Explore practical insights, tips and expert advice on visual branding, brand strategy, graphic design and Microsoft Word, PowerPoint and Excel templates.
Our extensive experience comes with a desire to share our knowledge.
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September 2026
AI-generated Word and PowerPoint documents can look inconsistent or be difficult to edit. Learn how well-designed Microsoft templates provide a stronger foundation for AI-generated business content.
July 2026
We've seen firms make wrong calls, ending in wasted cost, backtracking, lost staff hours and outcomes that fell way short of their potential. Don't fall victim to cost-first decision-making.
May 2026
The instinct to jump straight into building templates is understandable. It's also exactly what leads to templates that don't work.
March 2026
Microsoft is not the problem. It's the lack of brand implementation skills applied to the template development process that is the issue. But it doesn't have to be.
February 2026
Not all designs are equal, and professional services demand a different approach – one built for word-heavy content.
January 2026
We have seen our clients win great work by elevating their proposals. In this article, we explore what's at play here.
October 2025
All great consultants know the symptom is rarely the real issue. In this article, we look at how a conversation to improve the website turned into a completely new lease on life for one firm.
September 2025
In this article, we explore the hidden cost of unprofessional documentation that doesn’t close deals when you’ve left the room.
June 2025
There is a distinct connection between losing out on proposals and engagement and the quality of your firm's go-to-market strategy and visual branding. In this article, we explore how your firm can correct course.
April 2025
Unsure how to order Microsoft Templates? In this article, we help you navigate the essentials when enquiring about your organisation's Microsoft templates.
March 2025
Are you losing work by ignoring the visual impact of your firm's proposals? Stanford research shows 75% of people judge organisational credibility based on visual design quality alone.
February 2025
From chaos to clarity: In this article, we explore the benefits that Fractional Design Leadership brings to in-house professional services firms and their design teams.
January 2025
Savvy professional services firms are discovering a powerful new way to access top-tier design leadership without the hefty price tag of a full-time leadership hire.
December 2024
Too often, firms spend good money on branding without results. It happens. We get it. But it doesn’t have to end this way. In this insight, we explore three key areas to pay attention to when rebranding.
November 2024
Poor visual design might be the document equivalent of bad body language in person-to-person communication. So much can be said without actually being said.
October 2024
We have seen many firms pay good money for underwhelming branding outcomes. So, how do you know you’ve paid good money for a bad product?
September 2024
Microsoft templates are the most commonly used brand delivery method for professional services. Why then, do they look so bad?
March 2024
Within professional services, small to medium-sized firms deserve every chance at winning proposals when up against larger firms. But why don't they?
January 2024
Knowing when it is the right time to rebrand can be a difficult decision. Understanding the reasons behind when and why a rebrand is needed often helps.
November 2023
Regardless of the nature of your business, without a strong and purposeful brand identity, things are going to get pretty messy, pretty quick.
September 2023
You’ve finished the proposal, and you think it looks great. You toiled to get it finished. You submit the proposal, then… tumbleweeds! Let's fix that.
August 2023
We explore the difference between a software user and a designer. Hint: Using software requires the execution of principles and knowledge.
July 2023
Proposal times are often mayhem bordering on madness. There are better ways to create documents.
June 2023
Time and time again, we see brands that showed great potential fail to deliver. Here's why.
May 2023
Underperforming business templates have the capacity to frustrate users, cost businesses a truckload of money. What can be done about that?
April 2023
What working “behind the curtain” in professional services has taught me...
January 2023
There is a lot that goes into branding. It takes many skill sets across multiple disciplines to pull it all together. So why do people still think it's just the logo?
