It is always important to make sure you are putting your business’s best foot forward when promoting it, especially during the holiday season! However, the holiday season can be overwhelming with all of the other factors business owners have to worry about. Ordering, shipping, inventory, sales, finishing Q4 strong, the list goes on. Sometimes it may feel like there isn’t enough time in the day to worry about marketing your business too. BUT, marketing is just as important! And honestly so much easier than you probably think. I have gathered together six tips for how to best promote yourself during the holiday season. 

1. Use Social Media to your Advantage 

Over 50% of people look at a brand’s social media pages before making a purchase from them. So, I think it is safe to say that your social media account will play a role in your sales. Use it to your advantage! Put effort into your pages. And, most importantly, be active. Make sure you are consistently posting, whether it be in feed posts or stories, and interacting with your followers. This way you will stay on your customer’s mind. 

2. Partner with Other Businesses in your Community 

Now more than ever, supporting local businesses is so important. People want to invest into their communities and support the people behind it. So, partner with other businesses in your community. Find another business whose audience is similar to yours and partner up! Host a holiday pop up shop. Or hold a giveaway on your social media pages. This way, you can help support other businesses in your community and build your audience!

3. Embrace Email Marketing 

Maybe I am the only one, but I have definitely received a promotional email from a business, gone to their website, and made a purchase. Probably on something that I didn’t even need at the moment. But, that shows that what they did worked- simply putting a message in my inbox. Email is one of the fastest ways to reach your audience. 21% of people will open a promotional email within the first hour of it being received. By hour 3, that number increases to 40+%. Email marketing is also popular within so many different age groups. 

4. Create Customized Digital Ads

Digital ads in itself could be a whole blog post, but we will keep it simple for now. So, just start off with creating them. A great place to run ads is on Facebook and Instagram. There are two types of ads you can run as well. When one of your posts is performing well and getting a lot of interaction, you can boost the post. Or you can create an ad to run on the platforms. Most importantly, you can create your targeted audience for both! Make sure to target your ads rather than just putting them out there to get the most out of them!

5. Decorate your Storefront or Office

I can confidently say that if this will do anything, it will definitely just make your days better. There is just something about Christmas decorations that puts me in the best mood. By being surrounded by the Christmas joy, it will put people in the giving spirit! If you don’t have a storefront people are shopping in, then decorate your office! Share photos of your decorated office on your social platforms. And, if you don’t have a set office, decorate your website / social channels! Use holiday colors in your graphics. Change your profile photo, maybe even your Instagram highlight covers to holiday themed!

6. Partner with Local Influencers

Influencer marketing works. The industry is expected to reach $13.8 billion by the end of the year. And, many cities have local influencers who are very well known within the community who not only want to support big businesses, but also want to support businesses in their neighborhood. So reach out to them! Each influencer has different guidelines, but it is always worth at least reaching out to see if it is possible!

Marketing your business can feel overwhelming. You may not know extremely where to start. So, start off small! Pick a specific thing, maybe one of the tips above, and start focusing on it. Then go on to the next tactic and try to tackle it. Making your business stand out this holiday season can be a lot easier than you may think. Hopefully these tips will help!

Happy Holidays!! 

Kate 

Shopping small gives people the chance to truly celebrate and support their community and over the years, customers have been supporting their local businesses by shopping with them more often. Here are some helpful tips to help you shop small!

Shopping Small Impacts Communities:

When even just visiting a family owned restaurant, boutique, or store, you are already supporting and making that small connection with them. They and their families have invested in creating that business, the products and all that you see surrounding you.

Small Businesses are Online as Well:

You can also shop online from local businesses. Take advantage of local business directories. You can always Google places and use the local search aspect or ask for local recommendations from friends via Facebook.

Visit an Expo or Pop Up Shop:

There are many artisan markets, holiday shopping expos and even pop up shops in the area. Look for these events happening around you. You can pick up unique gift items for your loved ones, and maybe a little something for yourself.

Make It an Adventure:

If you’re going out shopping for the holidays, make it a point to try new places to eat, new places to shop. This gives you a chance to explore your immediate community and other small areas around you. Visit a downtown area or small business district. Many of them plan shopping events too. Park and walk, take time to discover the area with all of the charm and uniqueness it has to offer.

