#when the movie is so visually impressive you make a pinterest board for it

[sec0nd-breakfast]

she's a ten, but she cries during Rise Of The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

[tsunaaism]

What’s it like being a film major? I’m currently indecisive of what to major and film is one of my choices

Sorry for the laterep!!! This blog is a coffin now hehe. But i really like studyin film. Learned a lot abt techniques (and yes it is harder then you think, super tiring too). Connections are really important and i suggest learning some basic strategic communications skills. Or how to make good impressions. One bad thing people think of you and you're done for when it becomes a rumor.

Also finding crews/coworkers that has a similar artistic sense with you is suuuuuper tough. It all depends on what jobdesc you want to focus at, but if you wanna work in the artistic department, especially cinematography, i suggest learning about lighting!! (They are very complicated, down to the details, but they're what makes a visual cinematic. Also the colors!!)

If you wanna pursue scriptwriting, which is very much different from normal writing, you gotta build a tendency to visualize stuff in your head before writing it. (Like camera movements and some more technical shit or how you're going to arrange the scenes so it makes an interesting movie.)

If you're going for directing: you've gotta have a good sense about everything. From sound design, cinematography, lighting, scoring, color theory. Its storytelling through visualization techniques.

You can have cool artistic vision and a pinterest board filled with dope references, but you gotta learn how to bring them to life (how many lightings? From what angle? What camera filters to use?)

Also shooting days requires you to be very flexible (like being in a remote shooting set and not shower for 3 days straight) and you gotta be able to get along with strangers and work with them quickly.

Also nepo babies. And the entertainment industry in general.

Also film crews don't sleep. Hehe (i'm not joking, the call sheets requires you to be on set by 3 am usually). Making films are super expensive too.

Film school is only important for the connection (imo, based on experience). Every material is available online. Your film lecturers are usually full-fledged part the important film industry member themselves, so see this as an opportunity!! Best of luck to you <3

[swifterm]

The complete guide to ecommerce marketing

The complete guide to ecommerce marketing. This world of ecommerce marketing often seems like an intimidating one, with marketing types ranging anywhere from social media outreach to influencer engagement, and email marketing to regular advertising. However, marketing online doesn’t have to be a chore. Not only can you find the tools to help you along the way, but there are plenty of tips to take advantage of in order to improve your ecommerce marketing and engage customers in new ways.

It all starts with understanding the basics of ecommerce marketing. What is it exactly? What are the various types to consider? Should you dive into all forms of marketing at once or only take on one area?

These are all excellent questions. We’re here to answer all those questions and explain the ins and outs of ecommerce marketing. That way, you’ll have a firm grasp on the opportunities available to your business, giving you a clearer view of which forms of ecommerce marketing are worth pursuing.

Keep reading to get a crash course in ecommerce marketing, from the basic definition of the practice to a collection of tips to improve your marketing, regardless of the size of your operation.

What is Ecommerce Marketing?

Ecommerce marketing involves the techniques and tools implemented by a company to find new customers and guide them through the purchasing process, while also fostering old customers. Ecommerce marketing works by sending store visitors through the customer lifecycle, obtaining those customers through the top of the ecommerce sales funnel, and eventually converting them into paying customers.

In short, ecommerce marketing helps your conversion rate, turning curious ecommerce site guests into those who pay for your products.

In general, marketing done for online stores remains online. This includes social media marketing, email marketing, and a large number of other options to reach out to new and old customers. However, prudent ecommerce store owners also know that marketing is bigger than the internet.

That’s why the entirety of ecommerce marketing includes things like word-of-mouth and in-person marketing. It’s also not out of the question to consider physical marketing tactics like TV commercials and billboards.

A successful ecommerce marketing strategy relies on a company’s ability to remain flexible and work with the right tools. There’s no telling what new technologies will come out in the future, so it’s important to not get too settled into one marketing solution for the lifetime of your business.

Overall, ecommerce marketing should be considered in your costs. There’s no way to find new customers without ecommerce marketing, so every shirt or electronic sold must also have a per-unit line in your accounting figures showing you how much it cost to acquire that customer through ecommerce marketing.

As with all ecommerce topics, there’s no one answer. An online company like Dollar Shave Club found marketing success with funny television and YouTube ads. Other online stores like MVMT Watches have podcast advertisements.

Therefore, you need to figure out the absolute best course of action for your brand. Does that mean you should make a hard push with social media influencers? Is there potential for your product to be marketed at craft shows?

In this article, we’ll help you uncover the ideal marketing channels for your business. As you read on, mark down the ecommerce marketing types that seem appealing for your business. After that, you can begin testing them one-by-one to see which are the ideal solutions.

The Different Types of Ecommerce Marketing

Keep in mind that there are probably more than nine ecommerce marketing types. These are the primary forms of marketing, especially when it comes to selling products online. We also do our best to consolidate different marketing niches into over-encompassing categories, giving you a solid view into each specific category.

People often confuse advertising with marketing, and vice versa. However, marketing is actually an umbrella category, and advertising falls underneath that category.

Therefore, advertising is in fact a form of marketing, and it’s extremely important to the success of an online store.

Advertising is a unique form of marketing because it entails how you directly promote your products, and it almost always involves the company paying a fee to list those advertisements in a relevant area.

Luckily, today’s online world offers incredible targeting tools for your advertising. For instance, you can advertise on places like Google and Facebook by targeting users who have already searched for similar products. You can also target based on things like demographics, age, sex, and online location.

In general, paid advertising is available in the following areas:

Social media websites like Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest.

Search engines such as Google and Bing and DuckDuckGo.

Other websites, whether that’s by reaching out to those websites or by utilizing an ad network.

Print documents like magazines and billboards.

Visual media such as movie theater previews or TV ads.

Tools to Help With Advertising

Google Ads – Your one-stop shop for building, targeting, and paying for ads that show up on Google and its network.

Google Merchant Center – The best way to get your products logged in the Google Shopping section of the search engine. In short, visitors can buy your products directly through Google.

Facebook Ads – A dashboard for configuring and target ads to go on both Facebook and Instagram.

Pinterest Ads – An advertisement manager where you choose an objective, insert your design and product, then launch the ad for Pinterest users to see.

Amazon Ads – Solutions to promote your products and brand on Amazon.

Bing Ads – The advertising platform to reach more customers through the Bing search engine.

Instagram – Get your brand in front of the right people with targeted Instagram advertising campaigns.

Ecommerce Marketing Type 2: Email Marketing

Email marketing remains one of the most effective methods of marketing for both physical in-person stores and those that run exclusively online.

Sending emails to customers has many advantages. First of all, people open their emails on a regular basis. Not to mention, they tend to expect things like promotions and messages from companies, as opposed to more personal messaging on places like social media or texting.

Email marketing often serves as the first order of marketing business for online stores. The reason for this is because you can start building a subscriber list whenever you want, and many ecommerce platforms offer various ways to use email marketing.

Email messaging comes in many forms in the ecommerce world:

Receipts.

Newsletters.

Abandoned cart messages.

Promotional offers.

Customer loyalty emails.

Product recommendations.

Account registration messaging.

Re-engagement or defunct customer emails.

Upsells and cross-sells.

And that’s only a taste of what can be done with your email marketing campaigns. What’s great is that ecommerce platforms like Shopify and Bigcommerce and WooCommerce already have email marketing integrations. Also, popular email marketing tools like Sendinblue and Omnisend provide built-in ecommerce automation features to guide your users through the customer lifecycle.

The importance of personalisation, or more accurately predictive personalisation

Personalisation is now a big deal for marketers and for good reason. A study shown by O2 showed that adding personalisation to their eCommerce experience increased sales by 7.8% over a short period of time and that online retailers monitoring their personalisation efforts have seen increases in sales by an average of 19% across the board.

Predictive personalisation software (where an algorithm watches all the buying habits and impressions made for each consumer individually) , using predictive analytics technologies like SwiftERM, identify consumer’s future behaviour, then rank every SKU by greatest likelihood of “that individual consumer” will purchase from all the SKUs you have listed, in order of greatest likely buying propensity. In other words, the ones they love best. CLV soars and RoR is all but eliminated. It out performs segmenting manyfold. But the art to it isn’t choosing one over the other, the seasoned marketer runs them both in tandem, to achieve maximum effect. the effect a 26x higher overall return, yes huge!

Tools to Help With Email Marketing

Omnisend – One of the more powerful ecommerce marketing tools on the market. It offers integrations with the major ecommerce platforms, beautiful templates, and automated ecommerce workflows.

Klaviyo – An option for both email and SMS marketing through several platforms. Features include segmentation, data science use, and reporting.

Mailchimp – One of the most popular email marketing platforms. It’s not made specifically for ecommerce but it provides powerful automation for that purpose.

SwiftERM – predictive personalisation software, that runs in addition to your email software identifying and capturing each consumer’s next most likely purchase.

Seguno – Email marketing with targeting and recommended products, made just for Shopify.

Ecommerce Marketing Type 3: Social Media Marketing

If email marketing is the old mainstay of retail and digital marketing, social media is the wild west. Over the years, social platforms have come and gone, while popular networks evolve on a regular basis. That makes for an exciting but tricky landscape for online store owners.

However, social media generally allows companies to reach customers in a more casual setting. It also presents rare opportunities for those customers to interact with the brands through the comment and tagging features.

The most popular social networks are Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, yet many other options are available.

The interesting part about social media marketing is that some business types thrive on one network but have trouble with others. For instance, clothing brands usually find success on Instagram, while crafting or design stores go to Pinterest (although Instagram is also worthwhile for them).

Social marketing involves general posts that reach out to followers while also attempting a more organic discovery process for new customers. For instance, you may share a blog post on Facebook and see customers share that post with other people who don’t currently follow you on Facebook.

Social Ads

Another way to market on social media is through advertisements. From Facebook to Pinterest, and Instagram to Twitter, the major social networks all have advertising opportunities.

Although we touched on some of the main advertising networks on social media, here’s a list of the top contenders:

Facebook Ads

Instagram Ads

Pinterest Ads

LinkedIn Ads

Twitter Ads

Snapchat Ads

Organic Content on Social Media

Another way to market on social media is through the use of organic social content. Essentially, organic content is a fancy way of saying that you’re using the social network the way it was intended to be used.

In short, social posts include things like pictures, GIFs, videos, links, or even text-based thoughts.

A solid social content strategy is key to building your followership and giving your current customers a way to reach out to you in a less formal manner.

Selling on Social Media

Social commerce evolves all the time, and the way in which it’s configured depends entirely on the social network.

Some social platforms let you build a little ecommerce shop for processing your payments through their system. This is advantageous because your customers don’t have to leave their favorite social network. Yet, it’s also a disadvantage for your brand since they never come to your website.

Other platforms like Pinterest and Instagram allow for some variation of product tagging. Essentially, you’re able to post a picture of your new product and include a tag and link to the actual product page. This redirects them to your ecommerce website so the customer can purchase the product.

Social networks have a tendency to occasionally modify rules and capabilities for social selling (Facebook seems to do this all the time). So it can be frustrating for merchants, but potentially profitable if you locate the right system and configure a desirable social commerce section.

Tools to Help With Social Media Marketing

Social scheduling tools – These are great for managing your organic social content. Tools include options like Buffer and Hootsuite.

The social ad networks – The links are included above. Many other social networks have their own advertising systems as well.

Rapid social design tools – Not every online business owner is a graphic designer. Therefore, we recommend tools like Canva and Adobe Spark to find templates and quickly design beautiful social posts to fit your brand.

Ecommerce Marketing Type 4: Search Engine Optimisation

Marketing through search engines requires nothing more than a published website that’s accessible to those search engines to crawl your website.

An indexed website could find itself on the front page of Google or Bing for certain keywords, yet it all depends on how competitive that keyword is and what people are searching for.

Therefore, having an indexed site is usually the bare minimum when it comes to search engine optimisation (SEO).

Additional search engine marketing tactics include paid advertising (covered previously,) search engine shopping platforms (also covered earlier in this article,) and organic search improvement.

Organic SEO may sound like you sit back and let the internet work for you. And that’s certainly an option, but the opportunities for improved search engine rankings lie in your own hands.

Follow these steps to boost your search engine rankings, and in turn, bring in more potential customers:

Register your website domain and sitemap with the major search engines.

Sign up for webmaster tools when available. These modules, offered by search engines like Google and Bing, provide reports to check the success of your search engine tactics along with tips to improve.

Optimize your website for faster speeds and a better user experience. This usually entails optimizing larger images, making sure your website is mobile-ready, and many other areas of site cleanup.

Optimize product pages, and all website pages for that matter, with keywords that are not only relevant to your business but used for searching on a regular basis.

Create written and visual content that elevates the user experience and adds value to your brand. Blog posts, videos, and infographics provide opportunities for high-quality customer resources while also allowing you to optimize them for target keywords.

Optimize your checkout process. How easy is it for someone to drop a product into the online shopping cart and get checked out? Everything from the number of steps required to the speediness of the site comes into play.

Tools to Help With Search Engine Optimisation

Ecommerce Marketing Type 5: Content Creation and Optimisation

Content creation ties in nicely with search engine optimisation seeing as how the content you create tells search engines that you’re offering additional content to customers. Not to mention, blogging, video creation, and the many other forms of content creation supplement the products you sell online.

Customers love seeing behind-the-scenes photos of your brand, and they definitely appreciate tutorials or product guides to advance their understanding of the item they just bought.

For an online store, content falls into the following categories:

The content on your product pages.

Informational content on every other page of your website, including an FAQ and the homepage.

Your blog.

External content marketing like guest posting, video creation on YouTube, and even what’s posted on social media.

Content marketing efforts often work by indirectly promoting your products and offering relevant assistance for your products or the industry in which your items are sold.

Examples of Content to Get You Started

Infographics explaining the benefits of your product or the state of your industry.

Podcasts to talk about lifestyle choices that align with your products.

