Today Marks One Year: A Note from Tina Reynolds
March 11, 2020, marks the last day we physically worked together in the office and started new ways of operating our business. On March 11, 2020, I announced to our (then) 16-person Uptown Studios crew that tomorrow, we would …
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2021 Philanthropic Goals
Last year, we donated nearly $90,000 in services to nonprofits within our community. This year, we want to grow our impact. While we certainly will never turn down help to anyone changing the world, our 2021 goal is to focus on organizations doing great work to end environmental racism.
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IDEO Human-Centered Design Learning and Experience
Having recently completed my certificate in “Foundations in Design Thinking” from the global design company, IDEO, I am reminded that the human experience is at the heart of good design. Not every client has a clear vision at the start of the creative process, but when they approach Uptown Studios …
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2021 Small Business Branding Check-in
Happy New Year! And what a start it’s been. With any new year, business owners are inevitably stuck doing a little bit of reflecting. While we could recommend that you, say, finally change that light bulb or fix that MailChimp problem, we have decided to instead direct your attention to something even more important! Your brand. For business owners of any …
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A note from Tina Reynolds
It feels a bit more like an extended 2020 to me. I realize it is a brand new year, but the way this year got started was not like a rocket but more like a rock. So much trouble, trials, and tribulation around us. I like to promote the positive in all things and stay optimistic through and through, but I gotta tell you: this is testing me …
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Giving Thanks
I celebrate Thanksgiving in the tradition of giving thanks for all the blessings that I have received through the year. The struggles of 2020 have been outrageous. I want to thank everyone that is out there doing their very best – every single day, to rise up and beat this thing. Thanks to all the friends and cohorts that reach out …
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Small Business Saturday Is Almost Here
I am a big fan of Small Business Saturday – it is one of the best days to support all the small businesses in your community – especially during COVID. There are some simple ways to reach out and shop without leaving your home. Big business gets their boost from Black Friday the day before and it is important that we help support all businesses …
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How to Run a Successful Giving Tuesday Campaign Using the 6 Week Communications Plan
If you’re a nonprofit, it is likely that you have already heard of Giving Tuesday. However, if you own a small business, work for a school, faith-based organization, or community health center, you might be surprised to learn that you can …
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How to Create Holiday-Focused Marketing Content for Any Business
With your holiday marketing campaign set and ready to go, it’s time to create holiday content. But what does that mean if you don’t exactly sell holiday products? What kind of content can you even create? We think it’s time for you to do some target audience exercises. If you’re a Sacramento …
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How to create a marketing campaign just in time for the holiday’s
If Starbucks can sell pumpkin spice lattes in August, we can talk about creating a holiday marketing campaign in September. After all, we do always encourage people to plan ahead! As we head into the not-so-usual 2020 holiday season, you should already be thinking about what your …
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LOGOS, AND FILES, AND COLORS, OH MY!
Have you ever been excited to place your brand-spanking-new logo on your letterhead, but when you open up the files you feel you’re staring at a foreign language? Well, you are. It’s a graphic design language. CMYK this, and RGB that. Well, don’t fret! We are here to clear up any confusion …
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4 Easy Steps to Marketing Year-End Giving As A Nonprofit
The holiday season (October-January 1), is when 30% of all annual donations take place. To ensure that your nonprofit receives as many donations as possible, here is what you need to do. As stated above, the holiday season (October-January 1) is usually when most nonprofit organizations …
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5 Tips For Providing Your Graphic Designer With Helpful Feedback
So you’ve hired a graphic designer, now how do you give them helpful feedback on that new logo? What about a brochure or annual report? Here are five easy ways to provide your graphic designer with helpful feedback and ensure that you get a great end result, every time …
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3 Reasons You Should Invest in A Professionally Designed Logo
Why should you invest in a professionally designed logo? Because a logo visually symbolizes your brand. Think of brands like Nike, Google, or Apple; their logos are so iconic that they don’t even need to have their name visible, their logo is strong enough to symbolize their brand’s …
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Small Business Decisions During COVID-19 That End Up BIG
I started my first business in 1976. It was a design-only business that grew from one employee (me) to a team of 16 creative professionals. And this was back in the day when we had three typographers, two designers, a darkroom tech, a printer (AKA a person who actually ran a printing press) …
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Top 5 Tips For Managing A Graphic Design Team After Signing the Proposal
No matter your level of experience outsourcing your design needs, working with a graphic designer in Sacramento (or anywhere) can be difficult for one reason and one reason alone: managing expectations. This is a common problem, one that Uptown Studios’ Creative Director Mackenzie …
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So You’re Starting A Small Business In Sacramento?
We are going to discuss a little about running a small business. After you have a name, a business license, a bank, and all that basic stuff, it’s go time. But what does “go time” even mean? Let’s deep dive into some of the main items that you will need to execute in order to launch …
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How Great Graphic Design Can Get More Eyes On Your Annual Report
Getting ready to design an annual report for your organization can be overwhelming. There are so many things to gather and to choose from! How can you showcase a whole year’s worth of highlights into a budget-friendly publication? What should you include, or not include? Once you have …
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