Branding, marketing, and user-friendly websites are essential for businesses of all sizes to thrive. Creative services agencies that specialize in creating marketing collateral, modern website designs and fresh social media content, are crucial for businesses to stay competitive in today’s market and a wise investment for business owners. Lindsey Baumsteiger, owner and operator of Cascade Creative Agency, talked to Bend Lifestyle magazine about the specific strategies for successful business marketing.
How did Bend become your home?
My first visit to Bend was in 2017 when I came to work with a fellow photographer who was teaching me a unique darkroom printing process. I fell in love with the process, became great friends with my mentor, and moved to Bend a year later to continue working in the darkroom and pursue my art. I’ve been here ever since.
What is your creative background?
I earned my degree in photography from the Brooks Institute of Photography in Santa Barbara, California. Photography was my first love. After school, I began teaching workshops for a studio in Santa Monica and quickly fell in love with the relationships I was able to build through the platform of education. Soon after, I launched my own business in Santa Barbara, offering beginner to intermediate photography workshops and private lessons. During that time, I also focused on portraiture and collaborated with local startups to create visual content for their business launches.
Throughout the pandemic, I began seeking more remote work and started studying and practicing marketing, branding, website, and graphic design. With a natural affinity for organization, writing, and design, the transition felt seamless. It also provided me the opportunity to work with people near and far, which I love. Expanding my creative skill set in this way helped shape my professional services and laid the foundation for Cascade Creative Agency.
What part of creative consulting work do you like the best?
I love collaborating with people to create the branding for their businesses and build a visual identity that speaks to the heart of their venture. Once the branding is set, everything else follows suit—the website, photography, newsletters, social media graphics, and more. It’s crucial that it’s done well; it’s a recipe for success. It’s incredibly rewarding to see all the pieces of the puzzle come together.
What is the best part about living and working in Central Oregon?
It’s the nature and the people for me. Anyone who chooses to live in a place like this, knowing they have access to beautiful nature and fun activities in every direction—that’s my kind of people. I love walking downtown and running into someone I know.
What do you want readers to know about you and your business?
I want businesses to start thinking of marketing with authenticity as the most important faculty they have within their power. With advertisements becoming such a systemic part of our lives through all the different forms of media we consume daily, it’s crucial that businesses hold on to their unique voice, solidify their mission statements, and let their core values guide the way.
Cascade Creative Agency’s Keys to Marketing Success:
- Marketing should go beyond social media: consider ways to incorporate community involvement like workshops or public events.
- Shift the focus from promotion to education: position your brand as a resource, as well as a vendor.
- Understand the power of strong brand identity: a cohesive, authentic visual presence should seamlessly translate across all marketing channels.
- Websites: up-to-date, easy to navigate and engaging - creating a seamless experience that reflects the brand and serves an audience effectively.
Cascade Creative Agency offers free introductory calls to discuss your business, explore services and discover the best ways to support your goals.
CascadeCreativeAgency.com