is another geek-out over how great Canva is. Yeah, we are sold.

Canva has AI technology to help you get things done efficiently. Follow along and see what it has in store, and consider utilizing it or at least giving it a spin and seeing if it suits your business.

Navigate to Canva AI apps mentioned in this article by visiting Canva.com (duh), choose a Template or a Project, click into Apps (grid icon), and search for the following Apps below that may help your business. 

Top 8 Canva AI Apps

1. Bulk Create 

 Bulk Create has its own blog post here we’ve written on previously because of how much we love it. Generate dozens of social media posts within minutes with the power of ChatGPT and Canva AI and Canva templates.

2. Text to image 

Allows users to generate photos/components with just text to use on canva templates. The different filter styles create a drastically different image, cartoon styles/emo/minimalistic, and more.)

3. Magic Eraser

Operates just like the Magic Lasso tool to erase in Photoshop – This is within the image editor to help remove a distracting element. Select this tool within a template, edit the photo, and select Magic Eraser from the options.

Canva AI - Magic Eraser

4. Magic Edit 

Replace a specific element on an image with something new. This only works on actual images, not branded material. Select your image. Right-click, set an image as the background. Click edit photo. Click Magic Edit (Beta). Select your brush size, and brush over what item you’d like to replace in the image, type what to replace the item with. Choose the AI-generated options it comes up with.

Canva AI - Magic Edit A
Canva AI - Magic Edit B
Canva AI - Magic Edit C

5. Magic Design 

Magic Design is currently in the Beta version, but still available for use. Users can access it from the main templates search on Canva. Upload a photo and tell it a prompt for the template style you need. It will generate a list of potential templates you can use with your content. (The placement will be slightly off, you can click into the template and make adjustments on the one you choose. Like uploading a palm tree picture and saying I need a set of minimalistic templates with ocean color palettes, etc.)

Canva AI - Magic Design templates
Canva AI - Try Magic Design

6. Magic Write 

This AI tool to come up with content quickly for social posts, etc. with a simple prompt.

Canva AI - Magic Write

7. Translate 

 Canva app, Translate your content to another language. This is a great option for quick short form writing when you need to generate items both in Spanish and English for a classroom, government agency, and more.

Chrome Extensions using Canva AI Apps

Canva Automate Maker 

Similar to Bulk Create, Canva Automate Maker is great for print-on-demand products found on e-commerce sites like Amazon, Shopify, Redbubble, etc.


We hope this article helps you to get inspired and explore some of the AI capabilities that are available on Canva. Do you have a marketing project that you’d like to utilize Canva AI Apps on? Transcend Ideas would love to help you work through the strategy to figure out what would best suit the needs of your business size and audience to reach the goals of your small business. Contact our team today!

JH Nordic Annual Event 2024 Case Study

Transcend Ideas is proud to continue our partnership with JH Nordic. We are proud to support their mission to improve winter trails access, education, and stewardship in the Teton. The Jackson Hole Nordic Alliance Annual Free Ski, Snowshoe, and Fat Bike Day event has become a favorite tradition for families and the community to come together to celebrate winter recreation in the Tetons. We are proud to have provided the illustration and marketing for the 2024 event this year.


JH Nordic Annual Free Ski, Snowshoe, Fatbike Day at Turpin Meadow Ranch

Transcend Ideas was proud to support the goal to provide education and increase awareness and community around winter trails use in the Tetons for visitors and locals alike.

  • Our team generated an illustrated vintage-style poster reminiscent of skiing and days spent on winter trails from the past. This appeals emotionally to viewers of both the physical and digital marketing campaigns.
  • Digital graphics were created for social media as a 10 day countdown to increase excitement and engagement online. A consistent digital presence promoting attendance at the 6th Annual Free Ski, Snowshoe, and Fatbike Day supported the success of the event.

Visit the JH Nordic website to learn more about all things winter trails and grooming in the Tetons.


Learn more about how Transcend Ideas can help with strategy and marketing behind your non-profits next big community event!

Create Responsibly

The Tetons beckon all to come. 

In this healing place, how do you #createresponsibly when promoting and generating content about the outdoor spaces we love while protecting them from overuse?

Responsible stewardship is the goal of all who live in the surrounding areas of Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks and sharing that deep commitment with others is an idea we want to resonate.

The top 6 tips for Creating Responsible Content from recreateresponsibly.org include:

Know before you go

Connect with land managers about permit requirements, weather, and local guidelines well in advance. Permits may be required and take time to process. Check for weather and hazards prior to arrival. Consider “under-visited” locations to limit your impact.

Plan and Prepare

The outdoors can be a high risk environment with conditions that quickly change. Consider terrain & arrange adequate transporation. Know and understand drone “no fly zones.” Try to film near your vehicle(s). Bring plenty of water and safety equipment.

Build a Safe and Inclusive Outdoors

Inspire others to see themselves in that space. Historically, access to the outdoors has been inequitable – we can change that. Consider the historic inhabitants of the land. Showcase all backgrounds and abilities, embrace different meanings of “outdoors”, celebrate the many ways people connect with nature.

Respect Others

Minimize impacts to others’ outdoor experiences. Avoid blocking trails, vistas or byways. Give space to people recreating or working. Think about how your presence impacts the space, try to blend in with the landscape if possible.

Leave No Trace

Respect the land, water, wildlife, and native and local communities. Follow the seven Leave No Trace principles. Always avoid sensitive habitats, Consider the impact of disclosing specific locations, use your art to educate; showcase responsible use.

Make it Better

Inspire others to respect, care for, and desire to nurture our outdoor spaces. Depict reasonable recreation in action – and behind the scenes. Provide characters with attributes that tie work, play, or culture to the outdoors. Create behind the scenes content to celebrate your backdrop and sustainable practices.

A Few More Tips to Create Responsibly for the Greater Yellowstone Area

“Tag Responsibly Jackson Hole” geotag

The Jackson Hole geotag, created for use on Instagram, was created to prevent overpopulation on trails. Grand Teton is stunning and a treasure. It’s important to not over share trails or wildlife locations to protect the places we all love.

Accurate information

Always be sure to research information on local hikes, water and recreation areas prior to sharing information. Well-informed visitors make better decisions than those not aware of all risks with recreating in any local or national park area.

Responsible sharing

Be sure to be aware of and not violate National Park laws. In Yellowstone, be sure not to step off or past the boardwalks or into thermal pools. In both Grand Teton and Yellowstone, be sure to not fly drones inside of park boundaries.


We’ve taken the pledge to #createresponsibly and we hope you will, too! Creating content that inspires and captures the spirit of the Tetons is important and so is protecting our wild spaces. Thank you for the work you do to respect the national park spaces we call home. Contact Transcend Ideas for help on your next creative project that takes place in Jackson Hole and Grand Teton National Park.