Danielle Alexander Design LLC

01/28/2026

I met another marketing gal yesterday for coffee and we laughed about those old school, overnight catalog press checks. Remember those?

I've been feeling all my years recently but these memories make me realize how many opportunities I've gotten to experience. Times flies when you're having fun!

01/08/2026

Happy Trade Show Season! What's keeping your graphic designer up at night? Here's a tip to expedite, stay on budget, and ensure your images don't pixelate in the print process.

06/27/2025

𝗠𝘆 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴?

Paper.
Tactile, on-brand, physical pieces your clients can touch, feel, and interact with.

Ai is a great TOOL and can provide ultra customization that 𝘮𝘢𝘺 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭 personal for a time but eventually I predict we're going to struggle to figure out what's real and what's not. That's unsettling.

This is real.
Print is a craft all its own.

Want to stay ahead of the curve? Think about how you can connect with your clients in a non-digital way.

I love this idea: a brochure that unfolds into a large-format poster. So clever.

Imagine what your brand could do off-screen. If you’re curious, I’ve got ideas!

05/08/2025

People ask me all the time:
“𝗪𝗼𝘄. 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝘂𝗳𝗮𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗯𝗶𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗰𝗵? 𝗛𝗼𝘄’𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗱𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝗼𝗻 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩?”

Actually, I chose it...eventually.

I’m not here to just make things 'pretty'.

I’m here to make the complex clear, the technical tangible, and the overlooked unforgettable.

That discovery of who I am, who I help, and why, has taken years.

But this talk was the first time I fully owned it out loud.

𝗜 𝗴𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗮 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗲𝗰𝗵. 𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝗜 𝗱𝗶𝗱𝗻’𝘁 𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗽, 𝗰𝗿𝘆, 𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘄 𝘂𝗽. 𝗦𝗼 𝗜’𝗺 𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝘁 𝗮 𝘄𝗶𝗻.

When asked by the University of Minnesota College of Design to be one of the 7 design professionals to speak for 7 minutes about their design journey, I pictured a low-key classroom chat. Maybe 20 students. Casual.

It turned out to be an on-stage, bright lights, 300-person audience of design students and PEERS (their 15th annual) kind of situation.

Oh.

And there I was—grappling with that awful, familiar voice in my head:

“Who do you think you are?”

𝗧𝗼 𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝘂𝗽 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗲𝗹𝗹 𝗺𝘆 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆...𝗔𝘀 𝗶𝗳 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲!?

But here’s the thing: they did.

And afterward, they called my story something I didn’t expect:
“Inspiring.”

(I’m still letting that one sink in.)

Thank you Shawn Judge, speaking coach, for helping me get out of my own head and into the moment.

And to the event organizers at the College of Design Lori Mollberg and Jodi Jabs, the board, MC, and the other speakers: thank you for the opportunity and the unforgettable energy in that room!

I stayed behind the podium and read from notes—my only regret.

Because that vintage dress I wore? DESERVED a full reveal, ha!

🎥 Here’s the full video if you’re curious how it went:

👉 Watch now: https://shorturl.at/IxAke

If you’re waiting to feel ready before you say yes to the scary stuff...don’t.

Say yes anyway.

Growth hides in the discomfort.

And sometimes, in a vintage dress behind a podium.

design.umn.edu/designin7z.umn.edu/D7Cards2025Listen in as professionals from the fields of apparel design, architecture, graphic design, interior design, lan...

04/24/2025

I'm not going to stand on my soapbox and say that AI will bring an end to all creativity as we know it. That sterile, unemotional thoughts will be the standard way everybody thinks. My POV is about how I'm currently using AI and how I see it being used in the future.

Currently, I use AI as an ideation tool. It helps me come up with numerous ideas and options but I still have the final say and can choose to use them, edit them or ignore them.

On the other hand, I don't use AI as an executor of work. As a graphic designer, I'll always create my own graphics and not leave the designing work to a computer to analyze, strategize and execute what I need to get completed. It could give me a rough idea to work off of or play around with but not a final idea. That's up to my mind, my creativity and my decision making skills that come from years of training and experience.

My "big picture" when it comes to AI, I'm still experimenting with it. Still kicking the tires and trying things out for myself.

From my perspective, working with and seeing finished products that AI creates doesn't make for a human experience. AI doesn't have feelings so it can't create and emote them through design they way a human would. It's just not possible.

Additionally, AI likes to use personas to determine what a person might say, might do or how they might think. That process can work SOME of the time, but AI won't be able to adapt or understand everyone, because a persona only covers a certain group of people and not everyone.

AI is a VERY helpful and useful tool, and I'm glad that I have access to it. What's your current take on AI?