Behind-the-scenes photos or promotional imagery that can go on social media and your blog.

Blog post tutorials, how-to articles, and product roundups.

Videos that highlight products or show them in action.

Case studies to prove the effectiveness of what you’re selling.

eBooks or online magazines with long-form content that advises customers on in-depth strategies for relevant lifestyle changes or how to work with a product.

Ecommerce Marketing Type 6: Influencer Relationships

An influencer is someone who has a significant following in a specific niche. Celebrities are the more legitimate influencers but nowadays many people on social media are calling themselves influencers.

The idea behind this type of marketing is simple: Contact someone who has a large, relevant following. See if they’d like to promote your product in some natural way, maybe through a blog or social media post. Then you pay the influencer.

Keep in mind that you should do your homework since many people have thousands of followers on Instagram but they’re not active followers. You also want someone who would actually use your product in the first place. The partnership should make sense.

Tools to Help With Influencer Marketing

Influencer marketing is tough because there are plenty of non-influencers who claim they have quality followings. However, you can start your search on websites like HypeAuditor or Upfluence.

Ecommerce Marketing Type 7: Affiliate Marketing

Affiliate marketing may very well be the lifeblood of the entire content creation industry. Bloggers use it, as do many recommendation platforms online.

The idea behind affiliate marketing is rather simple. A brand creates an affiliate marketing program. Bloggers/marketers sign up and promote the brand. Every purchase through a unique affiliate link sends a “finders fee” to the blogger/marketer.

For an online store, an affiliate marketing program has far more reach and potential than any influencer setup.

It’s essentially free marketing until a purchase is actually made. You set the payout structure and provide a tool for the marketers to create their own accounts and affiliate links. Those marketers recommend your products in things like newsletters, blog posts, and social media outlets.

Tools to Help With Affiliate Marketing

GoAffPro – An excellent affiliate management app for Shopify. Other platforms like Bigcommerce and Volusion provide affiliate manager add-ons as well.

Affiliate Program for WooCommerce – A plugin for WooCommerce with role-based affiliate settings and all sorts of sharing tools.

ReferralCandy – Based more on a referral model, ReferralCandy is suitable if you’d like to give out affiliate commissions or rewards to regular customers when they recommend your company to friends and family.

Ecommerce Marketing Type 8: Shopping Experience Marketing

We call this the “shopping experience” marketing category because much of the promotional content gets presented while a user is on your website and already browsing the catalog.

The point of your on-site marketing isn’t to bombard users with repetitive popups that draw attention away from what they’re currently looking at. In fact, the entire notion of interrupting customers is a balancing act.

The key is to remain out of the way but occasionally offer more value to the customer if they want or need it.

An example of this type of marketing is a chatbox, both run by humans and bots. Many of these chat boxes answer questions about sizing and other product details. You can also recommend other products that may fit their needs.

Popups are also essential parts of on-site marketing. However, a popup should only show up once while a customer is on your site, and it must provide something of great value, like a 25% off coupon to sign up for your email list.

Other on-site, or shopping experience marketing tactics include:

Links to your customer support resources.

Guides and sizing documents.

Recommendations for other products.

Wishlist modules.

Case studies.

Testimonials.

Customer reviews.

Tools to Help With On-site Marketing

Live Chat – This is an excellent chat box to integrate with any platform and utilize bots if needed.

Cross-Sell Related Products – Although this app is for Shopify, you can find various other add-ons for different platforms.

Bigcommerce Wishlists – Check with your ecommerce platform to see if wishlists are included. You may have to find a plugin or a special theme that has the functionality.

Customer Reviews for WooCommerce – Accumulate social proof for your products with a customer reviews panel. Again, other platforms provide apps for this too.

Ecommerce Marketing Type 9: Local Outreach

Word-of-mouth marketing is one area of local outreach, but it also involves your brand getting out into the real world to partner with other brands, visit industry events, and sell your products at markets.

As for online marketing, local outreach requires site optimisation with keywords that relate to your location.

This doesn’t apply to all online stores, but it’s an easier way to tap into a market if you focus on specific locations.

The goal is to optimize for that local area and create specific landing pages for those regions.

Top Ecommerce Marketing Tips and Strategies

Now that you have the knowledge and tools to get started with ecommerce marketing, feel free to continue reading for tips on how to improve your marketing efforts and develop a solid strategy.

Use Smart Experiments

Experimenting comes into play for many aspects of ecommerce marketing. If you’re using an online tool, chances are it has some sort of testing module to see if your marketing plan is actually on the right path.

An example of this is A/B testing for email newsletters and automated worflows.

A graphic designer gets trained to know what formats and colors sell, but unfortunately, their gut feeling isn’t good enough to compete in the world of ecommerce. You’re better off forgetting about gut feelings and chnce by making several email marketing templates and testing to see which ones perform the best.

Other testing tools include keyword research apps, visual website heatmaps, and even customer surveys.

Gain Feedback From Your Customers

A quality customer survey goes a long way to get an idea of what your customers like and don’t like about your products.

Going a bit further, you can gain more objective feedback from customers by implementing areas for them to speak their minds, whether that’s through review modules, forums, or social media.

Be sure to keep a regular eye on online review sites to accumulate data and understand what’s making customers happy or disgruntled.

Utilize Targeting and Consumer Research Before Spending Money on Marketing

Similar to A/B testing, there’s no reason to spend money on advertising if you’re targeting consumers and making your designs based on instinct or preference.

Building an ad campaign on Facebook or Google can get expensive. Therefore, you should utilize their tools for seeing which types of designs actually work for businesses like your own.

In addition, take advantage of the target marketing tools so that your ads are only showing up to people who potentially want to buy from you.

Get Creative – Don’t Just Keep Sending Out Promotions

Some companies fall flat in the personality department when all they send out are coupons and promotions.

It may seem like all your customers want are discounts, but human connection can serve a greater purpose.

Take Zappos, for instance. Early on, Zappos became known for sending out handwritten thank you cards in some boxes. They also rewarded random customers with overnight shipping. Furthermore, the Zappos website was filled with behind-the-scenes content showing the outside world how quirky and relatable the employees were.

Customers appreciate that they’re buying from real people, not some faceless company. Show them that with your creativity.

Upsell Products On a Regular Basis

An upsell often seems like a salesperson attempting to get a person to buy more stuff. Luckily, the internet makes upselling more discrete.

There are so many messages that go out to customers, from receipts to thank yous to email newsletters. All of these can include recommendations and upsells. You can show upsells in your checkout area as well. The great part is that the suggestions aren’t popping up in the customer’s face and distracting them from whatever it was they were doing before.

Think About User-generated Content as a Viable Marketing Option

User-generated content is cheap and effective. Think about ways to get your customers involved on social media or other outlets. Ask for videos using your product or run a contest asking for users to suggest ideas for your next big marketing campaign.

Make it Almost Impossible to Not See Your Customer Support Resources

There’s an unsettling trend in ecommerce to hide away customer resources like they’re something to be embarrassed about.

The footer area has become the default spot to dump a list of links leading to things like forums, blogs, and knowledgebases.

That’s strange because your customer support is one of the best complimentary marketing tools you have.

Those resources don’t have to be the first thing your customers see, but it’s not a bad idea to include them in your primary menu.

Make Sure Your Entire Site Looks Good on Mobile Devices

People shop on mobile devices, that’s no secret.

Complete rigorous testing to ensure that your website theme or design looks and functions properly on tablets and smartphones.

Our Conclusion on Ecommerce Marketing

If all of this ecommerce marketing talk makes you feel overwhelmed, don’t fret.

Start with one suggestion or marketing practice and see how well your company can excel at it.

The best method is to set smaller, attainable, concrete goals so success is more likely. That way, your marketing efforts gain momentum and you’ll have an easier time transitioning to a new marketing tactic.

If you have any questions about ecommerce marketing in general, let us know in the comments!

We hope you enjoyed this article, intended to help improve our client’s profitability. It reflects the care SwiftERM offer. If you haven’t already done so, then please enjoy a FREE month’s trial of our predictive personalisation software on your site, and let us know what you think.

Here

Other articles of interest below: (Index to all articles here)

[bookcoversalt]

2019 Debut YA Covers Megapost (part 1)

I’ve fallen off the wagon of keeping up with cover reveals even a little, and there were a whole bunch in the past few weeks, so to get back up, i’m gonna try to do quick and dirty rundowns of as many 19 debuts as have had cover reveals (that I haven’t already talked about) as I can this week! HERE WE GO (these are in no particular order):

1) BLOODLEAF by Crystal Smith

Oh Bloodleaf, you expensive little TOG rehash. What have you brought us. This is another Billelis creation, and I actually like the type! The hypercondensed slight serif feels appropriate but fresh for YA fantasy and the color scheme, the central flower image, and the silver thorns are all really working. BUT I have the exact same issue that I had with the updated Dark of the West cover; the “fancy border with illustrated story-relevant elements” thing doesn’t really work for me when it’s uneven and almost-random the way this is. The crown, moon and tree up top are so symmetrical and balanced that you expect the same thing in the opposite corners, and instead you get a castle with a lot more visual weight than the others, plus a raven and a bow that are just...... hanging out? This would have been a stronger cover with the additional symbols completely removed; the flower and thorns are plenty of visual interest alone.

2) THE PIONEER by Bridget Tyler 

I am obsessed with this one. I don’t know a damn thing about the book, haven’t seen it hyped on twitter or anywhere else, but this cover is gorgeous and perfect and evocative; there’s DEPTH and DRAMATIC COLOR and it’s got BISEXUAL LIGHTING and the outlined type is INTERESTING. It’s an aesthetic cousin to the UK Edition of THE DEVOURING GRAY that i talked about here and it looks like a movie poster and I want it on my wall. 

3) ENCHANTEE by Gita Trelease

Poor Enchantee has already had a cover redesign (old on the left, new one on the right, with the face). It was for the better, although they didn’t address my biggest issue with the original, which is that tYPE. The even-width, sort of chalkish calligraphy SCREAMS “art director’s instagram” and “cloyingly cute NEVERTHELESS, SHE PERSISTED posters you can buy on Etsy”, and “chalkboard signage your high school friend pinned to her WEDDING INSPO pinterest board”, rather than. Yknow. Sexy Magic Revolutionary France, which is the book. Where is the CONTRAST. where is the impression of ACTUAL INK. (Also: I didn’t crop these weird, the type being cut off/ a tangent on the edge there is Actually Like That.)

The Lipstick-ed face DOES say Sexy Magic Revolutionary France, so I appreciate its presence and also think it looks good (it def is victim to looking a little like a tumblr graphic, a phenomenon i have mentioned before, but that’s pretty harmless here); and the gold paint splotches and red-blue starry textures are pretty! They could have done a less halfassed job getting the vivid blue cropped around her chin, but. C'est la vie. I like it and I’m actually super hype for the book itself.

4) THE FEVER KING by Victoria Lee

This is......... a weird one. I love the colors! the blue and purple (veins?) lightning is really striking (LOL) and the texture is super visually interesting. I’m very curious to see the print choices eventually; I think matte vs glossy vs texture vs foil could make a big difference in how this one feels overall. I sort of wish SOMETHING was different, just to make this a little less symmetrical or abstract, whether that’s a different text layout or an additional focal point in the imagery or whatever, but I do think it fundamentally works as-is.

5) FOUR DEAD QUEENS by Astrid Scholte

Thanks, I hate it! this shares a lot of problems with the Burning Glass cover and everything I dislike about lazy object covers generally: the imagery is unclear at first glance (what a waste of all that detailed rendering) and not evocative of anything in particular in terms of mood, setting, or themes, and the type’s layout COULD NOT BE MORE BORING + is an ineffective use of the space and has a totally unnecessary glowy effect. The “spotlight” effect could generously be considered to be a visual signifier of the ~ murder mystery element but. oof. is a 90s crime drama aesthetic really what you want your secondary visual to be on what seems to be a pretty serious YA fantasy book?

(Okay, it could be worse, at least the hierarchy is clear and sensible. but that DNA crown, lmfao.)

6) AGAIN, BUT BETTER by Christine Riccio

I got a couple requests for this one, and I really like it!!! i think the illustration style is SO cute and the whole layout is simple but effective. The little touches like the birds in the corner and the placement of “a novel” are all perfectly balanced; it’s a more successful version of the illustration on WHAT IF IT’S US (and a few others, like HOT DOG GIRL by Jennifer Dugan; that general style + palette is a trend right now) and the concept of the line across and the girl coming into full color is a clever little representation of the coming-of-age story elements.

7) HOUSE OF SALT AND SORROWS by Erin Craig

I really! WANT! To like this cover! I think the layout and rendering of the text and the various nautical effects are sophisticated and pretty! HOWEVER COMMA! It’s just so low-contrast. This entire cover has the same single gray-green color and [lack of] depth; it’s like an intricately detailed dining room table. Nothing, not even the text, stands out immediately, so your eye wanders looking for a focal point; the title is readable, but not.... amazingly so. Kind of an unfortunate misfire despite having some of the most thoughtfully designed ~ fantasy ~ text I’ve seen in a while.

8) WE RULE THE NIGHT by Claire Eliza Bartlett

This is, quite obviously, another Billelis creation, so we’re back to talking about the various foibles and failings of art directors trying to integrate type with his illustrations. And this one. uH. IT’S ROUGH, although the bigger question here is why that gorgeous, intricately rendered phoenix (?) isn’t centered on the damn cover. (neither is the.... fortress? on the bottom.) It’s so symmetrical that it’s clearly meant to be! Perfect centering and a tighter crop would have done a lot towards offsetting...... whatever is happening with the type, which feels VERY awkward. I do think the sort of ~random placement of words could work with a little more thought but into it, but as it is. Woof. It’s cohesive enough that I still feel okay about it as a cover overall, but some sTRANGE choices happened there.

