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Coming up Dry with Content Writing?

Posted on January 27, 2023 - 3:27 pm by

Are you having a dry spell?

It happens. Where trying to come up with new content can take time and effort. Are you coming up dry with content writing? Here are some excellent ways to help ignite inspiration in writing content for your business:

  • Tell a story out of the personal experience
  • Refocus on your goals – ask yourself what’s important to share to stay in alignment with your messaging
  • Utilize a subject you came across in your news feed and put your unique twist on it
  • Create Google Alerts – you’ll receive an email any time that particular keyword or keyphrase comes across the headlines (blog, articles, videos)
  • Revisit old content – rinse and recycle it like it’s new again!
  • Stay inspired – read a book, have a conversation, listen to a podcast, and let it sink in and inspire you!
List for content ideas from Transcend ideas. "Coming up dry with content writing? Tell a story, refocus on your goals, put your special twist on something, Google Alerts - use keyphrases on subjects of interest, revisit old content - rinse and recycle it."

Even this blog post helped me reignite some ideas for blog posts and social media posts in 2023! Jot down your content ideas and spread them out over time. Set a goal to share content with your audience, in order to keep engagement alive. They want to hear from you and what you have to share. Here are some ways to keep your content marketing flowing smoothly:

 Formula to Follow for Content Marketing

  1. Outline the subject matter with lists; everyone loves a good digestible list!
  2. Reference videos or audio to help your reader tie it all together (short form video “reel” or TikTok to touch on your key points)
  3. Short form writing (5-7 mins read), people are busy..
  4. Supportive graphics adapted for social media with Canva
  5. Use Grammarly to proofread your writing (God knows I need it)
  6. Reinforce your images with Alternative text to ensure your content is more accessible and strong captions for your posts but not too long, keep it short and sweet with CTA to read more and sign-up
  7. A clear CTA (call-to-action) at the end of the writing with what to do with this information they just read
  8. Automate your social media posts and reference to the content
  9. Use relevant hashtags but don’t overload on them
  10. Don’t shy away from 🔥emojis, if I’m writing on my desktop I utilize emojipedia.org

Get inspired: Inspiring podcast episode from NPR Life Kit that might help ignite some curiosity in your personal branding.

We all have times when we feel we are coming up dry with content writing. Get back into creating with some curiosity, have some fun, and speak authentically.

Stay tuned for more content that may help with your messaging.

Topics we cover: Marketing | Branding | Case Studies | People

Happy Every Day!

Posted on January 5, 2023 - 6:17 pm by

It’s 2023 – better later than never!

Every time a new year begins I feel optimistic for a better year ahead. I’m so humbled by ringing in our 2nd year as a small business. Every single year there are new things to learn, boundaries to set, and new positive habit forming. Because of this positive progress, I’m looking forward to happy every day! I’ve already attended two workshops having to do with goal setting and efficiency that have really brought forward a lot of great things to the surface.

Happy Every Day! Transcend Ideas Envision board for 2023

This year I envision a year with more rest, more boundaries, more time outdoors, play more, efficient working hours, more love, more taking care of myself, date night with my husband, more travel especially in our RV, steady workflow but not necessarily more work. (Digital vision board made with Canva)

Here’s to a new year as I enjoy my 39th year on the planet, going on 40!

Great resources to use to work more efficiently and to be happy every day:

  • Tomato Timer – Pomodoro
  • Asana
  • Time blocking
  • Passion Planner – this planner I used for the first time and it’s extensive but a great way to stay on track with your passions (your work and personal goals)
  • Playlist with “Focus” music/tunes – no lyrics, instrumental helps focus the mind on the task
  • Good old fashion lists – generate your lists per week, this helps put these to-do’s out in the open

Would you add anything to our list? What tools do you use to find happy every day? Schedule a time to get coffee with us and discuss, we can’t wait to hear from you!