04/23/2025

Let me share with you a little secret that I've come to learn from experience . . . setting expectations, especially when it comes to marketing and marketing materials, are VERY important to set and establish early.

If you've never had to have a tough conversation regarding expectations, consider yourself lucky. It's just the worst.

I've learned over the years that setting expectations and creating context are vital in both professional and personal relationships.

Professionally, as a business owner and as someone that works in the creative world, I've found that establishing expectations and providing clarity is necessary to keep everyone on the same page

When expectations are set up front—things like timelines, deliverables, rounds of revisions, and what’s included in the price—everyone is on the same page. That means fewer awkward “I thought this was included?” conversations. This can be especially the case when an estimated project price is set and never an actual price. Being clear, concise and thorough in describing the details of the work that will be done, the time that it should take and setting a deadline for the work to be completed by will keep everyone on the same path.

It can also be a good idea to provide more than one option, people like options, and then also show them what each option will cost. Again, setting clear and defined expectations.

Losing momentum is the kiss of death. Defined expectations around deadlines and feedback helps avoid bottlenecks.

These are hard conversations for young professionals, but don't worry, you'll get it. With time comes experience and the confidence to have these tough conversations and keep everything on schedule. Time is money.

(Photo: A proper weld VS a duct taped repair.)

04/22/2025

Why Line Cards Still Matter

Print isn’t dead. If you work in the industrial space, then you know line cards are still a sales essential.

Just because something is old-school though, doesn’t mean it should look outdated.

I recently talked with a client who needed a fresh take on their line cards. They needed something that would actually HELP sales reps tell a story instead of just listing specs.

Because specs tell but stories sell!

The challenge?

• The old line cards were cluttered and hard to navigate.
• They didn’t reflect the company’s modern brand identity.
• Sales teams weren’t using them because they weren’t helpful. (What a waste of time and resources!)

The solution?

• A clean, easy-to-read layout that highlights key products first. (Remember: columns are your friend.)
• A modular design so updates don’t require a total overhaul.
• A digital version for quick-sharing + a polished print version for in-person meetings and shows.

If you’re still using sales materials that were designed in a year that started with 19, it might be time to consider an update.

04/21/2025

A few days after completing my Design in 7 speech, what happened pre, post and during the event is still sinking in.

Every single gig I've ever landed (except of course my first corporate jobs which I applied to) has happened because I knew someone. This speaking gig was no different.

My husband’s cousin worked at the College of Design and casually asked if I’d be willing to speak. “Sure,” I said—thinking it’d be an intimate afternoon class of 20 or so people.

What I missed—or forgot to ask about—was that this was one of their largest events of the year. For both design students and seasoned pros. Like . . . 300 people. 😳

Uh-oh! What could I possibly say to this group of world travelers, patent holders, and wildly talented creatives? I turned 40 this year and keep waiting for the self-doubt to dry up. (Does it ever?)

So I try to do one thing a year that makes me a little sick to my stomach:

First year: Speak at a Chamber luncheon. 30 people. Shaky knees.

Second year: Learn to wakeboard. (Nailed it . . . eventually.)

This year? This speech.

Cue the voice in my head: “Who do you think you are?” To tell your story and show your work as if people care, to put yourself out there, (especially as a creative where everything you make feels that much more personal) was nearly paralyzing.

This experience made me pause and consider: Was my career built on hard work? Persistence? Proving people wrong? Dumb luck? (Probably a little bit of all the above, to be honest.)

What helped a little? Practice. What's a type A without being overprepared? If you live along my dog walking route, your Ring camera probably caught me talking out loud and gesturing even louder. (I'm not crazy, I'm just expressive and creative!)

But I'm so glad I said yes.

Not just for the speaking opportunity but for the chance to feel that energy again. To walk a campus (to get lost on a campus, ha!), cross paths with others and feel like we were all cheering each other on. (Supporting my tribe!)

I only invited a couple of friends. No family. I figured—if I totally bombed, better to do it in front of strangers.

But now? I wish I had invited everyone I knew because the vibe was electric.
And the feedback I got?

“You're story is inspiring.”

Who? Me? Are you talking to Danielle? I'm stunned. Because I've never felt like my story was all that exciting or even particularly unique.
And maybe it doesn't have to be.

Maybe “purposeful” is exactly what people are craving.

If you needed a sign to say yes to something big—even if it makes you sweat a little—this is it.

Go for it!

04/11/2025

The phrase "Find your tribe" is said quite a bit in the marketing and content creation worlds, but does everyone know what that means?

For those that don't know or understand, I have an experience to share.

Every year in the city of Waconia where I live, they have an event on the opening day of deer hunting called "DEAR Day in Waconia".

