When You Should — and Shouldn't — Use Canva

Any marketing professional that’s had to wear more than one hat has likely dabbled (to say the least) in the world of Canva. While Canva does an excellent job of making design tools accessible and easy to use, there are situations where you are better off hiring a graphic designer. Read on for my recommendations as a professional designer for when you should and shouldn’t use Canva!

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Chelsea Liske
Infographics: How to Get the Most Mileage

Creating a stunning infographic can be time- and labor-intensive, particularly if you go into great depth or detail. If you’ve put in the time, work and money to create one, don’t miss opportunities by only sharing your infographic once. Consider the following ways to get the most mileage out of your infographic investment.

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Chelsea Liske
What is a flexible logo suite and why should you want one?

One-and-done logos went out with the dawn of the internet (if not sooner), but some businesses still hold on to the idea that when done right, a single logo will meet all their needs. The logic behind this idea isn’t off-base — consistency IS important and if you only use one logo, by gosh, you WILL be consistent. However, this outdated thinking leads to a rigidity that will leave you falling short across various platforms and media in today’s ever-changing world.

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Chelsea Liske
6 Ways to Use the 2024 Pantone Color of the Year

This year’s Pantone Color of the Year — PANTONE 13-1023 Peach Fuzz — is all about warmth and nurture. This gentle tone embraces softness and comfort, and if these are qualities you’re looking to convey with your brand, Peach Fuzz could be the perfect addition to your palette. If you’re looking for a refresh but not sure where to start, here are six fresh color palette ideas plus a free, downloadable guide of ALL the color breakdowns!

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Chelsea Liske
5 Benefits of Hiring a Graphic Designer on Retainer

As more businesses are recognizing the importance of having a professional handle their graphic design needs, some struggle to know when it’s right to have outside help on a per-project basis versus hiring someone on staff. Would you believe me if I told you there’s a happy medium? Check out these five benefits of having a graphic designer on retainer to help you decide if it’s the right path for your business.

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Chelsea Liske
6 Ways to Use the 2021 Pantone Colors of the Year

It’s no secret by now that Pantone named not one, but two hues for its 2021 Color of the Year — the sunny yellow PANTONE 13-0647 Illuminating, and the solid and grounded PANTONE 17-5104 Ultimate Gray. The two colors work together to help set the tone for a hopeful, yet dependable new year. Sounds lovely, right? But what does that mean for your brand? How can you use those colors without looking like everyone else that’s using those colors? Here are 6 ideas plus a downloadable guide of ALL your color breakdowns!

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Chelsea Liske
10-Question Logo Design Worksheet

It may seem like a lot of work to answer these questions up front. In fact, you may be asking yourself, “Isn’t this why I hired a designer? So I don’t have to do any of this?” But trust me, the more information your provide your designer on the front end, the more likely they will come back with a concept or set of concepts you LOVE.

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Chelsea Liske
Quick Color Palette Creation—Plus 12 Examples to Get You Inspired

Are you needing to create a color palette for your brand but don’t have the budget for a graphic designer just yet? Are you unsure how to put colors together that actually work? Well, while you save up for that graphic designer who will dive into color theory and target audiences, I’m going to share a tip that can help you produce a beautiful and cohesive palette without hours of headache.

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Chelsea Liske
Cheat Sheet: Common Logo File Types and When to Use Them

It’s that glorious moment when you approve a logo design for your business. Your graphic designer sends you a bundle of files that should cover any sort of need you should ever have...and you feel stuck. Maybe you consistently grab a JPG because it’s familiar and use it for anything and everything. Maybe you don’t know the difference between a PNG and an EPS. Maybe this vector/raster business makes you want to pull your hair out. Well don’t, my friend. I’m here to provide clarity!

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Chelsea Liske
10 Free Designer-Approved Google Font Combos

We all know how important choosing the right fonts can be for a brand. Make the wrong choice and risk coming off as amateurish or even comedic. In a perfect world, you’d consult a graphic designer—but we know that isn’t always reality. Rather than choosing something at random and crossing your fingers that it will all come together, consider one of these graphic designer-approved and FREE Google font combinations.

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Chelsea Liske
6 Graphic Design Basics for Non-Designers

Since everything your company puts out in the world inevitably becomes a reflection of it, it doesn’t hurt for non-designers to know a few graphic design basics. If you’re one of those non-designers, here are six tips to help you put together something polished even without the professional training.

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Chelsea Liske