ICYMI

Jackson Hole Nordic Alliance Case Study

Posted on December 29, 2022 - 2:58 am by

Jackson Hole Nordic Alliance has worked with Heather for many years. Heather has helped JH Nordic develop a strategy for the website, marketing messaging, graphic design, marketing strategy, and more. JH Nordic is a non-profit organization and a community-oriented resource designed to identify, map, describe, and share all the best trail information in the region. The amount of work is staggering that goes into preparing up-to-date trail information on the extraordinary Nordic skiing opportunities around us. JH Nordic, also, provides information on fat biking and snowshoeing in the Jackson Hole/ Teton Valley/Greater Teton region of Wyoming and Idaho.

JH Nordic hosts an Annual Community Event at Turpin Meadow Ranch. This year the event is going to be extraordinary. The event has been canceled two years in a row because of the COVID pandemic. On Sunday, January 8th, 2023 the event will be on! The event is family-friendly and brings people together who love Nordic skiing, fat biking, and snowshoeing. 

Community powered in a Shared Love

What makes JH Nordic so intriguing is the community that supports and feeds it with experience and enthusiasm! Our small town’s shared love and camaraderie of outdoor recreation is potent. It’s exciting to witness JH Nordic’s reach grow. The organization generates positivity and gratitude from every single patron affected by the organization’s service.

JH Nordic has been the go-to place to find trusted and accurate information on all things Nordic. This information includes details about grooming, daily trail reports, events, resources, featured profiles. The website includes profiles on the people that enrich the community, ask JH Nordic, and more.

Give them a follow on Instagram @jhnordic for a positive community of adventure and love for the outdoors.

Canva is a Business Lifesaver

Posted on December 2, 2022 - 5:29 pm by

If you are unfamiliar with Canva, let me help enlighten you. And if you already know about Canva, then you’ll be nodding your head in agreement with how much this platform is an ultimate business lifesaver.

I have worked on this platform for many years. I must say now I might as well be a spokeswoman for them. They have been THE tool I use for my supporting graphics for my clients and for my business and non-profit purposes. The free version I coasted on for years, and ever since I began my business, I knew I wanted to pay for Canva Pro that unlocked more features that make my creative flow that much easier.

My Top 10 Reasons you should be utilizing Canva:

  1. Branding your Canva experience – Hone your colors and fonts so you can utilize them with ease between design projects. Read this article and watch the video by Canva on brand building
  2. Draw inspiration from Canva templates – Templates are there to inspire your creation but be sure to change it enough, so it looks different from the template you began with. A regular Canva users can spot a template a mile away.
  3. Pull in Elements that would help compliment your graphic – Shapes, illustrations, photo frames, animated gifs, photo collages, etc.
  4. Keep colors consistent – Use the eyedropper; also, notice anything you uploaded in the canvas will pick up on the colors in your design; trust me a great feature you should take advantage of! Read the article and watch the video by Canva on your brand colors
  5. Share with your team – You can share your design templates with your team so they can review/modify as necessary.
  6. Animate!!!! – You can animate your whole design, change the duration of the animation, the animation effect, and you can even animate from one page to another to create a compelling story for your auidence.
  7. Alignment/centering – This might sound small, but if you don’t have your main elements centered, it can throw off the composition of the design. It takes more than dragging and clicking, it takes an eye too.
  8. Fonts! – There are so many to choose from, AND you can even upload your own fonts installed on your computer if you are still looking for a close resemblance in their font library. I will share what fonts to avoid in my opinion, so look out for that soon!
  9. Export & resize in so many different formats – pdf, jpg, png, gif, mp4, that support your use of the graphic or video. Resize your graphics for different purposes – social media, business cards, flyers, postcards/greeting cards, stickers, etc.
  10. Desktop AND App – Access to this design platform on your desktop and your app is an absolute gamechanger! This allows you to toggle between each device and post with ease.

Samples Designed by Transcend Ideas

People Spread Love Old Bill’s Fun Run (Insta Square)
GAP! Challenges Girls are Facing (Insta Square)
pARTners Old Bills Fun Run (Insta square)
Womxn Life Freedom (Insta Square)

Client graphics in use: Jackson Hole Fire and EMS, GAP!, pARTners, People Spread Love, Jackson Hole Nordic & Womxn Life Freedom.

Canva Custom Templates and Links to Purchase

I am excited to offer this new supporting graphics bundle to clients. Canva is a powerful tool that I use almost (not entirely) exclusively. To set yourself up for success for your business or non-profit, having custom-made templates ready to go is so crucial. You will have full access to these designs so you can “plug and play.” You will also obtain a training session with me. Links to this content can be purchased below.