Also, having looked this up, it’s actually dieselpunk? IE vaguely fantasy WWII? And as with our last vaguely fantasy WWII book (RIP Dark of the West’s OG cover) that is..... not being expressed. Here, I would say that a different typeface, one that feels more militaristic/ modern as opposed to ~ high fantasy ~ might have been the play.

MORE 2 COME

[fic-dreamin]

Beautiful Book - Highly Recommend this I'm so impressed by digital painting and all of the futuristic landscapes and cityscapes people create, but I've never found an artist as thorough and enveloped in his own imagination as to create a metaverse like this. There's continuity to his world and painting. There's social commentary, depth, narrative illustrated in every piece and he even writes a story to give each painting context. To the degree he's created the gritty details of how some hovering agricultural machinery is broken out in its technology and naming everything, he really sits on a gold mine of narrative to produce a game or movie/series from. Go to Amazon

A Glimpse into A New Past I first came across Stålenhag’s art through IMGUR. Several months later it then reappeared on my Pinterest feed and from that moment onward I was hooked. Go figure of course that it would be another year before I found out that Stålenhag managed to get his artwork published and made into this amazing collection. Who would have thought that there was a storyline to accompany the art…as if we needed words amongst such exquisite paintings, but go figure the story hooks you…almost more so. Regardless if you make this purchase for the story or art; just buy the book! Each page is a snapshot into an alternate Earth where technology after the Second World War took a breathtaking and terrifying turn. We of course (as the reader) can only view of snippet of this world through the eyes of a young boy growing up among all these technological wonder (specifically during the 1980’s)…it’s all truly amazing. Go to Amazon

A fantastic and well-made vision of an alternative past What a world Simon Stålenhag has envisioned in his inaugural art book. Scores of people have already been enchanted by his dark, melancholic brand of nostalgia simply by viewing his art online, but the book offers even more immersion in that same, rich vein. This first collection of pieces is thematically cohesive from scene to scene and sustains a light, yet compelling, story about the experience of this reality. The addition of companion narrative passages does not lessen the appeal of the collection by attempting to explain the scenes depicted, but instead provides an additional layer of context that enhances the tone of the work as a whole. Also included are diagetic materials, like maps and missives, that are a nice bit of world building one wouldn't get by viewing Simon Stålenhag's art online. Go to Amazon

The scary world of Simon Stalenhag AWESOME The images of a future non future should scare the heck out off any passionate robotics believer. Simon's work is a futuristic tour de force made even more believable set inside daily country life with inimitable Saabs and Volvos trundling around in the background. The joy of this type of sci fi art is it has to be totally believable ( unlike our think tanks ) and he succeeds in spades. Just peruse the art or read the text enjoyment is equal and if your jaw does not drop by page 5 you are not from this planet. Also shows Kickstarter what a real community project should look like. Go to Amazon

If you are over 25 then you apparently need coffee table books. One of the things you need to do when you hit age 25 is get appropriate furniture. That means bedroom tables, real bookcases, and the coffee table. And along with coasters you will need coffee table books to put them on. For people who have hit that change, but don't want to cover the coffee table in typical boring are books, this is perfect. The stories crafted in the pages seem like something akin to Chris Van Allsburg, and I can only imagine the kind of stories and inventions that this book might inspire in the youth of today. Well if you can get them off the Ipads. To sum it up, if you want a cool coffee table book pick this one up. Go to Amazon

Would have happily just bought a book of art and honestly basically ... Bought it for the art. The narrative sometimes helps and sometimes seems entirely superfluous. Would have happily just bought a book of art and honestly basically did that. Still want to live in Stalenhag's head. Go to Amazon

A beautifully-unnerving, whispered, dystopian visual narrative. If you've been a fan of Simon's illustration work online this is something you don't want to miss. In this beautiful hardbound coffee table book with gorgeous full-page illustrations, Simon fleshes out a nostalgic and vaguely-creepy backstory to his eerie, dystopian visual narrative. Written from the author's own perspective of childhood nostalgia, the author & illustrator breathes life into his beautifully-drawn illustrations via anecdotal snippets and various related ephemera. I suggest playing a Boards of Canada album in the background while reading for a fuller experience. This read, for one, highly looks forward to the sequel. Go to Amazon

It's a gem! I was born in 83 and grew on movies like ET, X-Files, etc. I remember the times when I explored the computer, floppy disks, first games. This book takes me back in my childhood. The illustrations and the plot is amazing. Simon is a genius! Go to Amazon

Five Stars Calculation of observable madness. Everything you'd expect and more Five Stars Very poor choice of paper stock for an art book Five Stars Good Five Stars Five Stars Five Stars

[courtingstars]

Notes for Storming the Castle, Chapter 4

Hello again, my dear AkaFuri readers! These notes are kind of long since I rambled on and on about Disney movies because I’m me. (And now after this chapter everyone knows why I put Disney movies in the Ao3 tags! //laughs)

So we’ll start with the Disney stuff, then I mention a few things about Akashi’s sexuality in the fic, and then the usual cultural notes. (Plus the real-life inspiration for the last scene!) Also as a reminder, I have a Pinterest board with photos that helped inspire the first half of the story.

(Cut for me being an incurable Disney nerd, plus notes about sexuality, love hotels, Japanese convenience stores, and other things!)

On The Disney Movies

I should probably feel bad about putting so many Disney references in a fic. //laughs (I’ve been Disney obsessed since I was little, and I wish I could pretend I grew out of it, but I really, really didn’t). But it seemed like a fitting way to bring up the lighter side of fairy tales, since that’s a major theme in the story.

It’s also worth mentioning that Disney stuff is a popular obsession in Japan! There’s Tokyo Disneyland, tons of great Disney stores, you get the idea. I’ve also seen a few Japanese dubs of the movies, which are excellent. <3

I didn’t plan to go into so much detail, but I wanted to try to make the movie references as accessible as I could. And if you haven’t seen the films, I do recommend them because I am a sappy dork. I chose them to match the story, and hopefully to create some interesting parallels to both Akashi and Furihata.

So first, The Little Mermaid! Random fact: This was the first movie I ever saw in a theater. (Also one of my first memories! I was three.) The songs are great, and it’s an interesting take on the fairy tale. But mostly I just thought it would be kind of funny that Furihata would like a movie about a redhead who has issues with a super-strict father and a hard time fitting in with normal humans, because of course you would Furi. (I mean Ariel was basically the reason all of us 90’s kids were in love with supernaturally red hair, right...? No? Just me? //shutting up now)

(… I would absolutely read a fic about merman Akashi trying to comb his hair with a fork though, I don’t know how that would even be in character BUT I’D READ IT. XD)

And if you haven’t seen the film before or want a trip down memory lane, here are some YouTube clips of parts I mentioned in the fic! The opening, Fathoms Below, has beautiful atmosphere. Part of Your World is Ariel’s most famous song, and I pretty much ripped off the reprise of the song in Akashi’s dream sequence so let’s all crack up together about that visual, haha. I think Poor Unfortunate Souls is one of the best villain songs ever, and of course Kiss The Girl is famous and adorable (and you can see how it ends if you didn’t already know, or you forgot!).

As for Cinderella, it’s so iconic that I feel like I don’t really have to say much about it... I did briefly mention the scene with Cinderella getting ready in the morning, which is pretty well-known (also I want you all to really imagine Akashi and Furihata watching a movie where the mice all sing in those tiny high voices together), but the main thing I wanted to link is the fairy godmother’s song! It is precious and iconic and absolute NONSENSE and I will now always think of Akashi cracking up when I watch it. //laughs I also quoted the song with Cinderella and her prince, So This Is Love, which has gorgeous scenery.

And last but not least, Beauty and the Beast! For some reason I’ve had in mind for a VERY long time that Akashi only saw this Disney movie when he was a kid. (I wrote a really silly GoM fic about my headcanons for all their favorite Disney movies back in 2015, but never got around to posting it. //laughs). In any case, hopefully I made it obvious enough in the chapter why I think it’s an Akashi sort of story. (Because of course in an AkaFuri fic Akashi’s Disney crush would be a book-loving brunette who’s off in their own little world, right? Pfft.) Also, full warning, this chapter won’t be the last time I include a painfully obvious homage to this movie… I apologize in advance. xD

Anyway, one of my favorite parts is the prologue! That chiming music is so epic, and the art is breathtaking. And of course Belle’s opening song in the village is brilliant. Those two clips show off the scenery well, which ties in closely to why I referenced it in the fic. The song Something There is a great example of the way the romance develops. And I could ramble on and on, but those were the main things I referenced, so that’s probably sufficient. //laughs

… Okay and also can we just agree that all happy-ending kisses should end in a magical firework explosion? Yes? Yes. (I may or may not be planning to write a scene kind of like it for, um, a certain fic that isn’t this one… And now everyone will know my not-so-secret influences. //cough)

And if you happen to be in a Disney mood now, I’ll also link a countdown I found of the top 20 best Disney endings, which includes almost all of my favorite Disney films/some sadly underrated ones! (My personal favorites will always be #13 and #7, but I could not agree more about the top five rankings, because I am a Disney Renaissance kid. <3)

On Akashi’s Sexuality in the Series

I mentioned this a while ago, but now might be a good time to mention it again! In my AkaFuri series, Akashi is on the asexual spectrum, but I haven’t used the specific term for his identity in the fic. Partly because this fic takes place when those terms were even less commonly known (back in 2010, which is only a few years after I first came across AVEN, so the idea would have been even less familiar in Japan), and partly because he hasn’t fully discovered this about himself yet.

One of the reasons I started writing this series was that I wanted to try to capture how it feels when you haven’t completely figured out your sexuality yet. That was pretty normal among my friends and I when we were sixteen, for a lot of different reasons. (Furihata will be having a similar experience in the series too, which I’ll get into later!) Anyway, I’ll be exploring these issues in more detail in the next fic in the series, but since this chapter does mention some of the feelings Akashi has been struggling with, I thought it would be good to clarify.

On College Kids in Japan in Relationships

I had a lot of fun writing the scene where Furihata’s brother sneaks back into the house, and since it loosely references an aspect of modern Japanese culture, I should probably mention that here…

It’s not too uncommon for university students in Japan—and other young people in their twenties—to still live with their families. Which means that for the ones in relationships, it can be hard to find some (ahem) private time, especially since living spaces are often crowded and PDAs are discouraged. So it’s very normal for young people in Japan to go out to places like love hotels with their significant others…

… And that’s basically what I was implying, when it comes to where Furihata’s brother snuck off to. //laughs That’s also the context of Furihata’s mother’s lecture, and I tried to capture some of the Japanese norms about sex there as well. It’s tricky to explain how they differ from Western norms, because they’re not more “conservative” or “liberal” exactly, just different. (And they vary a lot depending on the person and what generation they’re from!)

But basically, to sum up, I was hoping to convey that Furihata’s mother isn’t upset about what Furihata’s brother is doing per se, it’s more that she’s worried about him being responsible and “appropriate” while he’s doing it. My impression is that it’s unusual that a parent would broach the subject like she does--but hopefully it’s clear that this is a part of her character. Similar to how she dealt with events in Chapter Three. (And that’s also why a character like Akashi is very embarrassed to have overheard it, poor kid. xD)

Also! For those of you who are 18+, if you want to learn more about the cultural context of love hotels in Asian countries, and what they’re like (answer: epic) I love this comic that sums it up. (The comic isn’t explicit, BUT it’s hosted on a webcomic site—that I personally love—that features 18+ comics about sex ed and sex toy reviews. So please be aware, the ads and some of the site’s��illustrations are explicit! And very inclusive, sex-positive and awesome.)

On Elementary School Uniforms

I also wanted to briefly mention one of the cultural tropes in Furihata’s family photos! Japanese elementary students wear bright yellow hats when they walk to school, as a way to make them more visible to prevent accidents.

On Conbinis

This is basically just a note to say that I love Japanese convenience stores. //laughs They’re everywhere, everyone uses them, and the major chains are extremely competitive. So they’re often open around the clock, their services are amazing, and their food is delicious.

Also, here’s a random fact! Kit Kats are hugely popular in Japan, and they have all kinds of unusual and regional flavors, including green tea and wasabi and sweet potato. (Yes, really.) The trend started because of a pun in Japanese that made them a popular good-luck gift to give to exam students. Now they’re so well loved that they even have fancy chocolatier stores that sell ultra-fancy Kit Kats because… Because Japan, that’s why. XD

(Also when I post this chapter, I’m rewarding myself by ordering some hojicha Kit Kats from Amazon, because roasted tea flavored Kit Kats from Kyoto are you serious of course I want that in my mouth.)

On the Inspiration for the Walk with Furi’s Dad

I also wanted to make sure I mentioned one of my biggest inspirations for this fic! Which is that when my sister studied abroad in Japan, she stayed with an amazing host family near Hiroshima.

I’ll never forget all her stories about what it was like, but my #1 favorite is that she was awake one morning and her host dad invited her to come on a walk with him… At which point he put the family cat in a harness and they went out and walked the cat. (Maybe that’s more common in some countries, but at least in the U.S., I don’t know anyone who walks a cat? XD) She tells the story a million times better than I do, but the gist of it is that they wandered around this ultra-tiny parking lot for a few minutes and he showed her the strawberries in their garden and it was adorable and a little strange and the best thing ever. <3

I didn’t have Furihata’s dad walk a cat in the fic, sadly enough! (I decided it would be kind of distracting… Also, the Furihatas don’t technically have a cat in canon. //laughs) But I did put a cat in at the end. Partly because everything’s a metaphor, the metaphors are out of control, someone save me from myself. But mostly because I wanted to include a nod to my sister’s host dad and his family, and how much they influenced this story, by being so welcoming to her when she was so far from home. <3

[drink-n-watch]

  Genre:  Supernatural, action, drama, mystery, romance

Episodes: 24

Studio: Bones

  Have you even seen The Happening? The evil tree movie by M. Night Shyamalan. I haven’t but I love watching reviews and parodies that rip it apart. So Imagine if that movie had been written by William Shakespeare, except in modern times and Shakespeare is 14. Also he just got dumped! That’s how you get Blast of Tempset!