Small businesses play a critical role in improving our everyday lives – creating jobs, products and services, and serving as launchpads for new industries as they scale – and the COVID-19 pandemic has reinforced their importance for our communities and Main Street economies. The pandemic also further illustrated their resilience, ability to be nimble, and ability to adjust to the changing environment. Some had to adapt to online sales and scheduling deliveries. Others had to determine how to alter the work environment so they could continue to manufacture products and keep employees safe. And still others innovated and developed new ways to operate to continue to meet customer needs.

Your efforts will fuel small businesses, support your local community, create jobs, and give back to the community.

Hi, it’s Madisen again!! If you missed my last blog post, I am the project manager here at Sage. In addition to working here at Sage, I am also pursuing my master’s degree in Speech-Language Pathology at the University of Memphis. Being a full-time student and working part-time?!?! How does one do it…. Lucky for you, I’ve put together a list of tips that have helped me become successful in the classroom and also in the workplace!

1. Find your support system! 

Let me say it again, FIND YOUR SUPPORT SYSTEM!!! I cannot reiterate this enough; that is why it’s #1! You cannot handle all of the stress from school and work by yourself; it is simply too much! For me, my support system comes mostly from my friends, family, and honestly, my coworkers (who I also consider to be very close friends). Whether it is an encouraging text or listening to me ramble on about the anatomy of breathing, my support system is truly the reason I am able to continue pursuing my dreams! It is okay to ask for help!!!

2. Plan, Plan, Plan!!!

If you haven’t read my last post about staying organized and planning, go read it now!! The key to success really anywhere is to stay organized, set goals, and create a plan. As a project manager, I am in charge of keeping us organized and planning our projects, so why not apply this same principle to graduate school? I live by my planner and one thing that I make sure to do weekly is to have a planning session. I sit down for at least 1 hour, usually on Sunday evenings, and write out my plans, to-do list, and goals for the week. Implementing this practice into both my work and school life has been a game changer! 

3. Be realistic!

Continuing off of the previous tip, planning, you have to be realistic. Yes, we like to think that we are invincible and that the 24 hours in a day aren’t set in stone. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but there is a limit to the hours in a day and they do apply to everybody. One skill that I have had to learn, and learn quickly, is how to accurately account for the time a task will take. One problem that you want to avoid is  “planning fallacy.” “Planning fallacy” is overestimating the time it will take to complete short tasks, and underestimating the time it takes to complete projects. The best way I have combated this is to plan my day ahead of time and then stick to that schedule. For instance, if I plan on studying for a class from 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm, I need to start at 7:00 pm and focus until 9:00 pm. For smaller tasks, you might only need an hour. The more you practice planning, the better you will get at estimating the time needed.

In short, you will need a planner and you will need to use that planner in great detail!! I recommend a physical planner as opposed to using your phone. We all know that we go to check one thing on our phones and next thing we know 30 minutes have passed and we have been mindlessly scrolling through Instagram! Before you panic, I am not saying you can’t scroll through Instagram or TikTok, but just not during your PRE-planned time slots. 

4. Find the Harmony!

When I first started in my graduate program, my initial thought was that I would keep work and school separate, but boy was I wrong and I’m glad I was! Speech-Language Pathology and marketing don’t have much in common on the surface, but if you dig a little deeper there are so many similarities. One of the biggest practices that I use in both is how to communicate with clients. Yes, I am communicating with clients in different ways, but Sage has taught me to communicate in a more professional way. I can apply this to school as I am working with patients and oftentimes, my patient’s parents or caretakers. Along with client communication comes building new relationships. Working at Sage and constantly communicating with our clients has helped me build so many relationships in the Memphis area and beyond. Creating these relationships is crucial not only just for the community aspect, but also for when I am searching for a job after graduation. You never know the connections someone else has. Moral of the story is to not let school and work be separate! Don’t misread that, I am not saying to completely integrate the two, but it is beneficial to let them overlap in some areas!

5. Set Boundaries! 

This might be the hardest one, at least for me. I have never been good at telling anybody “no”, but it is a skill that I am working on bettering. I will admit, I am a people pleaser and have never been good at setting boundaries. Setting boundaries when you have a busy schedule is vital! I am not saying you can’t go have a drink or dinner with your friends, but if you have a work project and a test the next day, consider taking a rain check! Know your limits and don’t be afraid to tell someone when you have reached yours! There have been days when I am completely overwhelmed with assignments and tests while also trying to work. I had to realize that it is okay to let someone know that you need help and that you might need the day off, if it is truly overwhelming. This goes back to surrounding yourself with a support system; those who truly want you to succeed will understand and want to help you in any way that they can!