If you need some convincing, let’s get some coffee to talk it out.
I’d be happy to send you an affiliated link to Canva so you too can be a part a solution that can generate connection through visuals for your small business or non-profit organization.

Did you know that non-profits Canva plans are FREE when registered? Apply now.

Interested in other platforms I love?
  • Adobe Creative Suite (I use this suite for larger design projects)
  • Google Workspace (Email, Sheets, Docs, Slides, Google Drive)
  • Grammarly (great grammar tool that can catch errors in your writing)
  • Asana (task manager)
  • Unsplash, Adobe Stock (stock photos)
  • WordPress (website build & management)
  • Jotform (3rd party form management)
  • Stripe (credit card processor)
  • GetEmoji.com (grab an emoji quickly and paste it into your content)
  • Wave Apps (bookkeeping application)

When You Shop Small You Support People

Posted on November 25, 2022 - 4:30 am by
Transcend Ideas Giveaway, Shop Small Support People

Let’s Celebrate Small Business Saturday

Tomorrow is Small Business Saturday on Saturday, November 26th, and you’re encouraged to support the small businesses you know and admire. It could be your favorite Thai place, a gift shop, a magical massage therapist, a web designer, a dog groomer, a hairstylist, a favorite sandwich shop, or a coffeehouse. Wherever and whatever they sell or offer, they can not stand without your support. Shop small, support people.

The global pandemic was an indicator of how important the support of all of us has on the small business model, especially those that thrive as a brick-and-mortar establishments. So many small businesses had to pivot into a different model to survive the moment and the circumstance at our feet. Find more information about Small Business Saturday at the Small Business Administration site here.

Transcend Ideas small business starter pack
Transcend Ideas giveaway: post-it notes, sticker, business card & a special thank you from me!

Shop small business giveaway

Transcend Ideas is proud to offer a “Shop Small Business Giveaway” this Saturday.

Enter the giveaway by using Instagram or Facebook:

  • Take a photo/video of the item/service you purchased
  • Tag @transcendideas and the business you are supporting
  • Like our social media post and give @transcendideas a follow too

I will mail you stickers, post-it notes as a thank you by snail mail. You will be contacted by DM notifying you that you won.

When you do business with small businesses and shop small and support people.

Do you have a Purpose-Driven Brand?

Posted on November 8, 2022 - 11:12 pm by

I love this question because every business you see has a purpose that drives it forward. If that “WHY” isn’t asked regularly, the why may get lost in the hustle. Ask yourself:

“Do you have a Purpose-Driven Brand?”

If the answer doesn’t come right away, that’s okay. But keep in mind that when you can answer it immediately, you have a direct purpose in how you show up for your community. If you can’t answer that fundamental question, it may be best to take a beat and dig deeper.

You ought to audit your own business, so you don’t mission creep or grind without that purposeful “why” at the core of your offering. When we begin taking on aspects of our business that don’t align with our purpose we lose sight of that “why.” Maybe your why will shift and mature, and that’s also okay.

Here are some branching off purpose-driven questions to consider thinking about:

  • Who do you serve?
  • Why do you serve them?
  • What drives you to serve them?
  • What motivates you to continue serving them and others like them?
  • Are you asking your audience what they want and need so you can improve your work?
  • Do you feel fulfilled in helping your audience achieve in their business?
  • If not, why? And how can you shift that attitude?
  • Are you excited about the work you do and the serve you provide others?
  • Are you continually learning about your industry? Are you keeping that door open? Or have you closed that door to continual personal/professional growth?

Transcend Ideas – People Centered

Our brand, Transcend Ideas, in my mind, is purpose-driven because we serve small businesses and non-profits to amplify their meaningful message through branding and marketing strategy. What amplifying means to me is to tell their story. People’s stories are interesting. I began this company because I care about people and the communities they serve. I will continue to ask myself that significant “WHY” so I don’t lose sight as we learn and grow as a company.

The purpose of human life is to serve, and to show compassion and the will to help others.