Ok, ok… I’ll give you a real synopsis although if you do watch this series, you’ll see that my synopsis was brilliant! Take two:

Rougly a year ago, someone murdered beautiful young Aika Fuwa, leaving behind a loving older brother who’s turned his pain into a thirst for revenge at all cost, and a grieving boyfriend who’s numbed himself to the world. How is it even possible to move on from such an enchanting young creature? Mahiro and Yoshino are going to have to find an answer quick because something is turning people into metal statues. And a magical girl stuck on a deserted island, needs their help.

yup I only picked this show because of AniList, no other reason

I picked up Blast of Tempest because AniList told me to… Ok what actually happened was that I watched In/Spectre last season and it reignited my interest in these type of supernatural action stories. It wasn’t a perfect series but it still left me wanting to see more. As I was going through the page for that show, AniList had a row of suggested “similar” titles and Blast of Tempest was first in line.

I took one look at those beautiful classic Bones character designs and in my Crunchyroll queue it went.

Like I mentioned, the series is from Bones, a studio with production values I happen to admire and respect. It doesn’t have a signature look but it’s willing to play with styles and techniques and usually puts out titles with great attention to visuals and animation. I often love how Bones’ shows look. Granted, Blast of Tempest dates back to 2012 and the studio was much less adventurous with production at that time. But it still looks great.

Yoshino and Mahiro have a complicated relatonship

The high point of the production (in my opinion) is definitely the detailed and varied character designs. These stay fairly consistent and with a wide array of conventionally pretty anime boys and girls, it’s fairly easy to find someone you enjoy looking at. The animation is good, and there certainly is a lot of it in the series, but occasional shortcuts are visible. Stills or jerky movement due to lowered frame number, that sort of thing. This said, the animation is good. Don’t get it twisted. The show is almost constantly in movement and there are very few hiccups. A lot of new releases don’t live up to this.

On the flip side, the soundtrack was probably the low side, at least for me. There are some elements of this story that I find annoying but for the most part it was an interesting action mystery blend with some great supernatural elements. But the presentation really emphasized those annoying bits and by that I mean the music. The voice acting was a touch overly stern but that didn’t bother me as much. Oh and the main cast is entirely female! That blew my mind! Mahori doesn’t sound like a young boy, he infidelity sounds like a gravelly young man. Yuuko Sanpei is unbelievable!

The score though was, objectively speaking, rather pretty. The entire series had this grand orchestral soundtrack with sweeping pieces. And I mean the entire series. You know when you’re watching a show and you get to the climax of the season. Maybe there’s a huge reveal, maybe it’s the emotional catharsis, and the music swells with grandiose importance filling the scene and punctuating the significance of the moment. You get that 3 to 5 times an episode in Blast of Tempest. It is so overbearing and makes everything come across needlessly dramatic but not so much so that it’s parody.

My entirely unhelpful analysis is that the soundtrack was entirely too “intense” and loud…

which occasionally applies to the characters as well, but I still like them

And the story really didn’t need to be any more dramatic than it already was. It constantly references Shakespeare… I use to really dislike Shakespeare when I was a kid. I thought his works were just ridiculously overrated and often trite. Yes, I was a very insufferable kid… With time I’ve grown to appreciate the bard. He’s still not my favourite but I do think the prestige was earned and I respect the contribution to modern fiction.  And I have to say the Tempest was and is my favourite of his plays. Having it quoted throughout the series is kind of sweet. But anything that spends that much time quoting tragedies (there’s more Hamlet than Tempest..) is bound to have moments of melodrama. And there certainly are more than a few.

I was able to soldier through mostly because I really wanted to now what was happening and because there was something under the stereotypical flat characters. Mahiro and Yoshino who carry the first half of the series seem like shallow stock characters with fanservicey tropes. The fiery rebel with a heart of gold! The mysterious calm one…with a heart of gold… Fine but nothing special. However there was always something just a bit off. And against all expectations, in the end, both were just petty side characters which in itself is pretty amazing.

fanservice for all!

Then there is Aika. The character is dead before the beginning of the series but we see her in some way in almost each episode. And she is the most important character was far as the plot goes. She is the catalyst for everything. And boy did I not like her. She’s very very pretty but beyond that it’s just the slightly mean and rather dull. Around the end of the series we get to meet her, except… it’s someone different.This girl is fun and charming and a lot nicer. I like this girl, I understand why the boys would too. But why did she change now?

And that’s when it hit me. We never actually got to see Aika, we got to see the memories and dreams of Aika of two boys that love her. And you know, the heart is deceitful above all things. There is no less reliable a narrator than one who is in love! And of course Mahiro and Yoshino felt hollow. They were husks of their former selves. And they also grow a lot in time.

It’s surprisingly subtle and well sustained character development out of a show that’s often clumsy with dialogue and way to on the nose with both symbolism and reveals. And there are a lot of reveals. I saw a few coming, some had me baffled and a few left me with my jaw hanging opening and staying up late to see what happens next.

I love this image of Aika

I feel like I’ve talked a lot and didn’t say much. OK bottom line, Blast of Tempest is like a supernatural soap opera with moments of very smart writing sprinkled in a see of immature narration. And I enjoyed it. The characters were pretty to look at, if you disregard the music you get the impression that the series doesn’t take itself to seriously and the supporting cast is very charming!

It’s only superficially similar to In/Spectre. This said if you like magic and evil trees (oh yeah, there’s a lot of evil trees….somehow I forgot to mention that….) and the screencaps look good to you. I say give Blast of Tempest a watch. I had a good time with it.

Favourite character: Hanemura!

What this anime taught me: I want a sweater with a big letter I on it!

his name is Yoshino you see…

If life gives you lemons, Add VODKA

Suggested drink: Shirley Tempest

Every time anyone mentions “Yoshino’s girlfriend” – take a sip

Every time Mahiro and Hazane bicker – take a sip

Every time we see a flip phone – take a sip

Every time Aika goes on a date – gasp

Every time Yoshino lies – shake your head and take a sip

Every time we see Aika’s selfie – take a sip (selfie on a flip phone is just weird…)

Every time Yoshino wears his glasses – squint

Every time a talisman breaks – take a sip

Every time anyone quotes Shakespeare – get some water, you don’t want to die

Every time anyone talks of the “world’s logic” – take a sip

Every time we see scary scary butterflies –  close your eyes

Every time Fraulein Yamamoto introduces herself – raise your glass

Every time we see the stars – take a sip

Every time Hazane is naked – clutch your pearls!

It’s a pretty sow, my Pinterest board ended up rather full. Here’s a taste

      Blast of Tempest – The Happening 2 Genre:  Supernatural, action, drama, mystery, romance Episodes: 24 Studio: Bones Have you even seen The Happening? The evil tree movie by…

[samuelmmarcus]

Interior Design Ideas: Lindsay Hill Interiors

  Hello my dear friends! I am so happy to have you on my blog today. Thank you for your visit. I have being waiting to share this home with you for some time now. The interior designer, Kathleen Field of Lindsay Hill Interiors, worked really hard to collect all the information I needed for this post and as you will see, it was worth the wait. Kathleen is the type of interior designer that is not only talented but she also knows when to stop. Her home exudes harmony and a balance that is becoming quite rare to find.Nothing was overly done in this home!

Here, the designer share more details about her inspiring home:

  “My husband and I began building this home in the foothills of the Wasatch Mountains in Utah in 2017. It was completed in August of 2018. It sits on 28 across of rolling sagebrush and scrub oak covered hillside. We will never have any neighbors behind us or on either side of us, and we love the privacy and serenity of our little slice of heaven!

The home is 2,003 sf on the main floor (our HOA minimum square footage was 2,000 on the main, and we were determined to keep it as close to the minimum as possible). This is a forever home for just the two of us, and we tried to be very conscious of size and budget. It consists of three bedrooms, four full baths, utility room, front and rear entryways, living room, kitchen, family room, movie room, exercise room, and office. We have a lovely covered patio that faces the valley and the mountains beyond, as well as a smaller front porch and breezeway entrance on the flip side that faces the hills.

In addition to the main floor, we also have a walk-out basement that is 90% finished, and a finished space over the garage.”

  Make sure to pin your favorite interior design pictures, take notes on the stunning – and affordable – lighting this home features and make sure to follow Kathleen on Instagram!

  Interior Design Ideas: Lindsay Hill Interiors

Kathleen’s home feels welcoming as soon you see it. I just love this entry. The front door paint color is Sherwin Williams Iron Ore.

Front Door – Classic Craft collection from Therma Tru Doors.

Exterior Lighting: Wayfair.

Similar Welcome Doormat: here.

Foyer

The front door opens to a foyer with grid board and batten paneling and White Oak hardwood flooring.

Beautiful Console Table: here, here, here, here, here & here.

Mirror: here – similar: here.

Baskets: Pottery Barn – Other Baskets: here, here, here & here.

Similar Table Lamp: here.

Rug: Overstock – Similar – here.

Kyle Aiken Photography.

Kitchen

“I call the style of our home “Modern Mountain”, which is appropriate I think for our mountain setting. I chose finishes in keeping with my love of black, white, and wood. I love simplicity in design, and rely on contrast and textures for visual interest. While designing our home, I worked hard to keep things functional and pretty without being fussy.”

Island, refrigerator panel, hood band, and tall pantry are White oak with a clear protective finish.

Paint Color

Walls, trim and cabinets are painted Benjamin Moore Simply White.

Kitchen island measures 30” x 92”.

Prep-sink Faucet: here.

Backsplash & White Range

Kitchen backsplash is 3 x 12 white subway tile – Others: here, here & here (white brick).

White Cabinet Hardware: Knobs & Pulls.

White Range: Viking.

Countertop

Island countertop is Epitome Quartz from The Stone Collection.

White Oak Cabinet Hardware: Pulls & Knobs.

Drawer Microwave: Viking.

Counterstools & Lighting

Kitchen Pendants: Murray Feiss – Other Beautiful Pendant Lights: here, here, here, here, here, here & here.

Counterstools: Wayfair.

Kitchen ceiling has nickel-board treatment painted Benjamin Moore Simply White.

Cabinet Style

Kitchen cabinet details: All cabinet doors are shaker style, drawer fronts are flat panel or shaker.

Perimeter Countertop

Perimeter countertops in kitchen are leathered Absolute Black granite.

Over kitchen sink – Hinkley Lighting.

Similar Bread Box: Here & Here.

Flour Box: Here.

Sink & Faucet

Kitchen Faucet: Delta in Champagne Bronze.

Similar Sink: Here & Here.

Kitchen Shelves

The kitchen also features custom White Oak chunky floating shelves – similar here.

Windows

“We incorporated lots and lots of big windows and put in enough design details to make it feel cozy and special without being pretentious or overdone.”

Dining Room

The dining room features huge black steel windows to frame that impressive mountain view! How dreamy is this, right?!

Beautiful Dining Tables: here, here, here, here, here & here.

Similar Host Chairs: here, here & here.

Similar Side Chairs: here.

Chandelier: Hinkley Lighting.

Great Room

Located between the foyer and kitchen, this Great Room is perfect for entertaining and comfort enough to curl-up and unwind at the end of the day.

Sectional – Elite Leather – discontinued, purchased about 8 years ago – similar here & here – Others: here, here & here.

Marble coffee table – designed by the interior designer and custom built.

Leather Chairs: Four Hands – in black: here.

Similar Knit Throw: here.

Kyle Aiken Photography.

Fireplace

At first, the designer had planned to paint the fireplace brick white but changed her mind after seeing how much character this gray-ish brick brings to the space.

Living room ceiling features vaulted with faux beams.

Living room shelf lights – here.

Kyle Aiken Photography.

Chandelier

Chandelier is The Gray Barn 24-light Chandelier.

Round end table – thrift store find which the designer stripped the paint off – Beautiful Accent Tables: here, here, here & here.

Rug: here & here.

Kyle Aiken Photography.

Back Entry

The back entry features a stone herringbone floor tile and board and batten walls.

Flooring

Flooring is 3×9 Rock Ridge Black Natural Slate Tile, Floor & Decor – similar here.

Bench

Bench is custom, White Oak with a clear protective finish.

Beautiful Mudroom/Entry Benches: here, here, here, here, here & here.

Lighting: Joss & Main.

Board & Batten

Board and batten walls are painted in Simply White OC-117 by Benjamin Moore.

Lighting

Lighting: Corbel Flush Mount.

Hardwood Flooring

Hardwood Flooring: Solid 4” White Oak with no stain, just 3 coats of Loba Invisible Finish – similar here.

Lighting: Wayfair.

Glass & Steel Barn Door

Sliding Door: Rustica Hardware.

Utility Room Lighting: Joss & Main.

Utility Room

This space is perfect to store cleaning products and/or coats.

Hardware: Amerock.

Flooring: Stella 1 cement tile, Lili Tile.

Similar Basket: Here.

Cabinet

The utility cabinets were custom-made and painted a straight black. Similar color would be “Benjamin Moore Black“.

Upstairs Bathroom

This feminine bathroom features a floating Alder vanity with medium stain.

Wallpaper – Black and White Floral, ANewWall – similar here.

Flooring: Black Hexagon Porcelain Mosaic, Floor & Decor.

Chandelier: Joss & Main.

Faucet: Delta.

Hardware: Pulls.

Similar Mirror: here.

Powder Room

This main floor powder room also features an Alder vanity. A charcoal-navy shiplap gives the space a more masculine approach.

Sconces

Sconces are from Joss & Main.

Mirror: Vintage – similar here.

Faucet: Delta.

Similar Baskets: here, here, here & here (large).

Paint Color

Main powder bath is painted Benjamin Moore French Beret.

