IntelliTrend Digital Marketing

One of my clients is having a back to school giveaway. Thought I'd try to help her giveaway by sharing her image.

Give her a follow, fill out her 5 question form and you could win a giftcard!

Pretty simple.

Also, I created her logo :)

You know you've made it in business when you start receiving u-line catalogs in the mail. Thought we got a phone book.

If you don't know what a U-Line Magazine is, it's catalog of everything you can think of to order for your business. Trashbags, tape, office chairs, those weird line belts they use at the bank for lines, etc. Everything.

Even random things can look like success... now if I could get the banks to stop sending me business credit card applications, we'd be on a roll.

I don’t show a lot of the client work I do, and there are good reasons for that.

Sometimes I’ll share projects or pictures, but a lot of what I create stays between me and the business I’m working with.

Yesterday I made a mistake with something I shared. The way it came across wasn’t my intention, but intention doesn’t change impact. I recognized it, apologized, removed it, and learned from it.

Owning a business isn’t just the highlight reel.

Everyone loves posting the wins. The finished projects. The happy moments. The results.

But mistakes happen too, and those moments are usually where you grow the most.

One thing I’ve always wanted IntelliTrend to be built on is transparency.

Communication. Transparency. Integrity. Results.

That means being honest about what goes right, but also being willing to admit when I could have handled something better.

Learn from it. Improve.
And as always, keep moving forward. 💚

A big part of my business is creating.
Graphics. Websites. Social media posts. Ads.

A lot of my day is looking at information, solving problems, and turning a blank screen into something.

And don’t get me wrong, I love it.

But sometimes my brain is just… done creating from scratch.

One thing I started doing over the last year is cooking and baking... A LOT.
Definitely no interest in becoming a chef or a vendor of any sort!

It’s really because I can still make something, but I can follow the steps.

The recipe already exists.
Measure this. Mix that. Bake for this long.

I still get the satisfaction of creating something, but I’m not staring at a blank page trying to figure out what it should become.

It’s become this reset button for the creative part of my brain.

And don’t get me wrong, cooking and baking is definitely a skill. Huge respect to the people who are these skilled creators and can come up with something completely new.

But for me? Give me the instructions and I’m happy.

I still get to create without having to solve a brand new creative problem.

Sometimes your brain just needs a different kind of work.

Happy 4th of July everyone!
Stay safe out there!

“How much should I spend on ads?”

I get asked this a lot, and the honest answer is: it depends.

Not because I’m trying to avoid the question, but because every business is different.

Some businesses can start with $100 and learn a lot. Others may need more depending on their goals, audience, and what they’re trying to sell.

Selling a swimming pool is different than selling a $15 product.

For many small local businesses, a smaller starting budget can still help you test:

• What message gets attention
• Which audience responds
• What type of content people engage with

The goal at first isn’t always instant sales. Sometimes the goal is simply figuring out what works.

What doesn’t work is spending $20 one time, seeing no results, and deciding Facebook ads are a waste.

That’s usually not a real test.

Start with what you’re comfortable spending, have a plan, track what happens, and build from there.

The biggest mistake isn’t starting small.

It’s spending money without knowing what you’re trying to learn.

*I'm posting a picture of our new Ads Director, he accepted the position then promptly went to bed.

“Fail to plan, plan to fail.”

I’ve always hated that saying.

I understand the point, but it often feels like something people say after someone has already failed.

When I manage social media, I absolutely plan ahead. But I treat the plan as a guide, not a strict rulebook.

The image below is a real monthly content file I created for one of my clients. It includes what to post, when and where to post it, the purpose behind each piece of content, a calendar view, monthly notes, backup ideas, statistics, and source links.

Each plan is built around the brand’s vision, goals, personality, and the audience it is trying to reach.

The framework is there so everything is thought out ahead of time, but I always leave room for real life.

Of course, some planning is necessary. I can’t rely on spur-of-the-moment ideas for every post across every business social media I manage. That would get overwhelming pretty quickly.

Maybe you add a new service, finish a great project, sell something exciting, launch a new product, or capture a moment that deserves to be shared. Those natural moments often create some of the best content.

Some of my own best work has come from being spontaneous and following an idea when it feels right.

That is why I call this a content guide. When something timely happens, we adjust. When the month is quieter, we can fall back on the plan to keep the business active, consistent, and visible.

Planning gives the content direction. Flexibility keeps it real.
When you need your social media managed, I got you.

Over the last week, I took advantage of Prime Day to add some equipment that pairs with some of the courses I started earlier this month.

Just another investment in myself, my business, and the clients I serve.

Always moving forward.