Albert Schweitzer

Patagonia – Planet Earth Centered

Patagonia is a company that I had respected for a long time, even before their CEO, Yvon Chouinard recently announced a shift with Patagonia and their efforts to combat the climate crisis in a huge way. More explanation here. Patagonia has stood for sustainability since the company’s inception 50 years ago. They hooked me in when I realized they’d repair your gear if you mail them in, and if they can’t improve them, they will replace it with brand-new Patagonia gear all together.

Earth is now our only shareholder.

If we have any hope of a thriving planet—much less a business—it is going to take all of us doing what we can with the resources we have. This is what we can do.

-Yvon Chouinard

Clubhouse Conversation:

Come join the conversation on Clubhouse, if you don’t have the App downloaded you can still listen to the conversation in your browser. You can listen back to this conversation if you missed it all together. I love to engage in conversation with people all over the country and the world as that’s when the richest conversations happen.

“Do you have a Purpose-Driven Brand?”

Monday, November 14th

at 11 am MST / 9 am EST

Listen to the Conversation

Traditional Marketing Ideas (Clubhouse/Spaces)

Posted on October 3, 2022 - 9:45 am by

I was in a Clubhouse room called: “Old School Marketing” and it blew me away how important going back to basics in your marketing truly is. Check out the next set of audio rooms I will be hosting on this very topic in the coming weeks. In the meantime here are some ideas to stew on..

Traditional Marketing Ideas:

In no particular order of course, but consider these ideas to implement:

  • Word-of-mouth
  • Schedule a cup of coffee or lunch with a work colleague, even your competition to discuss business
  • Mailers
  • Handouts (flyers, rack cards, business cards)
    • Pin up in bulletin boards! – Make a list of these locales that accept those physical marketing tools
  • Stickers (clever approach – catchphrase, coolness)
  • Showing support for a charity/nonprofit organization
    • A certain % of sales goes to charity in a certain time frame
    • Sponsor an event or a sport in your town/city
  • Join the Chamber of Commerce – make connections, take advantage of ALL they offer you!
  • Contests for all ages (art, name mascot, etc.)
  • Handwritten thank you notes
  • Thank you gifts for your bigger clients
  • Exclusive sales to your most loyal customers
  • Holiday cards
  • Networking
  • In-person events – Hold in-person workshops (educate, inform, engage – build trust)
  • Community calendars for events you are hosting
  • Print ads in local newspapers
  • In-store signs (sandwich boards)
  • Takeaways: Bumper stickers, stickers, branded water bottles
  • Name tags – custom name tags, wear your logo and name (perhaps pronouns too) to remind people what you are about!
  • Movie theatre ads – Slides or videos of local businesses
  • Post-it notes – custom couple with your business card (good leave behinds)
traditional marketing ideas

Photo by Marissa Grootes on Unsplash

“Create social proof through that localize medium!”

Heather Cox
traditional marketing ideas

“Tried and True” Marketing Ideas

Going back to the “tried and true” methods of marketing can be just what you needed to revitalize your connection with your audience. I am all for digital marketing, it’s predominately what I do but there is something to be said for that personal touch to make a connection. When we build relationships we are developing trust and communicating and we can’t always lean into digital technology to do that.

These marketing ideas are meant to be approached “in tandem” with digital marketing! Don’t discount the basics and ask yourself what you can you use in Q4 and what could you utilize in your marketing strategy for 2023.

Join the Traditional Marketing Ideas Conversation

Join Heather for a Clubhouse Room AND Twitter Spaces on “Old School Marketing Ideas.” All conversations will be recorded so you can listen in at a later time to learn a bit here and there. We will not be focusing on digitally marketing.

Clubhouse
“Old Skool Marketing for Biz and Nonprofits”
Wed, Oct 19th at 11:15 am MDT

Listen to the Replay

Twitter Spaces
“Old Skool Marketing”
Wed, Nov 2 at 11:30 am MDT

Join Twitter Spaces

Case Study: Erin Taylor Coaching

Posted on September 29, 2022 - 11:32 am by

Erin Taylor came to Transcend Ideas for a website to help market her wellness and intuitive leadership coaching practice. It was a pleasure to help Erin find her voice, her focus, and lead the approach of her site design.