How it works is that men go out to hunt while the women go out to shop.

When hunters go hunting, they're supposed to wear bright orange as part of their outfit, so I came up with the idea of getting people to wear orange foam antlers who aren't hunting. In fact, some businesses would give an extra discount if women wore blaze orange.

I ended up ordering 100 antlers and a biz owner told me that they didn't want any of them. So I handed them out at a fashion show that week and later, someone who was at that fashion show, hired me for a gig and paid me MORE than the cost of the antlers.

So my point from my story is this, your VIBE attracts your tribe. The other business owner who had declined my idea, that wasn't a problem, they just weren't a part of my tribe. I just had to find people that got my sense of humor, I'm not for everybody. It taught me to stop worrying about what other people think and and what they say.

If you have a hobby or an interest, if it's safe for work, share it online. You'll find your tribe and your tribe will find you.

04/08/2025

Not every brand gets the luxury of looking sleek and trendy—but that doesn’t mean they can’t stand out!

I started my career designing for industrial and technical brands, thinking it would be just a stepping stone.

But I quickly realized something:
• These brands are essential to how the world works and operates.
• They need clear, functional collateral that speaks to engineers and decision-makers.
• They deserve a professional, cohesive visual identity—even if their products aren’t ""sexy.""

Over the years, I’ve worked with manufacturers, distributors, and medtech companies to transform dense technical information into useful, strategic and bite sized visuals.

If you’ve ever struggled with making spec-heavy, data-driven marketing look engaging, I’d love to hear about it. What’s been your biggest challenge?

02/21/2025

In the business world, getting things done quicker and at a lower cost is what most businesses aim to do.

It makes sense because the less they have to spend the more they can potentially add to their bottom line. They streamline to become become more efficient but at what REAL cost? Should customer service be lessened to save money?

I think the saying goes, "you gather more bees with honey" would apply here.

Let me give you an example of what I'm talking about.

Kevin is someone I met through networking and it turns out that while both of us work in marketing we work on different aspects of it.

After we connected I got my branded stationary out and sent him a physical note in the mail. Kevin then took a picture of my 'Thank You' note and tagged me on LinkedIn to share with his 5,400 followers and then took another step, he shared it on his newsletter.

What does that all mean? I believe there's POWER in using Direct Mail. I think it should be given more serious consideration as an option to connect with customers, either business or consumer.

True, it may be a bit more expensive, require more manpower to get out the door but it's more IMPACTFUL.

USPS will in fact allow you to ship things without an outer packaging like a flip-flop or pop bottle. I once sent a ball to a client and there was a measurable uptick in my web-traffic based on that delivery.

So the bottom line is this, don't think just about the cost of doing business, think of the cost of connecting with customers and growing your business from those costs. It should be a part of your company's growth strategy if it isn't already.

02/19/2025

As they always say in the manufacturing business, "Safety First"!

Yesterday, I was part of a photo-shoot and want to share with you a look behind-the-scenes as to what happened but before it started I had get myself protected to be safe.

So, Lynn Laumann Photography and I both suited up — safety goggles, steel-toed boots, and all for an incredible day of art directing a photo-shoot at Tolomatic, Inc. in Hamel, MN.

We weren’t just there to snap some pretty pictures. The goal? To capture the story behind the brand . . . the people, the technology, and the culture that make Tolomatic an industry leader. And let me tell you, getting to visit different areas of the assembly floor and hear operators talk about their work . . . that was the best part!

There’s something contagious about watching someone light up as they explain the precise mechanics of their job. Whether it was an engineer fine-tuning a machine or an operator walking us through a complex assembly, their enthusiasm was NEXT-LEVEL.

A photo-shoot in an active manufacturing environment means working around moving parts — literally. We were hyper-aware of proprietary technology, ensuring we captured what was meant to be seen while respecting what wasn’t. Plus, we had to be strategic about angles, lighting, and timing to highlight the right details without disrupting workflow (or becoming hazards ourselves).

What really stood out? The people. Every single person we encountered was accommodating, friendly, and gracious enough to let us step into their workspace, temporarily mess with their productivity, and document what they do best. The “hellos", the smiles, and the overall positive energy made it clear that this is a company that values its people as much as its products.

By the end of the day, we had a gallery of images that do more than just showcase equipment. They tell a story of innovation, precision, and the people behind the products.

Marketing friends, if your brand’s visuals don’t reflect the culture, the expertise, and the passion behind the company and its products, let’s talk. A great image does more than fill a brochure — it connects, it engages, and it sells.

Thanks to Tolomatic, Inc.'s Tom Moline for these behind the scenes photos!