One of the easiest ways to set boundaries for yourself, is to stick to the schedule that you created for the week or the day. Yes, things come up and sometimes we need to be flexible, but also know that it is okay to say “no” sometimes!

6. Don’t Forget to Take Care of Yourself!!! 

I saved this tip for last, but hear me when I say, please do not wait until last to take care of yourself! Working and being in school at the same time is very taxing on a person and we need to make sure to stop and check in on ourselves. Again, we are not invincible and you have to take care of YOU. You cannot perform at your peak, if you yourself are not taken care of! One thing I have implemented for myself is that I treat myself to something every 2 weeks, whether it is a facial, getting my nails done, or a new outfit. I make sure to take time for myself. Obviously we need to take time for ourselves daily. This can be as simple as going for a walk while listening to your favorite podcast, meeting friends for a drink after work, or just bingeing some Netflix. Taking care of yourself has to be a priority in order to truly be successful and prevent burnout.

There are so many more tips that I could have shared about how I currently am navigating both graduate school and working at Sage. While there are days when I struggle and think to myself “wow maybe I should not be doing this much”, I have to think about all of the good things that are currently happening in my life. Remember why you chose to do this in the first place and keep pushing; it is hard, but you are more than capable!

Creepin’ It Real

Hi my name is Abbey Burgett and I am one of the videographers here at Sage Creative and in honor of Halloween coming up, I wanted to describe how editing goes with a a scary movie! Once a week, my roommates and I pick a scary movie to watch in our cozy living room. As long as there is no possessions or exorcisms happening, I will watch it. I’m not sure what it is about scary movies that I like so much, but I enjoy watching them. Especially in October. Sometimes it's good to get a sense of horror without having to live through it in real life. The jump scares and slow building of the climax is what lures the audience into your film. Suddenly, you get a rush of adrenaline, chill bumps all over, and a weird sense that someone is watching you. Have you ever thought about making a scary short film? After all, it is spooky season...  Halloween is right around the corner! 

To begin a scary short film, you need to have a script first. You should create engaging characters with opposite goals to rope in your viewers. When writing your script keep these things in mind. How many actors can you afford? What locations can you film at? What gear do you have access to? Do you have a good mic? If you don’t have a microphone that picks up good sound, you may want to have less dialogue and more silence in your movie. Just creepin’ it real! After you have your script, you will need a shot list. A shot list is a document with all the information you will need to carry out your scene by describing each shot within the film. Next, you can make a storyboard, which is a sequence of drawings with instructions and dialogue, showing the shots you plan to make. When you are done, hire your actors/actresses, and figure out which camera, lenses, microphones and lighting you want to use.  

The basics in shooting is to first adjust your shutter speed, then your aperture, and ISO last. If your ISO is cranked up too high, the quality in your shot will be grainy. You want to keep it between 400 and 1600 if you can help it. Say you’re filming in a house at night. How would you decide which room to use? If you want the protagonist to be in the dark, a room with natural lighting would be your best choice. For example, if you choose to shoot in the living room or kitchen, the windows can let in porch light through the curtains creating unique shadows. To generate more suspense, you can even change the color of the light bulb to orange or red. Camera movement is also important when recording a scary short film. Using slow movement throughout the house builds tension within your audience. This naturally keeps us on our toes because we are always thinking, what is going to jump out next? To be more creative, record a long take of the scene without cutting. This gives you a sense of dread replicating the killers point of view. If you decide to film in a bedroom, you can use a bedside table lamp as a light source. For example, a woman can be in her room getting ready for bed when she hears something outside her window. She slowly opens the curtains for a peek. The next shot is the antagonist's point of view watching her through the bushes. She closes the curtains, not seeing anyone, and turns her light off. The killer walks toward the back of the house, all you see someone in a black hood. Keeping the antagonist's identity hidden for as long as you can will make it even more intriguing when they are revealed later.  

I love working in the film industry because it allows me to get creative and put my artistic mind to work. To make sound effects for your horror film, your best bet is to make the foley yourself, or download sound effects online. What you probably don’t know about foley, is that you can use just about anything to get the sound you want. It's important to get foley while you are on set so your sound will be more accurate. Walk around the scene capturing door knobs turning, creeks on the stairs, bushes rumbling, etc. If you need a gory sound, you can stab knife into a pumpkin, watermelon, or any fruit for the effect of someone getting stabbed. Pull the watermelon apart to get good crunch sounds. To break someone's bones, you can break a carrot for that creepy effect. For bat wings, you can open and close an umbrella repeatedly. Anything you can think of you can use! This is great for people who have a small budget and cannot afford to buy SFX.  