“Between stimulus and response, there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.”

— Victor Frankl

Erin Taylor Coaching offerings are:

Life balance, mindfulness in the workplace, wellbeing, and intuitive leadership. She offers keystone speaking, individual coaching, and group training. Erin loves to reference Victor Frankl in how she shows up in her coaching, helping her clients discover the space between.

Often it’s the simple things that make a big difference:

  • Icon sets can help break up content and help the visitor organize content
  • Utilize bullet points so it’s easier for them to scan your content
  • Using subtle geometric parallax backgrounds, it helps break up the sterile white background
  • Seeing her face in her portrait(s) throughout the site is important for her potential clients to see who they will be working with
  • Humanize herself by sharing more about her journey and her “why”

The clarity, the simplicity, and relatability of Erin will help rope in clients into her coaching practice.

Learn more about how Transcend Ideas can help your vision for your business come to life.

Erin Taylor Coaching icon set
Erin Taylor Coaching icon set - balance icon
Erin Taylor Coaching Icon set- walking up stairs
Icon set - Heart over profile image
Icon set - Group together with stars overhead
Icon set - Heart in hand icon
Erin Taylor Coaching logo
LIFE BALANCE, WELLNESS & INTUITIVE LEADERSHIP COACHING
visit her website

Seasonality is Everything

Posted on September 27, 2022 - 10:28 am by

As the seasonality around us changes, we also change! Humans are not separate from what you see happening in nature, in fact, we are in sync. It’s important to acknowledge change and work with it both for your personal growth and your business growth.

A pile of autumn leaves

ch-ch-changes

Change is inevitable

The seasons change and so do our businesses and the services and products we offer our audience. There is a shift in preparation as we polish off Q3 and enter Q4.

Whether your business is based on the seasons or you offer services all year round we want to get you thinking about your messaging to your audience.

Here are some seasonal topics to consider when you enter into Q4 and items to consider for seasonality:

  • Autumn/Fall – the parallels of the shift outside and inside ourselves, preparation for the winter months
  • Winter – hunkering down in those cold temperatures, what do you need to do that and live comfortably?
  • Black Friday – What kind of offerings can you provide for your followers considering doing business with you.
  • Holidays – Celebration of family, friends and community, unifying messages
  • Thankfulness – Reflecting on what you are thankful for in your life
  • Gift Giving – Gift ideas and pairing/bundling products to make a “spa gift bundle” for example and price accordingly
  • Giving Tuesdays – Tuesday, November 29 and give to a non-profit organization that you vibe with
  • New Year 2023 – Newness and renewal to look forward for your personal growth and goals
    • New Year Resolutions
    • New Business Ventures
    • Turning a New Leaf
Autumn leaves hung on a string with the color spectrum

seasonal topics

"All ideas grow out of other ideas." - Anish Kapoor quote written on a staircase

Shifting in priority and life-changes reflected in how we behave

Your customers shift and change naturally as their priorities and lives change, similar to seasonality changes. Here are some other topics to consider addressing in your messaging to reflect back to them based on some 2022 projected trends.

  • Healthy relationships
  • Time management
  • Managing money
  • Home improvement projects
  • Start your own business/side hustle
  • Travel Wishlist
  • Life balance
  • Body positivity
  • Celebrate differently
  • Bucket list
  • Self-love/self-care

Consider using Pinterest.

It’s a search engine and NOT a social media platform. When the platform began, I used to collect ideas for planning my wedding, finding new recipes, scoping mom hacks, things for the baby, decorating my house, etc. It’s STILL that, but it’s also a place for folks to discover new products and services and find ways to show up better in their lives. See what Pinterest image/video sizes to use when you share your pins so they stand out among the other pins. Certainly the pins that standout the most are the animated/video ones. Follow our Pinterest, you’ll see more from us soon!

Check out Jana O. Media; she is a Pinterest pro, and I greatly respect her hard work and know-how! I have learned a lot from her expertise in her Masterclass and her Clubhouse rooms she moderates.

The Pinterest icon floating in a red background

consider using pinterest

In conclusion, embrace the change and get started on that content marketing. Your audience wants to follow along with you on what your season looks like and how they can engage with you.

