Rework by Jän Ostendorf

I read the book Rework, by Jason Fried & David Heinemeier Hansson, recently and wanted to get a few subjects that stood out to me in a blog post before I forgot. Repetition helps you remember, so maybe I am doing this more for me than I am doing it for anyone else. But if you’re reading this, enjoy, and then go buy and read the book. It’s well worth the read and allows your mind to marvel at the freedom the digital economy has brought.

Making Ideas Happen at MYOB 2010 by Jeremy Loyd

Scott started off by saying that most ideas never happen. Period. It seems like such a depressing statement, but it’s true. It’s a statement that rings true with me, personally, as I have a long list of ideas (good and bad) that I’ve accumulated over the years and most of them have never seen the light of day. So why is it that we rarely act on the ideas we have? It seems our creative tendencies get in the way. We (as creatives) are constantly looking for that creative “high”––that next great idea––and when we get one, we want the next. It’s an intimidating proposition to be confronted with all of the tasks that must be completed in order to execute an idea. It’s easier to think of the next idea and get that high that we love than to execute the previous idea.

MYOB Conference 2010 by Chad Mullins

While it’s easy to dismiss conferences purely as fun, the 2010 MYOB conference was one of the most enlightening and challenging times of my career. The conference offered a unique opportunity to gather with professionals of a similar nature and discuss our relative businesses.

Welcome to the FORGE Team by Ryan Clark

A quick post to welcome the newest member of the FORGE Ideas team: Anvil the Letterpress. Anvil is a Craftsmen Platen Press, and hails from a machine shop in Boston, MA. He decided to join the team after a stint at a local print shop, and we are more than happy to have him heading up our new Printing Division.

Why Social Media Matters to Your Company by Libby Whittaker

There’s a lot of talk about social media today. It’s quickly becoming obvious that it’s not going away. Social media isn’t a fad––but rather a way we communicate. In 2010, an estimated 96% of Generation Y uses social media. Facebook and Twitter have given marketers a powerful tool to target people in a way that was unimaginable even ten years ago. Companies today are trying to figure out the best way to get involved in the conversation, but often shy away.

Marketing: An Investment, Not an Expense by Chad Mullins

This article contains two portions from the fifth presentation by Chad Mullins.

The quote, “I know that half of my advertising budget is wasted, but I’m not sure which half,” is credited to John Wanamaker. These words may have been uttered almost a hundred years ago, but the message still holds true today.

Social Media by Ryan Clark

Social media and email have a broad reach, but they must be focused and targeted in order to be effective. And in order to focus your social media communications you must first figure out the type of conversation you want to have, who you want to have it with, where you want that conversation to take place, and how frequently it will happen.

Visually Communicating the Brand by Jeremy Loyd

This article is derived from the second presentation by Jeremy Loyd
Communicating your brand doesn’t stop with the completion of the brandmark or logo. In fact, it never really stops. Absolutely anything––a pamphlet, a sign, an employee, a website––communicates your brand. The technical term is touchpoint, and it’s any way a potential client or donor comes [...]

Effective Brand Messaging by Jän Ostendorf

When presenting the concept of branding, it can quickly get complicated––which is exactly what branding tries to avoid. Upon hearing the word “branding,” some people may think of burning a symbol on a cow’s rear, but it has evolved into something much more intricate and involved over the years.

Free Branding and Marketing Lectures by Rob Harr

Here at FORGE, there’s a little bit of professor in us all. So we relish in any opportunity to give informational presentations. On Friday, April the 12th, FORGE gave a talk that was hosted by the Troy Chamber of Commerce.