When filming, make sure you have multiple different angles of your character, as long as it follows the 180-degree rule. To get the suspense look, use a prime lens for reaction shots. Maybe throw in a couple of Dutch angles! This makes your audience feel more uneasy. For a medium shot, use a 35-50mm lens. For a long shot, use a telephoto lens to capture the establishing shot and the characters from head to toe. These lenses typically start at 70mm and higher for super zooms, like the 55-200mm. If your camera has an 85-135mm range, that would be ideal to use for close up shots. Close up shots are very important to have in a horror film. Close ups catch the reactions of the character when they are frightened or showing emotion. To decide what your shutter speed will be, if you're filming in the dark, you should stay between 1/30 and 1/50. Your aperture should be between F/1.2 and F/2.6. Your F-stop, or aperture, is the opening in your lens that allows light in. After adjusting these, you can then focus on your ISO. The ISO refers to the sensitivity of the camera’s sensor. You do not want to go above 1600. Preferably the lower the better. If it is too high, you will lose definition and have a grainy shot.  

When you have all your footage and foley, it's time to edit. Light a candle, make some hot cocoa and get your spook on! After getting cozy and settled, download your footage onto your computer. Create your project in whatever software you use. I personally prefer Adobe Premiere Pro. I have used this software since college and it has never given me any trouble. If you are new to filmmaking, you can download iMovie for free and follow the tutorials. Since I started working for Malik a couple of months ago, my skills have gotten better every day. He really encourages us to be more creative and artistic. Working with my team, we give each other the feedback we need to make each video great. That’s what I love about videography and editing, you can express your artistic side into each and every video you make. Finally, when your short horror film is done exporting, viola! A scare is born! 

Hello! My name is Madison Baugh, but here at the office they call me Mad B! I am the marketing intern here at Sage Creative. I work alongside our Director of Marketing (Kate Herzke). I help with planning out content for our social media platforms: Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, Tiktok, etc. I am currently a senior at the University of Memphis. I actually graduate in about nine weeks! I am so excited to close this chapter of my life and start a new one!

For the past four years I have been pursuing a BA in Marketing, and I honestly had no idea what I really wanted to do with marketing until about March of 2021. I am very organized and the type of person to have her life planned out way in advance. I’ve always had a passion for planning and helping others to the best of my ability. With the pandemic, it has been difficult to acquire a job, let alone an internship, that fits all of my likings and experience.

Back in August I came across a post on instagram that was sponsored by Sage Creative, and it caught my eye. It was a post they had made about a need for a marketing intern; after reading through the list of responsibilities, I applied immediately. Within two weeks of applying for this internship, I was already in the office here at Sage Creative. I have only been here for a month, but have gained so much experience already!

There is never a dull moment here at Sage. It’s a fast-paced yet entertaining environment. I am surrounded by co-workers who I see more as friends, who accept me for me, help me when needed, and are always here for me. Madison a couple of months ago would not believe where she is now, and I am eternally grateful for this opportunity to work alongside some of the best people and to have such a safe and energetic work environment.

A typical day in the office for me typically goes as follows: 

1. Arrive at 8am and I like to check my email and calendar to see what I have coming up or if anything is due. 

2. We have a team huddle every morning, to discuss what we all have going on for the day and to just catch up on everything we have going on as a team. 

3. I then meet with Kate to discuss what needs to be done for the day or sometimes we work together to collaborate on ideas for upcoming content for Sage Creative. 

4. We work till lunch then come back ready to work more until we leave around 4! That is just a typical day in my life as a marketing intern, but everyday is different. Honestly I never really know what I have going on that day until we all

meet. Sometimes I will go out of the office to help with filming or behind the scenes shots!

This is something that I about this internship: nothing is really set in stone and it’s always spontaneous around here. I cannot wait to grow as a person and in my knowledge of marketing with Sage Creative.

Want to join our team?! Apply to work with us today!

A few months ago, Malik approached me and asked if I was interested in getting a Whoop. I looked at him and said, “what the heck is that?” Malik’s response - “it’s really cool. It tracks your life.” Little did I know that I would actually become an extremely big fan of it. 