  1. Featured image/ Autumn in the Tetons – Photo by Bryn Gibson on Unsplash
  2. Autumn leaves – Photo by Alex Motoc on Unsplash
  3. Autumn leaves on a string – Photo by Chris Lawton on Unsplash
  4. Anish Kapoor quote – Photo by CJ Dayrit on Unsplash
  5. Floating Pinterest icon – Photo by Dima Solomin on Unsplash

Websites for your Business to Meet Your Unique Needs (Clubhouse)

Posted on September 14, 2022 - 12:28 pm by

Websites for your Business to Meet Your Unique Needs

I am a 90’s kid, so you can imagine how much technology has changed since the dial-up age. I have witnessed so much technology over the years, and one thing that has evolved is websites! We still need them, but the function has changed, the language has changed, how we utilize them has changed, and frankly behaviors have changed.

We hope with this conversation it will help you consider how to take an informed approach to websites for your business and keeping your consumers in mind. Much of what frightens business owners is that they don’t know where to start and they want to make the right choice. We hope to reassure you CAN make choices on your own and decide what’s best for YOU and your business. You don’t have it have it all figured out up front but you can phase in new versions of the site as your business grows. Think of it as Apple software updates coming, that number incrementally grows with each upgrade. Begin with 1.0 and move forward from there. We hope you will absorb some helpful tips and resources that you’ll takeaway from this conversation.

Heather DeVine and Heather Cox have 32 years combined of website experience! Eekkk..

Photo by Domenico Loia on Unsplash

Websites for your business

Ask yourself: what do I want my website to do for me?

  • informative (list services, products, blog)
  • e-commerce (sales – product or services)
  • booking appointments (calendar dependent)
  • donations (take ’em)
  • build email marketing audience (sign-up forms)
  • combo of needs

Shop for websites that may work for you/your business

  • WordPress
  • Squarespace
  • Shopify
  • Wix

Hey, Non-profits, did you know..

With your non-profit status you can get most platform access for FREE or heavily discounted!

  • Google Workspace (FREE)
  • Canva (FREE)
  • Jotform (50% off)
  • Grammarly (FREE)

Other things to consider in tandem with the website:

  • SEO (Search engine optimization) – Keep in mind that search engines need to find you so you can gain traction with your #1 asset online, your website!
  • Google listing (listing for your business)
  • Social media (Instagram, Facebook, Linkedin, Twitter, Pinterest, TikTok)
  • Lead generating forms
  • Email Marketing (e-newletters are a huge way to communicate with our audience)
  • Google Analytics (metrics to track activity on your website)
  • Accessibility- Web content more accessible to individuals with disabilities (WAVE – audit for accessibility)
  • Mobile friendly (a MUST – that’s how most visitors are utilizing to find you)
Platforms I LOVE:
  • Google Workspace (Email, Sheets, Docs, Slides, Google Drive)
  • Canva (graphic needs)
  • Grammarly (great grammar tool that can catch errors in your writing)
  • Asana (task manager)
  • Unsplash, Adobe Stock (stock photos)
  • Jotform (3rd party form management)
  • Stripe (credit card processor)
  • Wave Apps (bookkeeping application)
“Websites for your business” conversation on the Clubhouse App

Some website takeaways:

  • Your website is living and breathing, not just a one and done!
  • Ease of use is everything! Clear CTA (call-to-action)
  • Shop by demoing sites to make sure the needs you have are met (help centers with reps to walk you through questions)
  • Word-of-mouth is powerful, ask your friends what they use
  • Consider hiring creative agency’s help or a freelancer, we can’t do everything at a business owner
  • One platform isn’t supposed to meet ALL your needs
  • Look at reviews of platforms out there, I use Capterra.com
  • Remember, your needs will shift and flex based on your business or organization
listen to the replay of our conversation

Co-moderators:

Heather DeVine w/ Transcend Ideas – Marketing and branding agency serving nonprofits and small businesses. (Jackson, WY)

Heather Cox w/ Heather Cox Codes – Website designer, SEO, and social media marketing. (Wilmington, DE) Watch her TEDx Talk (#RIPBossBabe)