Flooring: Stella 1 cement tile.

Basement Bathroom

The basement bathroom features a custom White Oak vanity with no stain – just clear protective finish.

Pendants: Wayfair.

Hardware: Pulls.

Faucets: Delta.

Towel Ring: Emtek.

Tiling

Flooring: Annata 8.63″ x 9.88�� Porcelain Field Tile in Charcoal Gray, Wayfair.

Shower Tile – 3 x 6 white subway tile, Home Depot.

Master Bedroom

The master bedroom is a dream! It features amazing mountain views and a gorgeous shiplap accent wall, which is painted Sherwin Williams Peppercorn.

Interior Doors: Knotty Alder with custom stain.

Similar Nightstand: here & here.

Flooring

Flooring is Coretec Pro Plus in Copano Oak – similar here.

Bed – Room and Board – Beautiful Canopy Beds: here, here, here, here, here & here.

Bedding – white quilted coverlet from HomeGoods – similar here & here.

White down comforter – Ikea – similar here.

Gray knit throw – Surya.

Master bedroom ceiling is vaulted with faux beam.

Chandelier: Joss & Main.

Bedroom Sconces

Wall Sconce: Illuminate Vintage.

Black and gray knit pillow – made by the designer.

Barn Door

Paint color is Benjamin Moore Simply White.

Barn door in master bedroom is Bryce door from Rustica Hardware.

Master Bathroom

The master bathroom is serene and bright without being cold.

Flooring: Hampshire 4 in. x 12 in. Gauged Slate Floor and Wall Tile, Home Depot – similar here.

Master bathroom rug – Here.

Bathroom Sconces – Here.

Bathroom Vanity

Bathroom cabinetry features x door insets and the material is White oak with no stain – just clear protective finish.

Countertop is Epitome Quartz from The Stone Collection.

Hardware: Pulls & Knobs.

Faucets: Signature Hardware.

Mirrors: Here.

Paint Color

The bathroom paint color is also Benjamin Moore Simply White.

Tub

Tub is Signature Hardware.

Tub Filler: Signature Hardware.

Chandelier: Ebay – similar here, here, here, here, here & here.

Window Treatment: Custom made drapes in white linen from Park City Blind & Design.

Shower Tiling

Master shower walls – 3 x 12 white subway.

Shower Floor Tile: Home Depot.

Exterior Paint Color

Board and Batten: Sherwin Williams Iron Ore.

Windows – Pinnacle Clad from Windsor Windows, black.

Shingles

Shingles are Sherwin Williams Stonebriar SW 7693.

Forever Home

Peaceful and inspiring…

  Many thanks to the interior designer for sharing the details above!

Interior Design: Lindsay Hill Interiors. (Instagram – Pinterest – Facebook)

  Best Sales of the Month:

Thank you for shopping through Home Bunch. I would be happy to assist you if you have any questions or are looking for something in particular. Feel free to contact me and always make sure to check dimensions before ordering. Happy shopping!

  Serena & Lily: 25% Off Outdoor Furniture!

  Wayfair: Up to 70% OFF – Home Remodel Sale!!!

  Joss & Main: Warehouse Clearout – Up to 70% off!

  Pottery Barn: Free Shipping – Use code: FREESHIP

  One Kings Lane: High Quality Design Decor for Less.

  West Elm: Best time to shop. Up to 40% off Everything!!!

  Anthropologie: See the super-popular Joanna Gaines Exclusive line!

  Urban Outfitters: Hip & Affordable Home Decor.

  Horchow: High Quality Furniture and Decor. Up to 30% off the entire site!

  Nordstrom: Up to 40% OFF. New Easter Decor!

  Arhaus: Dining Sale. Up to f0% OFF!

  Posts of the Week:

Small Lot Modern Farmhouse.

Coastal Farmhouse Home Decor.

2019 New Year Home Tour.

Modern Farmhouse with Front Porch.

Modern Coastal Shingle Home.

Beautiful Homes of Instagram: Fixer Upper.

Small Lot Modern Farmhouse.

New England Home.

Transitional Home Design.

Neutral Home Interior Ideas.

  You can follow my pins here: Pinterest/HomeBunch

See more Inspiring Interior Design Ideas in my Archives.

“Dear God,

If I am wrong, right me. If I am lost, guide me. If I start to give-up, keep me going.

Lead me in Light and Love”.

Have a wonderful day, my friends and we’ll talk again tomorrow.”

with Love,

Luciane from HomeBunch.com

Come Follow me on

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“For your shopping convenience, this post might contain links to retailers where you can purchase the products (or similar) featured. I make a small commission if you use these links to make your purchase so thank you for your support!”

from Home http://www.homebunch.com/interior-design-ideas-lindsay-hill-interiors/ via http://www.rssmix.com/

[dawnjeman]

Interior Design Ideas: Lindsay Hill Interiors

  Hello my dear friends! I am so happy to have you on my blog today. Thank you for your visit. I have being waiting to share this home with you for some time now. The interior designer, Kathleen Field of Lindsay Hill Interiors, worked really hard to collect all the information I needed for this post and as you will see, it was worth the wait. Kathleen is the type of interior designer that is not only talented but she also knows when to stop. Her home exudes harmony and a balance that is becoming quite rare to find.Nothing was overly done in this home!

Here, the designer share more details about her inspiring home:

  “My husband and I began building this home in the foothills of the Wasatch Mountains in Utah in 2017. It was completed in August of 2018. It sits on 28 across of rolling sagebrush and scrub oak covered hillside. We will never have any neighbors behind us or on either side of us, and we love the privacy and serenity of our little slice of heaven!

The home is 2,003 sf on the main floor (our HOA minimum square footage was 2,000 on the main, and we were determined to keep it as close to the minimum as possible). This is a forever home for just the two of us, and we tried to be very conscious of size and budget. It consists of three bedrooms, four full baths, utility room, front and rear entryways, living room, kitchen, family room, movie room, exercise room, and office. We have a lovely covered patio that faces the valley and the mountains beyond, as well as a smaller front porch and breezeway entrance on the flip side that faces the hills.

In addition to the main floor, we also have a walk-out basement that is 90% finished, and a finished space over the garage.”

  Make sure to pin your favorite interior design pictures, take notes on the stunning – and affordable – lighting this home features and make sure to follow Kathleen on Instagram!

  Interior Design Ideas: Lindsay Hill Interiors

Kathleen’s home feels welcoming as soon you see it. I just love this entry. The front door paint color is Sherwin Williams Iron Ore.

Front Door – Classic Craft collection from Therma Tru Doors.

Exterior Lighting: Wayfair.

Similar Welcome Doormat: here.

Foyer

The front door opens to a foyer with grid board and batten paneling and White Oak hardwood flooring.

Beautiful Console Table: here, here, here, here, here & here.

Mirror: here – similar: here.

Baskets: Pottery Barn – Other Baskets: here, here, here & here.

Similar Table Lamp: here.

Rug: Overstock – Similar – here.

Kyle Aiken Photography.

Kitchen

“I call the style of our home “Modern Mountain”, which is appropriate I think for our mountain setting. I chose finishes in keeping with my love of black, white, and wood. I love simplicity in design, and rely on contrast and textures for visual interest. While designing our home, I worked hard to keep things functional and pretty without being fussy.”

Island, refrigerator panel, hood band, and tall pantry are White oak with a clear protective finish.

Paint Color

Walls, trim and cabinets are painted Benjamin Moore Simply White.

Kitchen island measures 30” x 92”.

Prep-sink Faucet: here.

Backsplash & White Range

Kitchen backsplash is 3 x 12 white subway tile – Others: here, here & here (white brick).

White Cabinet Hardware: Knobs & Pulls.

White Range: Viking.

Countertop

Island countertop is Epitome Quartz from The Stone Collection.

White Oak Cabinet Hardware: Pulls & Knobs.

Drawer Microwave: Viking.

Counterstools & Lighting

Kitchen Pendants: Murray Feiss – Other Beautiful Pendant Lights: here, here, here, here, here, here & here.

Counterstools: Wayfair.

Kitchen ceiling has nickel-board treatment painted Benjamin Moore Simply White.

Cabinet Style

Kitchen cabinet details: All cabinet doors are shaker style, drawer fronts are flat panel or shaker.

Perimeter Countertop

Perimeter countertops in kitchen are leathered Absolute Black granite.

Over kitchen sink – Hinkley Lighting.

Similar Bread Box: Here & Here.

Flour Box: Here.

Sink & Faucet

Kitchen Faucet: Delta in Champagne Bronze.

Similar Sink: Here & Here.

Kitchen Shelves

The kitchen also features custom White Oak chunky floating shelves – similar here.

Windows

“We incorporated lots and lots of big windows and put in enough design details to make it feel cozy and special without being pretentious or overdone.”

Dining Room

The dining room features huge black steel windows to frame that impressive mountain view! How dreamy is this, right?!

Beautiful Dining Tables: here, here, here, here, here & here.

Similar Host Chairs: here, here & here.

Similar Side Chairs: here.

Chandelier: Hinkley Lighting.

Great Room

Located between the foyer and kitchen, this Great Room is perfect for entertaining and comfort enough to curl-up and unwind at the end of the day.

Sectional – Elite Leather – discontinued, purchased about 8 years ago – similar here & here – Others: here, here & here.

Marble coffee table – designed by the interior designer and custom built.

Leather Chairs: Four Hands – in black: here.

Similar Knit Throw: here.

Kyle Aiken Photography.

Fireplace

At first, the designer had planned to paint the fireplace brick white but changed her mind after seeing how much character this gray-ish brick brings to the space.

Living room ceiling features vaulted with faux beams.

Living room shelf lights – here.

Kyle Aiken Photography.

Chandelier

Chandelier is The Gray Barn 24-light Chandelier.

Round end table – thrift store find which the designer stripped the paint off – Beautiful Accent Tables: here, here, here & here.

Rug: here & here.

Kyle Aiken Photography.

Back Entry

The back entry features a stone herringbone floor tile and board and batten walls.

Flooring

Flooring is 3×9 Rock Ridge Black Natural Slate Tile, Floor & Decor – similar here.

Bench

Bench is custom, White Oak with a clear protective finish.

Beautiful Mudroom/Entry Benches: here, here, here, here, here & here.

Lighting: Joss & Main.

Board & Batten

Board and batten walls are painted in Simply White OC-117 by Benjamin Moore.

Lighting

Lighting: Corbel Flush Mount.

Hardwood Flooring

Hardwood Flooring: Solid 4” White Oak with no stain, just 3 coats of Loba Invisible Finish – similar here.

Lighting: Wayfair.

Glass & Steel Barn Door

Sliding Door: Rustica Hardware.

Utility Room Lighting: Joss & Main.

Utility Room

This space is perfect to store cleaning products and/or coats.

Hardware: Amerock.

Flooring: Stella 1 cement tile, Lili Tile.

Similar Basket: Here.

Cabinet

The utility cabinets were custom-made and painted a straight black. Similar color would be “Benjamin Moore Black“.

Upstairs Bathroom

This feminine bathroom features a floating Alder vanity with medium stain.

Wallpaper – Black and White Floral, ANewWall – similar here.

Flooring: Black Hexagon Porcelain Mosaic, Floor & Decor.

Chandelier: Joss & Main.

Faucet: Delta.

Hardware: Pulls.

Similar Mirror: here.

Powder Room

This main floor powder room also features an Alder vanity. A charcoal-navy shiplap gives the space a more masculine approach.

Sconces

Sconces are from Joss & Main.

Mirror: Vintage – similar here.

Faucet: Delta.

Similar Baskets: here, here, here & here (large).

Paint Color

Main powder bath is painted Benjamin Moore French Beret.

Flooring: Stella 1 cement tile.

Basement Bathroom

The basement bathroom features a custom White Oak vanity with no stain – just clear protective finish.

Pendants: Wayfair.

Hardware: Pulls.

Faucets: Delta.

Towel Ring: Emtek.

Tiling

Flooring: Annata 8.63″ x 9.88″ Porcelain Field Tile in Charcoal Gray, Wayfair.

Shower Tile – 3 x 6 white subway tile, Home Depot.

Master Bedroom

The master bedroom is a dream! It features amazing mountain views and a gorgeous shiplap accent wall, which is painted Sherwin Williams Peppercorn.

Interior Doors: Knotty Alder with custom stain.

Similar Nightstand: here & here.

Flooring

Flooring is Coretec Pro Plus in Copano Oak – similar here.

Bed – Room and Board – Beautiful Canopy Beds: here, here, here, here, here & here.

Bedding – white quilted coverlet from HomeGoods – similar here & here.

White down comforter – Ikea – similar here.

Gray knit throw – Surya.

Master bedroom ceiling is vaulted with faux beam.

Chandelier: Joss & Main.

Bedroom Sconces

Wall Sconce: Illuminate Vintage.

Black and gray knit pillow – made by the designer.

Barn Door

Paint color is Benjamin Moore Simply White.

Barn door in master bedroom is Bryce door from Rustica Hardware.

Master Bathroom

The master bathroom is serene and bright without being cold.

Flooring: Hampshire 4 in. x 12 in. Gauged Slate Floor and Wall Tile, Home Depot – similar here.

Master bathroom rug – Here.

Bathroom Sconces – Here.

Bathroom Vanity

Bathroom cabinetry features x door insets and the material is White oak with no stain – just clear protective finish.

Countertop is Epitome Quartz from The Stone Collection.

Hardware: Pulls & Knobs.

Faucets: Signature Hardware.

Mirrors: Here.

Paint Color

The bathroom paint color is also Benjamin Moore Simply White.

Tub

Tub is Signature Hardware.

Tub Filler: Signature Hardware.

Chandelier: Ebay – similar here, here, here, here, here & here.

Window Treatment: Custom made drapes in white linen from Park City Blind & Design.

Shower Tiling

Master shower walls – 3 x 12 white subway.

Shower Floor Tile: Home Depot.