If you’re like how I was and have no idea what this thing is, let me break it down for you. A Whoop is a small strap you wear 24/7 on your wrist that tracks your recovery, strain, and sleep performance. Your recovery is based on 4 factors: heart-rate variability, resting heart rate, sleep, and respiratory rate. Your strain is calculated throughout the day on a scale from 1-21. Depending on your recovery, it will tell you your optimal strain goal for the day. While you sleep, it tracks the length of each sleep cycle, how many disturbances you have, and the efficiency of your sleep. 

Throughout my life, I have typically been a pretty active person. I played three sports all throughout high school and did my best to workout throughout college. However, that definitely didn’t turn out as well as I wanted it to. After I graduated, I started taking exercising more seriously. I used my Apple Watch to track my workouts. When Malik introduced me to the Whoop, I thought it could be a better alternative to help me reach my fitness goals, so I gave it a shot. It has not only played a huge role in my fitness journey, but also my day to day experience in the workplace. 

I noticed that I performed significantly better at work, completing all my tasks for the day when I would get 80% or more of my sleep need.  Every night, I will get a notification from my app that says “time to get ready for bed to be asleep at __ to get 100% of your sleep need😴”. In the past, I would have ignored this message and gone to bed whenever. However, after noticing how much more productive I can be if I do get the amount of sleep I need, I started taking it a lot more seriously! And, since then, I am continuing to perform better during the day because of the consistent sleep schedule I have. 

Another big aspect that has affected my performance in the workplace is my recovery. I started noticing trends in my lifestyle that would affect my recovery, whether it was not drinking enough water the day before, eating poor foods, or even drinking a glass of wine before bed. So, I made some changes. Now, my recovery is in the green more than not during the week! A higher recovery also helps me stay more focused at work. I am not sluggish or sleepy; instead, I am ready to take on any task that is given to me. It is almost like I just have a bigger boost of energy throughout the day. 

With us launching Sage only a few months ago, it has been really important to me to give it my all during work. People often form their opinions the first time they are introduced to something, so I have been working tirelessly to make sure if someone’s first opinion is formed from our social media, that hopefully it is a good opinion. And, as cheesy as it sounds, my Whoop has helped me do it! Whenever someone asks me about the “black strap on my wrist”, I get so excited to tell them about it. Maybe a little too excited (my sister gets annoyed with me about it🙄). But I truly believe in this product! It has helped me put me go above and beyond for Sage Creative.

Hi! My name is Vann Tate, and I am the lead cinematographer at Sage Creative. I oversee the filming and editing of all video content. 

When people start making videos, usually they are in pursuit of the elusive “cinematic” look. There are many ways to achieve this in post-production, but I’d like to focus on what we can do in-camera. When shooting, it’s important to keep a close eye on your settings, specifically the shutter speed. In still photography, shutter speed controls how long your shot is exposed, and therefore determines how much motion blur is captured. In video, it performs the same task, but instead of a standalone image, the effect is seen in a series of images. While a high shutter speed in a still photograph creates a sharp image, the same in video can produce choppy movement from frame to frame. It is the cinematographer's job to determine how choppy or blurry they want the video to be. As a rule of thumb, though, most cinematographers abide by the 180 degree shutter rule. 

To understand this rule, we need to go back to the days before digital cameras. When movies were shot on film, the camera’s shutter was a round piece of metal with an opening that spun around to let light in. The larger the opening was, the longer the image was exposed and the more blur was created. After some periods of experimentation, cinematographers decided that the motion blur that most closely resembled that of the human eye was achieved when the shutter was cut in half, creating a 180 degree opening. Sound familiar? This shutter angle became closely associated with the standard film look

The general goal of creating “cinematic” footage is to mimic the film look on digital cameras. So, what better way to do that than to copy the standard film shutter angle? Because the shutter on film cameras was a half-circle, the film got exposed for half the time it spent behind the lens. Therefore, to emulate this look in-camera, your shutter speed should be your frame rate time two. So, if you’re shooting in the cinema-standard frame rate of 23.976, your shutter speed should be as close to 48, or 1/48th of a second, as possible. On standard digital cinema cameras, this task is made even easier by allowing you to choose a shutter angle. 

Now, the point of this post has been to help emulate a standard film look, but, as with all rules, there are exceptions. Just be aware that any variation from 180 degrees will create a noticeable difference in your footage, and it’s best to harness this effect for a specific creative purpose. For example, if you’re shooting an action scene and you want to emphasize the movement with choppy staccato motion, raise the shutter speed. If you’re shooting a disorienting dream-like sequence where actions blend into one-another, you might want to lower it.

