Cardinal Creative Strategies, New Bedford, MA (2026)

Ashley Payne is a marketing coach with a decade of experience working with businesses, non-profits, and artists in the Greater New Bedford region of Massachusetts. Her services include individual coaching, small group coaching, and group workshops designed to help clients develop effective marketing strategies that work for their business or organization. Sign up for the Cardinal Creative Strategi

es email list today to receive free marketing tips and early access to coaching and workshop registrations.

11/04/2025

I’ve been taking a little pause from growing my biz because I’ve been growing a little human.

Riley and I are expecting baby #3 in April! It’s been tough to put Cardinal Creative Strategies on pause for a bit while I survived the first trimester 😮‍💨 but I’ve been taking the time to listen to my body and take things slow, soaking up the last couple of months of summer in New England with my family, and planning out as best I can what the future looks like.

I had such a great time leading a marketing workshop for a group of artists and creative entrepreneurs this afternoon and it was just what I needed to remind me why I started building Cardinal Creative Strategies earlier this year. Helping others with their marketing and teaching others brand principles I spent years trying to figure out is exactly why I started CCS.

So if you’ve been wondering why it’s been quiet over here, just know that I haven’t given up on creating accessible resources for entrepreneurs to solidify marketing strategies, I’m just moving a little slower through the process while I build a human too 😅

If you’re interested in what we talked about in today’s session, sign up for my email list and I’ll send you a link to the recording when it gets posted.

11/03/2025

Want to level up your creative marketing game?

Join Ashley Payne, founder of Cardinal Creative Strategies, for an engaging Peer-to-Peer Session designed to help artists, entrepreneurs, and makers refine their messaging, grow their audience, and share their work with confidence.

Bring something to take notes on — this one’s packed with insights you can apply right away!

Session goes live tomorrow Tuesday, November 4, 2025 at 12:30 PM. Via Zoom and in person at 1213 Purchase St, 2nd floor conference room, New Bedford, MA 02740.

Register now. (Link in the comments)

08/27/2025

Back in 2016, I was running my first business, French BrewDog Bakery. We sold handmade dog treats, but here’s the truth: people weren’t just buying treats. They were buying our story.

We shared how we started the business to save up for rescuing a retired racing greyhound from Florida. We talked about why we used real ingredients we felt good about feeding our future pup, instead of the chemical-filled options with ingredient lists we couldn’t pronounce.

That story connected. It turned browsers into customers and customers into loyal fans.

Today, I still apply those storytelling principles to my brand and marketing strategies. And, although life looks a lot different than it did when we adopted our greyhound in 2017, Miller is still living a happy, lazy life curled up on whatever soft surface he can find.

✨ The lesson: Storytelling isn’t fluff. It’s what makes people care about your brand, remember you, and ultimately buy from you.

08/25/2025

A lot of followers does not equal a lot of sales.
Numbers can feel exciting, but they don’t always reflect what matters most: revenue, relationships, and real results.

When you know your audience, create valuable content, and have a clear sales strategy, even a small following can fuel a profitable business.

✨ Pro tip: If you want to turn followers into customers, make it easy for them to buy from you. Give clear calls-to-action, share your offers regularly (without being too salesy), and don’t make people dig through links to figure out how to work with you.

Forget vanity metrics. Focus on what actually grows your business.

08/19/2025

When the world tries to push you to the corner or quiet your message, stand out and be unapologetically you.

You are uniquely you. Don’t let anyone try to convince you to be anything other than who you were meant to be. Stand out. Shine. Shout out your message to the world.

I’m right here in your corner cheering you on along the way.

07/24/2025

If your content isn't bringing customers, it isn't the algorithm; it's the message.

So many creative entrepreneurs are so close to their business that they struggle to explain what they do in a way that actually clicks with their audience. Confused customers don't buy and if your content sounds overly polished, generic, or like it was written by ai, it's no wonder it's falling flat.

This post breaks down 3 common messaging mistakes that I see creative entrepreneurs make, especially when they're overwhelmed, multitasking, and trying to manage their own marketing while running the rest of their business.

If you're an entrepreneur trying to build something that actually supports your life, not drains it, this is your sign to stop blending in and start sounding like you.

Swipe through the images and then follow the link below to download my guide with tips on how to show up with clarity and confidence.
https://creativestrategycoach.kit.com/instagram-audit

Address

New Bedford, MA
02747

Website

https://creativestrategycoach.kit.com/f661574f68

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