Exterior Paint Color

Board and Batten: Sherwin Williams Iron Ore.

Windows – Pinnacle Clad from Windsor Windows, black.

Shingles

Shingles are Sherwin Williams Stonebriar SW 7693.

Forever Home

Peaceful and inspiring…

  Many thanks to the interior designer for sharing the details above!

Interior Design: Lindsay Hill Interiors. (Instagram – Pinterest – Facebook)

  Best Sales of the Month:

Thank you for shopping through Home Bunch. I would be happy to assist you if you have any questions or are looking for something in particular. Feel free to contact me and always make sure to check dimensions before ordering. Happy shopping!

  Serena & Lily: 25% Off Outdoor Furniture!

  Wayfair: Up to 70% OFF – Home Remodel Sale!!!

  Joss & Main: Warehouse Clearout – Up to 70% off!

  Pottery Barn: Free Shipping – Use code: FREESHIP

  One Kings Lane: High Quality Design Decor for Less.

  West Elm: Best time to shop. Up to 40% off Everything!!!

  Anthropologie: See the super-popular Joanna Gaines Exclusive line!

  Urban Outfitters: Hip & Affordable Home Decor.

  Horchow: High Quality Furniture and Decor. Up to 30% off the entire site!

  Nordstrom: Up to 40% OFF. New Easter Decor!

  Arhaus: Dining Sale. Up to f0% OFF!

  Posts of the Week:

Small Lot Modern Farmhouse.

Coastal Farmhouse Home Decor.

2019 New Year Home Tour.

Modern Farmhouse with Front Porch.

Modern Coastal Shingle Home.

Beautiful Homes of Instagram: Fixer Upper.

Small Lot Modern Farmhouse.

New England Home.

Transitional Home Design.

Neutral Home Interior Ideas.

  You can follow my pins here: Pinterest/HomeBunch

See more Inspiring Interior Design Ideas in my Archives.

“Dear God,

If I am wrong, right me. If I am lost, guide me. If I start to give-up, keep me going.

Lead me in Light and Love”.

Have a wonderful day, my friends and we’ll talk again tomorrow.”

with Love,

Luciane from HomeBunch.com

Come Follow me on

Come Follow me on

Get Home Bunch Posts Via Email

Contact Luciane

“For your shopping convenience, this post might contain links to retailers where you can purchase the products (or similar) featured. I make a small commission if you use these links to make your purchase so thank you for your support!”

from Home http://www.homebunch.com/interior-design-ideas-lindsay-hill-interiors/ via http://www.rssmix.com/

[ulyssessklein]

Why DIY musicians need a marketing plan (and how to create one)

“Music Marketing Plan” — It all sounds so boring and corporate, right?

Yet every DIY musician has a story about being overwhelmed, frustrated, and deflated when promoting their music. As a musician friend once said, it feels like “drowning.”

If this describes you, you can benefit a great deal from a music marketing plan.

A well-defined marketing plan brings order to your music promotion activities. You don’t scratch your head wondering what to do next, nor do you chase the latest shiny channel dangling before you.

Instead, you have an organized and structured process to get your music out there.

I’ll make a stronger case for creating a music marketing plan below. And along the way, I’ll also show you how to create one from scratch.

Why You Need a Marketing Plan

What do musicians mean when they say they want to “market” their music?

Do they mean they want to promote it on the radio? Get more plays on SoundCloud? Build up a loyal following of email subscribers?

All of the above, of course.

The problem is that each of these end results – radio plays, social media followers, etc. – describes a completely different marketing skill.

To get into radio, you need strong PR skills. To get email subscribers, you need to attract and capture reader interest. And to get Instagram followers, you need social media skills.

This is the first mistake DIY musicians make: they think of “marketing” as a single broad endeavor.

Rather, marketing is a complex web of interrelated fields. It includes everything from a $15 article to a $15M Superbowl commercial.

This is the reason why so many DIY musicians feel unmoored when they try to market themselves without a plan. Unless you know exactly what you’re doing, it’s easy to try far too many things at the same time and get no real results.

A marketing plan grounds you. Over time, it becomes the central repository of your marketing knowledge. It shows you what to do, when to do it, and most importantly, why you must do it.

For anyone whose day job is not in marketing, this can have a transformative impact on your results.

Not Just About Tactics

Perhaps because of its utilitarian name, it is easy to dismiss a marketing plan as just a collection of tactics and actionable tips.

But the process to create this plan often requires deep introspection. A good marketing plan springs from a strong marketing strategy. And as you set about building your strategy, you’ll develop a far better understanding of your audience, your music, and even yourself.

Consider a basic question asked in every marketing plan: How should you allocate your marketing resources (i.e. your ‘marketing mix’)?

To answer this question, you would first need to understand:

The channel you’re most comfortable or skilled in – social, video, content, etc.

Your budget and how serious you are about your marketing.

Your audience and where it hangs out.

What kind of channel is best suited to your kind of music.

Similarly, a “brand strategy” is a part of any marketing plan. To create this brand strategy, you would first need to introspect on your own beliefs, goals — long-term and short-term — and values.

This is one of the most understated benefits of creating a DIY music marketing plan. The introspection can reveal new insight into who you are and what matters to you.

This brings us to the big question: How do you go about creating a music marketing plan?

I’ll share some answers below.

Creating a Music Marketing Plan

A marketing plan is simply a document that outlines an organization’s (or in your case, an individual’s) marketing tactics for the coming year.

This document can be as broad or as shallow as necessary. A small computer repair outfit might have a one-page marketing plan. Coca-Cola’s might run into hundreds of pages.

If you Google around for a marketing plan template, you might see that most plans have sections like these:

As a musician, you don’t need to follow this template. You’re not trying to impress colleagues or get approval from your boss, after all. Your purpose is to simply define your strategy and document your marketing approach.

Essentially, your marketing plan needs to answer four questions:

Who is your target audience?

What are your marketing goals?

Where will you market your music?

How will you market yourself?

In addition, it is crucial that you also have a strategy document. This can be a long subjective essay, a PowerPoint presentation, a video – it’s all up to you. The goal of this document is to help you understand your own goals, motivations, and approach.

So keeping this mind, let’s look at the process you should follow to create a basic music marketing plan.

  Start With Introspection

All great marketing plans are founded on a deep understanding of the product (music), the business (you), and the target market (listeners).

You might call this “strategy”; I just call it introspection.

Your goal in this step is to figure out who you are as a musician. You want to go deep and understand your motivations for pursuing music. The marketing plan for someone who wants to headline Tomorrowland will be very different from someone who just wants to play their local cafe’s indie night.

There is no fixed blueprint for this step. Rather, I recommend asking yourself open-ended questions and writing down the answers in long-form.

Here are some questions you can ask yourself:

What kind of music do you like to make? Why?

If you could take the place of any musician in the world right now, who would it be? Why?

Where does your music career currently stand? Where do you see yourself in five years?

What kind of listeners do you hope to attract?

What is your ideal venue to play music in? A stadium, a small bar, or a mid-sized venue?

Beyond music, which musician’s brand do you identify with?

People often jump into making music without truly understanding what kind of musician they want to be. Questions like these will help you turn your vague ideas into a concrete plan.

I encourage you to answer them even if you don’t need a fixed marketing strategy.

  Nail Down Your “Visual Brand”

Like it or not, but all music has a visual identity. How people receive you depends as much on this identity as it does on your music, themes, and lyrics.

I like to call this your “visual brand”, i.e. how you visually represent yourself. From the font you use to write your name in to the colors you use in your album art, everything contributes to this visual brand.

Part of this visual brand is dictated by your genre. A pop act uses a distinctively different set of visuals than a metal act.

For instance, the DIY Musician Blog’s editor, Chris Robley, has an aesthetic that aligns with his work as a singer-songwriter.

Compare this against Gucci Mane who has a clearly edgier visual aesthetic, keeping in line with his genre (hip-hop).

Before you start formally creating your marketing plan, take some time to audit out your visual brand. This should be inspired by the introspection you did earlier. The most compelling brand is one that is honest and authentic.

Here are a few things you can do to understand your visual brand:

List your favorite artists and borrowing inspiration from their website, social media presence, album art, and videos

Identify colors, iconography, videos, and images that align with your music

Borrow inspiration from non-music sources such as movies, brands, architecture, and even design portfolios

Follow the auditing process used by professional design agencies to audit digital brands. Then curate everything in a Pinterest board. Refer to this whenever you’re producing any sort of collateral – website, album art, social media images – to promote your music.

  Zero-Down on Your Objective

So many music marketing campaigns fall apart because musicians have no idea what they’re trying to actually achieve. They’ll usually resort to vague goals such as “become famous”. This might sound nice, but it gives you neither direction, nor any way to measure your performance.

What you need are a set of SMART goals, i.e. goals that are:

Specific – You should be able to articulate the goal clearly. “Play a huge venue” isn’t specific; “Play Tomorrowland” is.

Measurable – You should be able to measure your performance. For instance, “become more popular” isn’t measurable, but “get more Instagram followers” is.

Attainable – While I’m all for ambition, your goals should be realistic. If you started producing music six months ago, “headline Tomorrowland in one year” isn’t attainable.

Relevant – Pick a goal that is relevant to what you want to achieve. If you want to get more fans, you want more followers on Instagram and SoundCloud, not LinkedIn connections.

Time-based – There should be a time component to every goal, otherwise you can easily lose your way.

Work backward from your broad, vague goals to arrive at your SMART goals.

For example, if you want to “become famous”, ask: What does being famous look like to you? More Instagram followers? Press mentions?

Use this to guide your objectives. If being famous means more Instagram followers, you could have a smart goal as follows:

Attract 100,000 Instagram followers in the next 12 months

Ideally, any marketing plan should have at least 3 or more goals. You don’t want too many – it will just be a distraction.

You’ll find that SMART goals are much more motivating than vague ones regardless of what you’re doing – promoting your music, studying for an exam, or starting a business.

Analyze Where You Currently Stand

Once you’ve zeroed down on your objectives, it is time to take stock of the current situation. Where do you presently stand? What skills do you have? What do you need to acquire?

In business marketing plans, this part would be labeled a “SWOT Analysis” (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats), but we don’t need to be so formal.

Instead of using the SWOT framework, do the following:

List your current following across all social channels – Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, Snapchat, etc.

List your website traffic, email subscribers, and any other traffic, followers, or readers you might have

List all your current marketing assets – websites, social accounts, brand assets (logo, album art, etc.)

Identify your core marketing skills. What are you good at – creating content, managing social media, making videos?

Identify marketing skills you need. Can you develop them? If yes, what are the time and dollar costs involved?

Identify skills you need to outsource. List any relevant connections or knowledge you might have for this

Identify social media accounts and publications you want to target. Where do you currently stand in these relationships? Maybe you want to get your song featured in EarMilk or get a tweet from an industry influencer.

Once you’ve taken stock of your current situation, take a look at your goals again. Ask: What skills/resources do I need to acquire to meet my goals?

Filling this gap between what you have and what you need should be the basis of your marketing approach.

Figure Out Your Audience

Strange as it may sound, the audience isn’t nearly as important in a music marketing plan. You’re not really selling anything (at least not in terms of money). And you already have a built-in audience for virtually every genre of music.

So where a conventional marketing plan would have detailed demographic and psychographic information, you only need to figure out the following:

Where does your target audience hang out?

What other artists do they like listening to?

What is their preferred mode of listening to music?

The answers to these questions aren’t always clear, of course. Some genres have well-established communities (such as metal). For others – especially mainstream pop acts – the audience is often fragmented.

The ideal way to go about this is to interview some hardcore genre fans. Ask them what publications do they like to read, what forums they frequent, and where they discover new music.

If that’s not possible, turn to Google. Search for queries such as:

[your genre] + forum

[your genre] + blog

[your genre] + fan page

[related artist] + fan page

Use this to build up your list of target communities and their editors/founders. Any marketing you do should be based on answers to this list.

For instance, if your audience discovers new music mostly through a few industry blogs, building relationships with the editors at these blogs should be a top priority. You can even take advantage of pre-made lists such as my list of the 101 music blogs to speed up the process.

Besides distribution, genre-focused communities are also a great way to develop a deeper understanding of your audience. Dig through each community to figure out what kind of acts they like to feature. What other topics do they cover besides music?

You can plug each blog into Buzzsumo to see the most shared content on it. This will help you understand what topics, ideas, and content your target audience is most interested in.

Bring it All Together

You’ve done a lot of homework so far.

Now it’s time to bring it all together in a comprehensive plan.

Again, don’t go by examples of marketing plans you find online. Most of them are focused on businesses and have no relevance to a musician promoting her music.

Instead, refer to your strategy document and specify the following:

Objective, i.e. your exact goals and how you’ll measure them

Audience, i.e. a brief overview of your genre, audience, and target communities where they hang out

Current situation, i.e. what you currently have (skills, audience, resources) and what you need to acquire

Action plan, i.e. a list of tactics you will use to bridge the gap between what you have and what you need in order to meet your goals.

For instance, if your goal is to grow your Instagram following, and you have strong social media marketing skills, your “action plan” might be to launch an Instagram influencer campaign.

You can expand this plan further by including information about finances, other musicians, and your brand. But for the most part, a knowledge of the target audience, your strengths/weaknesses, and your own music is enough to create a compelling music marketing plan.

Do this and you’ll find that music marketing isn’t quite as confusing anymore.

The post Why DIY musicians need a marketing plan (and how to create one) appeared first on DIY Musician Blog.

[deffinitelynobody]

all of them

@player1thunderstruck I had to answer tgis on my fucking tablet, so be happy.

Is there a specific drink you like to have when you’re writing? A: Usually water my bros, but depends what I feel like shoving in my gob.

What time of day do you think is the best to write? A: between the hours of big bang and end of time. Except when I'm a sleep, cause fuck that.