So, why does any of this actually matter in the realm of digital marketing? The lesson from this is how to improve the intentionality of your content. The search for the cinematic look can’t be completed overnight, it’s gained and lost and tweaked over years until your visual arsenal grows versatile enough to convey your message with precision. Shutter speed is just one tool you can use to convey a message visually, and hopefully after reading this post you have a better understanding of it.

My name is Brandon Sumpter, and I want to talk about Apple. More specifically, the recent Apple event and how it never fails to draw attention. Millions of people around the world tune in every year to the Apple Keynote (myself included). While the average viewer this year might not have been blown away by the announced updates, I’d like to praise Apple for the very intentional way they orchestrate and present these events. They do so in such a way that keeps everyone coming back for more year after year. 

They use a “secret formula” that keeps the audience engaged. The first ingredient is video. They open with a video to introduce the theme for the rest of the event. The purpose of this opening video isn’t to highlight a new product. In fact, this year’s opening video had little to no Apple products in sight. Instead, the video is used to get the audience excited, and set the stage for what’s to come. 

Apple also uses videos, later on and throughout the event, to tell stories and build suspense right before revealing a new product. This is no surprise, but 79% of consumers would rather watch a video on a product than reading text on a page. Apple knows this, so they pair these videos with short phrases and keywords to push the message they want surrounding the new line of products. 

Next up is the iconic “Good Morning!” from Tim Cook. I don’t consider this an ingredient to the formula, but I appreciate the consistency. The happy greeting does lead into the next step which is reminding the viewers and audience of the positive impact Apple has had on everyone’s life. You can bet whatever is said in those first few seconds, it’s a proud and/or positive message. Tim touched on how proud they were to call California home this year. They’ve also opened by mentioning how Apple keeps people connected. Opening with a confident and proud statement or positive words gives the audience a good dopamine boost. It reminds them that they played a part in the accomplishments of Apple when purchasing its products. 

The ingredient I’d like us to shift our focus now is exaggeration. These keynotes are filled with superlatives. They don’t just sprinkle them in either. Apple uses consistent repetition of these exaggerated superlatives to more or less brainwash the audience to believe in what’s being said about these products. Each presenter will use words like “groundbreaking”, “redefine”, and “most [blank] [blank] we’ve ever created”. If you hear that enough times, you leave the event believing it. 

This leads us to the next point, which is delivery. Tim Cook and the other presenters are incredibly skilled at delivering this message in a simple and conversational way. They make you feel as though the entire event was put on for you to personally enjoy. They also don’t waste time diving deep into numbers the average person wouldn’t understand. They keep the message clear and simple, while adding just enough verbiage to sound impressive. 

These presenters also set the foundation for your opinion to be exactly what they want it to be. Often before you’re even aware of what’s being shared. How many times have you heard the phrase, “We know you’re going to love…”, or, “ You are going to be amazed with…” during an Apple keynote? About every 5 minutes and peppered throughout the announcement of a new or upgraded feature. They pair this encouraged opinion with bold statements to excite you for what’s coming. 

All of these strategies create the perfect storm of show and tell. Apple tells a story during these events that sells the idea that “this round of product announcements is the most groundbreaking announcement of the year”. While the changes to the products themselves may be minor at best, Apple is able to make you feel that the new iPhone is leaps and bounds ahead of any phone before it. This creates huge anticipation for the upcoming product line, thus making the keynote an instrumental part of the sale for these products. 

We can all learn from these strategies and in some cases, use it as a foundation to build a new formula that fits your brand. Yes, it’s nearly impossible to replicate the way Apple does this in scale, but the key components are within reach for even the smallest companies. Creative content is at the core of it all in my opinion. You’re probably not going to hold an annual event for your product line, but there are other ways to use these core elements. 

Apple is part of the 60% of businesses that use video as a marketing tool. That’s because video can share a message that is easier to sit through and retain for the average person. But it doesn’t end there. People tend to spend 88% more time on websites that have videos. More time on the website equates to more interest in your business. It also means higher page authority and probability of that interest turning into a sale!

Hello and Welcome to Sage Creative!

Let me introduce myself. My name is Malik Sharp, CEO of Sage Creative, LLC., and I have been in the industry for a little over 8 years now. I was born and raised in Memphis, TN. I married my high school sweetheart, Ashley, in December 2020; we, along with our 2 dogs, Piper and Memphis, reside in Collierville, TN. When I am not working, I enjoy spending time on the golf course, friends, family, and LOVE the Apple Store. 