Where do you write best? A: Yes. Especially somewhere quiet and with no hoo-mans around.

Do you do word sprints?  If so, for how long do you do them, and what’s your average word count? A: The fuck is a word sprint.

Do you write when you travel?  If so, where is the farthest away from home that you’ve written? A: I write whenever. As I don't ravel often, have to say maybeez tacoma? Maybe western oregon during the eclipse.

Do you share your work before it’s finished? A: with people around me but almost never posted online.

Which character that you’ve written is most like yourself? A: Rajah. I purposefully transferred a lot of my own tendecies on to him so that it's easier to write (that won't bite me in the ass).

Which character is your favorite to write?  Why? A: Zuthoth. It's desturbenly thereopeutic to think of all the horrible and grotesque things he'll do to random people.

How long is your current work in progress (words or pages)? A: 3,272 words on my main focus. Have no idea what is my biggest doc out of all of them is.

Do you have a specific philosophy that you go by when you write? A: Try and make it not shit and write what feels and sounds best to me.

What were your favorite books as a child? A: I can't really remember being a child so Idk. Deffenitely not Harry potter, that's for fuckin sure.

Do you read while writing, or try to split it up? A: Both. Sadly, both.

Which authors or styles do you try to emulate in your writing? A: I can't think of a specific author or writing style that try to emulate. For story stuff, I guess Robert E. Howard? I like the streamlined style of his and how he gives enough details, but not too much. For worldbuilding lore, I copy the shit off of Monte Cook.

Would you want your books to be made into a TV show or movie?  Why or why not? A: Idk, maybe? Yes? No? Maybe?

How do you plan your writing? A: Get idea or scene. Write like a motherfucker. Keeping writing. Hate writing. Hate this idea. Want to die. Inspiration. Finish. Repeat agnosism. Fuck me.

Do you write on a computer or on paper?  What program, or what type or paper/pen? A: Computer almost anymore, google docs especially. If I have an idea for something real quick, I usually write it down on paper and decide whether I like or not. I'm trying to get into the habit of writing down every little stupidmand crazy thing that pops into my head, as that's supposed to help encourage creativity.

Is there a specific category or genre your writings generally fall into?  Which? A: So far, sci-fantasy world building. Not a whole lot of actual stories, particularly as no one makes me feel like their actually seen.

Would any characters from one of your works go well with your others? A: I only really have the one set so far, soooo yeah.

Do you write multiple works at the same time? A: ALL THE TIME!

What color scheme is your current work in progress? A: Whatever I want? Do writing genres have their own flags like the queer community?

Do you create aesthetics for your writing, ie. on pinterest or tumblr?  If so, what’s the board or tag? A: I haven't gotten to creative with my blog's look so far, so visually, no. I use the tag "scarfman writes" or "scarfy writes", inspired from my friend @onthenilerivah's own tags.

Do you listen to music when you write? A: Some times, only then. Other times, fuck that shit.

Do you make playlists for your works in progress, characters, or scenes? A: Noooooooooo........? Is this a thing that no body talks about? I kinda have a song for a scene, I guess.

Do you prefer first or third person?  Why? A: I can't remember which is which. Whichever dragonlance is.

How do you defeat writers’ block? A: I keep going. I just slow down then, but I don't stop.

How often do you write? A: Whenever I feel like it.

Have you ever done NaNoWriMo? A: HEEEEEEEEELLLLLLLLL NNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!

What’s your inspiration for writing? A: All my media intake. On the stories side, um...... yes? I just want to write about the characters I think about. Worldbuilding lore, well that's easy: I play a lot of nerdy ass games like pathfinder, skyrim, mass effect, and tides of numenera. I'm just a whore for fantasy and sci-fi, and have always been impressed by the sheer vastness and complexity of some worlds that I want do the same with my own stuff.

Which style/era of writing do you most fit in with? A: Like which era I tend to set my stuff, or which era I emulate? Cause I just kinda do whatever to both of those.

What’s your favorite part about writing? A: Seeing what weird shit I can come up with, cause, again, I write mostly lore so far.

[samuelpboswell]

Here we Grow Again: Welcome New VP Katie Uphus to TopRank Marketing

TopRank Marketing evolved from PR to digital marketing agency in the mid 2000’s, right about the time our new VP of Operations got into agency project management.

Twelve years and multiple advancements from a creative agency Director of Production to Senior Director of Operations later, Katie Uphus has now joined the team as Vice President at TopRank Marketing.

Talent is what makes our agency magical for our B2B clients and we’re excited to bring Katie on board. Her experience developing teams, coordinating workflow and marketing operations will help us establish the framework for an environment where each of our team can become the best they can be in their respective roles.

At the same time, we’re focused on optimizing how our teams work together in order to deliver the best possible solutions for our clients and a satisfying work environment for our professional team of smart, creative and results-focused marketers.

My co-founder Susan Misukanis and I are committed to supporting the team at TopRank Marketing with the best talent we can find. We have 5 new team members joining the agency in November and several more Account Managers, Content Marketers, Social Media Specialists and Influence Marketing Specialists to be added through the rest of Q4 and into the new year. Here is a list of our open positions.

As part of Katie’s introduction to the TopRank Marketing community, I’ve asked her to share a little about herself from background to thoughts on the industry to my favorite social network word association game.

What is your background working in the marketing agency world?

For the past 12 years I’ve been at StoneArch, a Minneapolis health and medical marketing agency, where I served in various management and leadership roles. Prior to that, I spent nearly 10 years at Optum. In the early days, when Optum was an employee assistance program, I was a counselor and management consultant, and eventually moved into marketing and product management.

What do you love most about digital marketing?

I like that brands are being pushed to create better and more meaningful experiences for people–beyond the usual “hard sell,” and actually finding ways to be useful to people.

What are some of the most important lessons you’ve learned when it comes to managing marketing teams?

Good collaboration comes when each individual from each discipline understands and appreciates the value of the other’s contribution. With clear guiding principles and some form of process or structure to guide the work, smart individuals can make big things happen.

It’s still early days in your time with TopRank Marketing, but so far, what excites you the most about the agency?

TopRank Marketing is ahead of the curve in the content marketing space–real thought leaders in the world of influencer marketing. They are their own, best case study for how to do it right….not the typical “cobbler with no shoes” scenario. There’s a real sense of excitement and curiosity on the team–they inspire and energize each other!

What are some of your overall goals for 2018?

My main goal will be to optimize the efforts of all the smart people of TopRank. They are doing amazing work; I can help bring greater alignment between people and systems and processes to support growth. In order to do this, it will be important for each team member to explore and develop their own professional identity and goals; I want to help with this. It’s the most exciting aspect of the work for me.

Now for some fun questions:

Where would you go on a dream vacation?

My adventuresome mom, Rose, traveled the world and would come home with stories that were so enchanting and thrilling to me. In particular, I was taken by the way she described Portugal–the feeling it evoked in her–homey and foreign at once. The treacherous driving and the blue, blue water; the caves where they made wine and whiskey, and the pottery, of course. The warm, welcoming people. The patrons playing the piano in the basement pub of the ancient palace where they stayed. It’s been on the top of my list ever since she came back. I hope it’s exactly as she recalls.

What is your favorite band, book and movie?

Music: Nina Simone is my current obsession. I’m a big Lucinda Williams fan…and I have a deep love-hate for Dylan. Favorite book might still be The Catcher in the Rye. Movie: Muriel’s Wedding always lifts my spirits, if I make it through the end.

What do you love most about Minnesota?

The month of October is magical to me. And family, of course: ten of my eleven siblings live here in Minnesota–several recently returned after many years away. I left for a few years too, after college–to Alaska then the San Francisco Bay Area, both of which l still have a great fondness for, but Minneapolis is home.

What brings you joy?

Young Joni’s clam pizza and Indeed’s Peach Bum IPA at the moment. The many lovely children in my life.

Let’s play word association. I’ll list some social networks and you share the first word(s) that come to mind:

Facebook – Russian trolls

Twitter – Donald Trump

LinkedIn – Impressively less spammy these days

Instagram – Fun and personal visual storytelling

Snapchat – Are they profitable yet?

YouTube – My go-to for cooking tutorials

Pinterest – Great for big life moments

Tumblr – Meme generator

Reddit – Same as above

Google+ – Never bothered

WhatsApp – Free calls to my sister in England!

Flickr – GenX Instagram

Thanks for playing along with my questions Katie and welcome to the TopRank Marketing team!

Gain a competitive advantage by subscribing to the TopRank® Online Marketing Newsletter.

© Online Marketing Blog - TopRank®, 2017. | Here we Grow Again: Welcome New VP Katie Uphus to TopRank Marketing | http://www.toprankblog.com

The post Here we Grow Again: Welcome New VP Katie Uphus to TopRank Marketing appeared first on Online Marketing Blog - TopRank®.

from The SEO Advantages http://www.toprankblog.com/2017/11/welcome-katie-uphus-vp/

[unixcommerce]

Here we Grow Again: Welcome New VP Katie Uphus to TopRank Marketing

TopRank Marketing evolved from PR to digital marketing agency in the mid 2000’s, right about the time our new VP of Operations got into agency project management.

Twelve years and multiple advancements from a creative agency Director of Production to Senior Director of Operations later, Katie Uphus has now joined the team as Vice President at TopRank Marketing.

Talent is what makes our agency magical for our B2B clients and we’re excited to bring Katie on board. Her experience developing teams, coordinating workflow and marketing operations will help us establish the framework for an environment where each of our team can become the best they can be in their respective roles.

At the same time, we’re focused on optimizing how our teams work together in order to deliver the best possible solutions for our clients and a satisfying work environment for our professional team of smart, creative and results-focused marketers.

My co-founder Susan Misukanis and I are committed to supporting the team at TopRank Marketing with the best talent we can find. We have 5 new team members joining the agency in November and several more Account Managers, Content Marketers, Social Media Specialists and Influence Marketing Specialists to be added through the rest of Q4 and into the new year. Here is a list of our open positions.

As part of Katie’s introduction to the TopRank Marketing community, I’ve asked her to share a little about herself from background to thoughts on the industry to my favorite social network word association game.

What is your background working in the marketing agency world?

For the past 12 years I’ve been at StoneArch, a Minneapolis health and medical marketing agency, where I served in various management and leadership roles. Prior to that, I spent nearly 10 years at Optum. In the early days, when Optum was an employee assistance program, I was a counselor and management consultant, and eventually moved into marketing and product management.

What do you love most about digital marketing?

I like that brands are being pushed to create better and more meaningful experiences for people–beyond the usual “hard sell,” and actually finding ways to be useful to people.

What are some of the most important lessons you’ve learned when it comes to managing marketing teams?

Good collaboration comes when each individual from each discipline understands and appreciates the value of the other’s contribution. With clear guiding principles and some form of process or structure to guide the work, smart individuals can make big things happen.

It’s still early days in your time with TopRank Marketing, but so far, what excites you the most about the agency?

TopRank Marketing is ahead of the curve in the content marketing space–real thought leaders in the world of influencer marketing. They are their own, best case study for how to do it right….not the typical “cobbler with no shoes” scenario. There’s a real sense of excitement and curiosity on the team–they inspire and energize each other!

What are some of your overall goals for 2018?

My main goal will be to optimize the efforts of all the smart people of TopRank. They are doing amazing work; I can help bring greater alignment between people and systems and processes to support growth. In order to do this, it will be important for each team member to explore and develop their own professional identity and goals; I want to help with this. It’s the most exciting aspect of the work for me.

Now for some fun questions:

Where would you go on a dream vacation?

My adventuresome mom, Rose, traveled the world and would come home with stories that were so enchanting and thrilling to me. In particular, I was taken by the way she described Portugal–the feeling it evoked in her–homey and foreign at once. The treacherous driving and the blue, blue water; the caves where they made wine and whiskey, and the pottery, of course. The warm, welcoming people. The patrons playing the piano in the basement pub of the ancient palace where they stayed. It’s been on the top of my list ever since she came back. I hope it’s exactly as she recalls.

What is your favorite band, book and movie?

Music: Nina Simone is my current obsession. I’m a big Lucinda Williams fan…and I have a deep love-hate for Dylan. Favorite book might still be The Catcher in the Rye. Movie: Muriel’s Wedding always lifts my spirits, if I make it through the end.

What do you love most about Minnesota?

The month of October is magical to me. And family, of course: ten of my eleven siblings live here in Minnesota–several recently returned after many years away. I left for a few years too, after college–to Alaska then the San Francisco Bay Area, both of which l still have a great fondness for, but Minneapolis is home.

What brings you joy?

Young Joni’s clam pizza and Indeed’s Peach Bum IPA at the moment. The many lovely children in my life.

Let’s play word association. I’ll list some social networks and you share the first word(s) that come to mind:

Facebook – Russian trolls

Twitter – Donald Trump

LinkedIn – Impressively less spammy these days

Instagram – Fun and personal visual storytelling

Snapchat – Are they profitable yet?

YouTube – My go-to for cooking tutorials

Pinterest – Great for big life moments

Tumblr – Meme generator

Reddit – Same as above

Google+ – Never bothered

WhatsApp – Free calls to my sister in England!

Flickr – GenX Instagram

Thanks for playing along with my questions Katie and welcome to the TopRank Marketing team!

Gain a competitive advantage by subscribing to the TopRank® Online Marketing Newsletter.

© Online Marketing Blog – TopRank®, 2017. | Here we Grow Again: Welcome New VP Katie Uphus to TopRank Marketing | http://ift.tt/faSbAI

The post Here we Grow Again: Welcome New VP Katie Uphus to TopRank Marketing appeared first on Online Marketing Blog – TopRank®.

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The post Here we Grow Again: Welcome New VP Katie Uphus to TopRank Marketing appeared first on Web Design, Hosting, Domains, and Marketing.

from WordPress http://ift.tt/2hcS9y3 via IFTTT

[befoundonlinemarketing]

Here we Grow Again: Welcome New VP Katie Uphus to TopRank Marketing

TopRank Marketing evolved from PR to digital marketing agency in the mid 2000’s, right about the time our new VP of Operations got into agency project management.

Twelve years and multiple advancements from a creative agency Director of Production to Senior Director of Operations later, Katie Uphus has now joined the team as Vice President at TopRank Marketing.

Talent is what makes our agency magical for our B2B clients and we’re excited to bring Katie on board. Her experience developing teams, coordinating workflow and marketing operations will help us establish the framework for an environment where each of our team can become the best they can be in their respective roles.

At the same time, we’re focused on optimizing how our teams work together in order to deliver the best possible solutions for our clients and a satisfying work environment for our professional team of smart, creative and results-focused marketers.

My co-founder Susan Misukanis and I are committed to supporting the team at TopRank Marketing with the best talent we can find. We have 5 new team members joining the agency in November and several more Account Managers, Content Marketers, Social Media Specialists and Influence Marketing Specialists to be added through the rest of Q4 and into the new year. Here is a list of our open positions.

As part of Katie’s introduction to the TopRank Marketing community, I’ve asked her to share a little about herself from background to thoughts on the industry to my favorite social network word association game.

What is your background working in the marketing agency world?

For the past 12 years I’ve been at StoneArch, a Minneapolis health and medical marketing agency, where I served in various management and leadership roles. Prior to that, I spent nearly 10 years at Optum. In the early days, when Optum was an employee assistance program, I was a counselor and management consultant, and eventually moved into marketing and product management.

What do you love most about digital marketing?

I like that brands are being pushed to create better and more meaningful experiences for people–beyond the usual “hard sell,” and actually finding ways to be useful to people.

What are some of the most important lessons you’ve learned when it comes to managing marketing teams?

Good collaboration comes when each individual from each discipline understands and appreciates the value of the other’s contribution. With clear guiding principles and some form of process or structure to guide the work, smart individuals can make big things happen.

It’s still early days in your time with TopRank Marketing, but so far, what excites you the most about the agency?

TopRank Marketing is ahead of the curve in the content marketing space–real thought leaders in the world of influencer marketing. They are their own, best case study for how to do it right….not the typical “cobbler with no shoes” scenario. There’s a real sense of excitement and curiosity on the team–they inspire and energize each other!

What are some of your overall goals for 2018?

My main goal will be to optimize the efforts of all the smart people of TopRank. They are doing amazing work; I can help bring greater alignment between people and systems and processes to support growth. In order to do this, it will be important for each team member to explore and develop their own professional identity and goals; I want to help with this. It’s the most exciting aspect of the work for me.

Now for some fun questions:

Where would you go on a dream vacation?

My adventuresome mom, Rose, traveled the world and would come home with stories that were so enchanting and thrilling to me. In particular, I was taken by the way she described Portugal–the feeling it evoked in her–homey and foreign at once. The treacherous driving and the blue, blue water; the caves where they made wine and whiskey, and the pottery, of course. The warm, welcoming people. The patrons playing the piano in the basement pub of the ancient palace where they stayed. It’s been on the top of my list ever since she came back. I hope it’s exactly as she recalls.

What is your favorite band, book and movie?

Music: Nina Simone is my current obsession. I’m a big Lucinda Williams fan…and I have a deep love-hate for Dylan. Favorite book might still be The Catcher in the Rye. Movie: Muriel’s Wedding always lifts my spirits, if I make it through the end.

What do you love most about Minnesota?

The month of October is magical to me. And family, of course: ten of my eleven siblings live here in Minnesota–several recently returned after many years away. I left for a few years too, after college–to Alaska then the San Francisco Bay Area, both of which l still have a great fondness for, but Minneapolis is home.

What brings you joy?

Young Joni’s clam pizza and Indeed’s Peach Bum IPA at the moment. The many lovely children in my life.

Let’s play word association. I’ll list some social networks and you share the first word(s) that come to mind:

Facebook – Russian trolls

Twitter – Donald Trump

LinkedIn – Impressively less spammy these days

Instagram – Fun and personal visual storytelling

Snapchat – Are they profitable yet?

YouTube – My go-to for cooking tutorials

Pinterest – Great for big life moments

Tumblr – Meme generator

Reddit – Same as above

Google+ – Never bothered

WhatsApp – Free calls to my sister in England!

Flickr – GenX Instagram

Thanks for playing along with my questions Katie and welcome to the TopRank Marketing team!

Gain a competitive advantage by subscribing to the TopRank® Online Marketing Newsletter.

© Online Marketing Blog - TopRank®, 2017. | Here we Grow Again: Welcome New VP Katie Uphus to TopRank Marketing | http://ift.tt/faSbAI

The post Here we Grow Again: Welcome New VP Katie Uphus to TopRank Marketing appeared first on Online Marketing Blog - TopRank®.

Here we Grow Again: Welcome New VP Katie Uphus to TopRank Marketing posted first on http://ift.tt/faSbAI

[christopheruearle]

Here we Grow Again: Welcome New VP Katie Uphus to TopRank Marketing

TopRank Marketing evolved from PR to digital marketing agency in the mid 2000’s, right about the time our new VP of Operations got into agency project management.

Twelve years and multiple advancements from a creative agency Director of Production to Senior Director of Operations later, Katie Uphus has now joined the team as Vice President at TopRank Marketing.

Talent is what makes our agency magical for our B2B clients and we’re excited to bring Katie on board. Her experience developing teams, coordinating workflow and marketing operations will help us establish the framework for an environment where each of our team can become the best they can be in their respective roles.

At the same time, we’re focused on optimizing how our teams work together in order to deliver the best possible solutions for our clients and a satisfying work environment for our professional team of smart, creative and results-focused marketers.

My co-founder Susan Misukanis and I are committed to supporting the team at TopRank Marketing with the best talent we can find. We have 5 new team members joining the agency in November and several more Account Managers, Content Marketers, Social Media Specialists and Influence Marketing Specialists to be added through the rest of Q4 and into the new year. Here is a list of our open positions.

As part of Katie’s introduction to the TopRank Marketing community, I’ve asked her to share a little about herself from background to thoughts on the industry to my favorite social network word association game.

What is your background working in the marketing agency world?

For the past 12 years I’ve been at StoneArch, a Minneapolis health and medical marketing agency, where I served in various management and leadership roles. Prior to that, I spent nearly 10 years at Optum. In the early days, when Optum was an employee assistance program, I was a counselor and management consultant, and eventually moved into marketing and product management.

What do you love most about digital marketing?

I like that brands are being pushed to create better and more meaningful experiences for people–beyond the usual “hard sell,” and actually finding ways to be useful to people.

What are some of the most important lessons you’ve learned when it comes to managing marketing teams?

Good collaboration comes when each individual from each discipline understands and appreciates the value of the other’s contribution. With clear guiding principles and some form of process or structure to guide the work, smart individuals can make big things happen.

It’s still early days in your time with TopRank Marketing, but so far, what excites you the most about the agency?

TopRank Marketing is ahead of the curve in the content marketing space–real thought leaders in the world of influencer marketing. They are their own, best case study for how to do it right….not the typical “cobbler with no shoes” scenario. There’s a real sense of excitement and curiosity on the team–they inspire and energize each other!

What are some of your overall goals for 2018?

My main goal will be to optimize the efforts of all the smart people of TopRank. They are doing amazing work; I can help bring greater alignment between people and systems and processes to support growth. In order to do this, it will be important for each team member to explore and develop their own professional identity and goals; I want to help with this. It’s the most exciting aspect of the work for me.

Now for some fun questions:

Where would you go on a dream vacation?

My adventuresome mom, Rose, traveled the world and would come home with stories that were so enchanting and thrilling to me. In particular, I was taken by the way she described Portugal–the feeling it evoked in her–homey and foreign at once. The treacherous driving and the blue, blue water; the caves where they made wine and whiskey, and the pottery, of course. The warm, welcoming people. The patrons playing the piano in the basement pub of the ancient palace where they stayed. It’s been on the top of my list ever since she came back. I hope it’s exactly as she recalls.

What is your favorite band, book and movie?

Music: Nina Simone is my current obsession. I’m a big Lucinda Williams fan…and I have a deep love-hate for Dylan. Favorite book might still be The Catcher in the Rye. Movie: Muriel’s Wedding always lifts my spirits, if I make it through the end.

What do you love most about Minnesota?

The month of October is magical to me. And family, of course: ten of my eleven siblings live here in Minnesota–several recently returned after many years away. I left for a few years too, after college–to Alaska then the San Francisco Bay Area, both of which l still have a great fondness for, but Minneapolis is home.

What brings you joy?

Young Joni’s clam pizza and Indeed’s Peach Bum IPA at the moment. The many lovely children in my life.

Let’s play word association. I’ll list some social networks and you share the first word(s) that come to mind:

Facebook – Russian trolls

Twitter – Donald Trump

LinkedIn – Impressively less spammy these days

Instagram – Fun and personal visual storytelling

Snapchat – Are they profitable yet?

YouTube – My go-to for cooking tutorials

Pinterest – Great for big life moments

Tumblr – Meme generator

Reddit – Same as above

Google+ – Never bothered

WhatsApp – Free calls to my sister in England!

Flickr – GenX Instagram

Thanks for playing along with my questions Katie and welcome to the TopRank Marketing team!

Gain a competitive advantage by subscribing to the TopRank® Online Marketing Newsletter.

© Online Marketing Blog - TopRank®, 2017. | Here we Grow Again: Welcome New VP Katie Uphus to TopRank Marketing | http://www.toprankblog.com

The post Here we Grow Again: Welcome New VP Katie Uphus to TopRank Marketing appeared first on Online Marketing Blog - TopRank®.

[fic-dreamin]

Beautiful Book - Highly Recommend this I'm so impressed by digital painting and all of the futuristic landscapes and cityscapes people create, but I've never found an artist as thorough and enveloped in his own imagination as to create a metaverse like this. There's continuity to his world and painting. There's social commentary, depth, narrative illustrated in every piece and he even writes a story to give each painting context. To the degree he's created the gritty details of how some hovering agricultural machinery is broken out in its technology and naming everything, he really sits on a gold mine of narrative to produce a game or movie/series from. Go to Amazon

A Glimpse into A New Past I first came across Stålenhag’s art through IMGUR. Several months later it then reappeared on my Pinterest feed and from that moment onward I was hooked. Go figure of course that it would be another year before I found out that Stålenhag managed to get his artwork published and made into this amazing collection. Who would have thought that there was a storyline to accompany the art…as if we needed words amongst such exquisite paintings, but go figure the story hooks you…almost more so. Regardless if you make this purchase for the story or art; just buy the book! Each page is a snapshot into an alternate Earth where technology after the Second World War took a breathtaking and terrifying turn. We of course (as the reader) can only view of snippet of this world through the eyes of a young boy growing up among all these technological wonder (specifically during the 1980’s)…it’s all truly amazing. Go to Amazon

A fantastic and well-made vision of an alternative past What a world Simon Stålenhag has envisioned in his inaugural art book. Scores of people have already been enchanted by his dark, melancholic brand of nostalgia simply by viewing his art online, but the book offers even more immersion in that same, rich vein. This first collection of pieces is thematically cohesive from scene to scene and sustains a light, yet compelling, story about the experience of this reality. The addition of companion narrative passages does not lessen the appeal of the collection by attempting to explain the scenes depicted, but instead provides an additional layer of context that enhances the tone of the work as a whole. Also included are diagetic materials, like maps and missives, that are a nice bit of world building one wouldn't get by viewing Simon Stålenhag's art online. Go to Amazon

The scary world of Simon Stalenhag AWESOME The images of a future non future should scare the heck out off any passionate robotics believer. Simon's work is a futuristic tour de force made even more believable set inside daily country life with inimitable Saabs and Volvos trundling around in the background. The joy of this type of sci fi art is it has to be totally believable ( unlike our think tanks ) and he succeeds in spades. Just peruse the art or read the text enjoyment is equal and if your jaw does not drop by page 5 you are not from this planet. Also shows Kickstarter what a real community project should look like. Go to Amazon

If you are over 25 then you apparently need coffee table books. One of the things you need to do when you hit age 25 is get appropriate furniture. That means bedroom tables, real bookcases, and the coffee table. And along with coasters you will need coffee table books to put them on. For people who have hit that change, but don't want to cover the coffee table in typical boring are books, this is perfect. The stories crafted in the pages seem like something akin to Chris Van Allsburg, and I can only imagine the kind of stories and inventions that this book might inspire in the youth of today. Well if you can get them off the Ipads. To sum it up, if you want a cool coffee table book pick this one up. Go to Amazon

Would have happily just bought a book of art and honestly basically ... Bought it for the art. The narrative sometimes helps and sometimes seems entirely superfluous. Would have happily just bought a book of art and honestly basically did that. Still want to live in Stalenhag's head. Go to Amazon

A beautifully-unnerving, whispered, dystopian visual narrative. If you've been a fan of Simon's illustration work online this is something you don't want to miss. In this beautiful hardbound coffee table book with gorgeous full-page illustrations, Simon fleshes out a nostalgic and vaguely-creepy backstory to his eerie, dystopian visual narrative. Written from the author's own perspective of childhood nostalgia, the author & illustrator breathes life into his beautifully-drawn illustrations via anecdotal snippets and various related ephemera. I suggest playing a Boards of Canada album in the background while reading for a fuller experience. This read, for one, highly looks forward to the sequel. Go to Amazon

It's a gem! I was born in 83 and grew on movies like ET, X-Files, etc. I remember the times when I explored the computer, floppy disks, first games. This book takes me back in my childhood. The illustrations and the plot is amazing. Simon is a genius! Go to Amazon

He and my brother love this art Five Stars Calculation of observable madness. Everything you'd expect and more Five Stars Very poor choice of paper stock for an art book Five Stars Good Five Stars Five Stars