Before moving into the marketing world, I started my own wedding photography and videography company, Malik Sharp Photography & Film, at the age of 15. Shortly after launch, people thought that because I was so young when launching my first business, things have always been handed to me; little do they know, I started in my bedroom with a laptop and a dinky camera…

Growing up, I lived a financially unstable life (not that I am ungrateful for everything that my mother and family provided and sacrificed for me), so I saw first-hand just how hard owning your own business can be. My step-father owned his own company. When things were going well, we were living an extravagant lifestyle, and in a blink of an eye we could be sleeping in a hotel or even our cars. I knew from those experiences that I wanted to change the trajectory for my own life, and I let that drive me. I knew growing up that I had to love the Lord, work hard, and do what’s good by people. 

Being 15 and starting my own company was a very daunting task that has proven itself to be so fruitful. Malik Sharp Photography & Film was rebranded to Feather Stone Weddings, LLC. in 2018. I, alongside my team, captured about 50-60 weddings per year in various locations ranging from Florida to Pittsburg and many more in between that year. 

During the time of photographing weddings, I began to notice a trend- my clients and their families would ask me for tips and tricks on how to market themselves and their businesses on platforms across the internet. Along with these questions, I also had several people outside of the wedding world reaching out and asking for advice to increase brand awareness for their company. So, in 2019, I launched Feather Stone Projects, LLC. 

If you would’ve asked me in 2015 if I thought I’d be where I am now, my answer probably would have been no, but I am so thankful for those that have helped me and believed in me. I am truly fortunate to wake up everyday and do what I love. I can honestly say that I strive to make those around me happy each and every day.

While owning my own businesses hasn’t always been rainbows and sunshine, being able to look back on how far I’ve come from when I started to now makes it all worth it. 

My ultimate goal is to be a trusted brand to other brands, business-to-business. I think if we can come into a company and help them market themselves in a different and more effective way then we will have achieved both of those goals. This goal of mine is what led me to rebrand Feather Stone Projects into Sage Creative.

Two questions that I find myself being asked the most are “Why did you choose the name Sage Creative?” and “What exactly does Sage Creative do?”. So let’s get straight to the point! 

When thinking about rebranding from Feather Stone Projects to Sage Creative, I wanted to make sure our new name truly embodied what we, as a company, stand for. I began brainstorming and finally settled upon “Sage”. Sage was not only short and easy to remember, but it also means to be a wise man having, showing, or indicating profound wisdom. My hope for Sage Creative is for it to grow into a worthy of its name. 

So the question of “What exactly does Sage Creative do?” happens to be one of my favorites. It gives me a chance to brag on the expertise of my employees and reminds me just how far I, and my company, have come since the beginning. Sage Creative is a full digital marketing agency that offers a wide variety of services ranging from brand development, to design, to content creation. We, as a company, work alongside our clients, to help them find their voice in a predominantly digital world. 

But there are a lot of other great digital marketing agencies, so what makes us stand out from the rest? The answer to that is simple -- my team. One of the best things about owning my own business currently is that I have like-minded and passionate employees that are on the same page about the future for Sage. We are a team and each of my employees bring different strengths and expertises to the table.  

Because of our cohesiveness in the office, we are able to extend that same feel to our clients. One of our top priorities at Sage Creative is to not only aid our clients, but to also build long-lasting relationships. This relationship starts from day 1! When I meet with any new client, my inclination is to listen. At Sage Creative, the client is in the driver’s seat! My team and I are here to help bring your vision to life and if our clients are looking for Sage to direct them, then that’s what we do.

The key to any great relationship starts with communication. We listen to what your vision and needs are and help create great content that portrays just that. Being in the business for 8 years, we have learned what content performs well and what content doesn’t. 

{To put in very simple terms: We listen, we communicate, and we execute.} 

Communication is not only important with our clients, but also within our office. In the office, we foster a sense of community and creative expression. To me, a really important aspect of our workplace is creating a positive atmosphere. Obviously we all have bad days, but I think that positivity can make or break a workplace, and working in a toxic environment is not ideal for any employee or successful business. We, as a team, all have the same goal: better ourselves while also bettering each other. 

In order for us to achieve our goals, we have to support each other in and out of the workplace. I want to be an integral part of my teams’ lives celebrating their successes and supporting their struggles. 

The most important core value in our office is: Be the Hustle You Hunger. My team and I are ready to take on more and go above and beyond what is expected of us! 

When I picture where Sage Creative is 3 years from now, I have 4 specific goals in mind: to be recognized and represented nationally, to have a medium size team that is full-time employees with benefits and salaries starting at $40,000+, to have yearly revenue of $2-5 million, and to outgrow our current office space and build an HQ for Sage. 

We work with businesses and organizations of any size, background, or location. Some of our current clients include Buff City Soap, University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC), the Meat District, Rockmere Vineyard, Roadshow BMW, and the Memphis in May International Festival. 

I am very excited about this opportunity to rebrand into Sage Creative and see big things coming in the near future! 

{Wanna be a part of them? Click the link below!} 

Olivia here! I am the Director of Photography at Sage Creative. If you had told me a few years ago that I would have a job centered around taking photos, I would have looked at you like you were crazy. However, the longer time went on, the more and more I realized photography is my passion. The first thing many people think of when considering practicing photography is the cost that comes with it. It is definitely not a cheap hobby to pick up or career to pursue. However, if it is something you want to learn how to do, there are ways to stay on a budget. Here are a few of my tips about staying within budget and doing what you love!

1. Get the light right. 

Photography is all about capturing light. So, lighting is going to be one of the most important things  when it comes to getting the perfect shot. 

Studio lighting is not always necessary, especially if you are on a tight budget. Natural light will become your best friend! Find a window and place your subject, whether it be a product or person, facing the window. 

2. Prime is not a crime.

There are two categories of lenses in the photography world - prime and zoom. Zoom lenses allow for different focal lengths from one lens. They are more flexible than a prime lens. However, they are bigger, heavier, and usually more expensive. 

A prime lens has a fixed focal length. They are less flexible than a zoom lens, but are faster and sharper. A prime lens is lightweight and compact, making them easier to carry. 

When starting out, most people automatically jump to the conclusion that they need a zoom lens. This is not always the case. Prime lenses can be great to start out with because you can get to know your camera settings without having to worry about the focal length. Prime lenses are also significantly cheaper than zoom lenses. So, if you are on a budget, looking for a prime lens may be a good place to start. 

Two great prime lenses are a 50mm and 35mm. 

A 50mm lens with an aperture of 1.8 is a great lens for lower light photography. The low aperture (or f-stop) allows more light to come through the lens. So, if you don’t have a studio setup with added light, a lower aperture could be helpful in capturing the right amount of light. This lens is also relatively affordable at anywhere from $100-$200.

A 35mm lens is going to give you a much wider shot than the 50mm. This lens has more versatility in that you can capture wider, landscape scenes, or you can come closer in for a traditional portrait shot. Depending on what you are shooting, this lens may be better for you. It is going to be a little more expensive than a 50mm, but still usually cheaper than a zoom lens.

3. Understand the value of second-hand.

Renting equipment can be a great way to try out different lenses until you find what you like and are comfortable with. 

If you are looking to buy equipment of your own, I would recommend buying it used! Most of the time nice, barely used cameras or lenses can be found at a fraction of the price if you were to buy them new. People often buy or get gifted cameras to pick up photography as a hobby. They quickly find that it is not as easy as just grabbing a camera and shooting. These people then turn around and sell their practically brand new camera or lens for a fraction of the original price. This is great for people who are looking to up their photography game, but who also have to stick to a budget!

Do your research, read seller reviews, and communicate with the seller on why they are selling their equipment before you buy. There is nothing wrong with buying second-hand! 

4. You need to read!

One of the biggest tips I have for someone learning photography is to learn to shoot in manual mode. Finding the right composition for your shot is only part of the battle. You can instantly up your photography game when you learn to adjust your settings for each different shot. I would suggest finding free online photography classes and researching how to adjust camera settings to learn how to make the switch from auto to manual mode. Articles, classes, and youtube tutorials can all be found for free online when you are practicing photography on a budget!

5. Practice, practice, practice!!

The more you practice, the better you’ll be! Especially when it comes to learning camera settings, practice is key. Get out in different environments, with different amounts of light, at different angles, and just practice until you find out what works best for you. Reading articles and watching videos is great and will help you learn how to adjust all of your settings and what each setting does, but getting out there and doing it will allow you to see how to best capture light and what style you like best. Don’t be afraid to mess up the first few times or not get it just right for every shot. Keep practicing and you will get better!

All in all, it is possible to practice and love photography even on a budget. You just have to be smart about your purchases, practice, and do the best you can with what you have! Keep working hard, and you can build a life around a job that you love! If you feel like photography is so important to you or your business, but a little overwhelming, don’t fret; that’s why I’m here! I would love to talk with you about it!