These 8 Design Lessons Can Transform Your Brand + Your Inbound Marketing Strategy

I never expected to end up where I am today—a HubSpot agency owner, helping other incredible humans write their own success stories with HubSpot, inbound, and The Superhuman Framework. I thank God every day for these incredible opportunities—yes, so much lays ahead in terms of what we're building, but it's been a wild, blessed ride so far. 

Of course, I didn't walk this journey alone. I didn't wake up one day with the goal of giving others a "hand up, not a hand out," without first having experienced others doing the same for me. And today, I want to recognize one of those incredible humans whose impact on me was nothing short of life-changing—Eric Jacobs.

Eric and me, 2015 (Fairlawn, Ohio)

Eric wasn’t just a boss or a coworker; he was the mentor who gave me the shot that changed everything.

When I first walked into his office in Akron, Ohio, years ago, I was a self-taught designer with more ambition than experience. I didn’t know how to use half the software they asked about. I’ll never forget when they asked if I knew how to use InDesign. My honest answer: “No, but I can learn it.”

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That could’ve been the end of the interview, but Eric saw something in me—something worth investing in. He didn’t just teach me how to design; he taught me how to think about design. That mentorship shaped my entire career, and the lessons he imparted weren’t just about making things look good. They were about creating things with purpose, simplicity, and intention.

And These Are Lessons I Now Pass Onto You

They’re just as relevant to anyone looking to grow their business, drive leads, and create meaningful connections with their audience today as they were for me in the early days of my career. Whether you’re a business leader, marketer, or creative professional, the same principles that guide great design can guide successful marketing strategies and business growth.

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So, what did I learn from Eric?

• Concept is king. Whether you’re designing a website, crafting a marketing campaign, or building a brand, the foundation always starts with a clear concept. If you don’t have a strong “why” behind what you’re doing, everything else will fall flat.

• Get inspiration, but be original. In a world full of trends, it’s easy to follow what everyone else is doing. But success comes from standing out, not blending in. I’ll share how to take inspiration from others while still putting your own unique stamp on your work.

• Keep it simple. Simplicity isn’t just a design principle—it’s a key to clarity in your messaging and marketing. I’ll explain how cutting out the noise can help you connect with your audience on a deeper level.

• Balance and negative space. Whether we’re talking about design or business, sometimes it’s about what you don’t do. I’ll show you how giving your ideas space to breathe can make them more powerful.

• Consistency in typography and color. Consistency builds trust. I’ll explain how maintaining consistency in design—whether it’s typography, color, or branding elements—can create a sense of familiarity that strengthens your audience’s connection to your brand.

• Know your audience. Understanding who you’re speaking to changes everything. I’ll show you how knowing your audience can help you craft designs and messages that resonate on a deeper level and drive action.

• The rule of three. There’s power in simplicity, and the Rule of Three helps to keep things focused and digestible. I’ll share how you can use this principle to clarify your messaging and avoid overwhelming your audience.

• Go beyond. Never settle for “good enough.” I’ll show you how pushing past your first idea and going the extra mile can lead to truly breakthrough moments in your design and marketing efforts.

These aren’t just design principles—they’re strategies for thinking differently about how you approach your business and your marketing. Eric’s lessons shaped my path, and now I’m excited to share them with you so you can apply them to your own work and, hopefully, see the same kind of growth and success.

Concept Is King

One of the first things Eric hammered into my head was that "Concept is king." It’s the foundation of everything else. I remember him emphasizing that a great concept drives purpose, direction, and meaning. The design—the details—comes after that core idea is firmly in place. This became one of the biggest lessons I carried forward. Early in my career, it was easy to get caught up in making things look “cool,” but Eric’s words reminded me to step back and ask: What’s the point? What's the underlying idea driving the design?

If I don’t have a clear answer to that question, I’m just decorating, not designing.

And the same is true for your marketing or business strategy. If there’s no clear, driving purpose behind your work, you’re just filling space—creating noise instead of clarity. Whether you’re developing a HubSpot campaign, building a website, or launching a new product, the concept needs to be at the core of everything. Without it, the rest is just decoration. 

How to Put Concept Is King Into Practice

• Start with “Why”: Before diving into any project, ask yourself (and your team), What is the main goal we’re trying to achieve? Are you driving awareness, generating leads, or trying to solve a specific problem for your audience? This foundational question ensures that every design, campaign, or initiative is aligned with a clear purpose.

• Simplify Your Messaging: Once you’ve nailed down your core concept, distill it into a simple, digestible message. What is the one thing you want your audience to remember? If your message is too complex or cluttered, it’s easy for it to get lost. Your concept should be clear, focused, and easily understood.

• Align Every Element to the Concept: Whether it’s the colors you use, the tone of your copy, or the imagery in your marketing materials, everything should reflect your core concept. Ask yourself, Does this element support the main idea, or is it just there because it looks nice? If it’s the latter, cut it.

• Consistency Across Channels: Your concept should be the backbone of every touchpoint. Make sure it translates consistently across all platforms—whether it’s your website, social media, email campaigns, or physical materials. A consistent concept builds a cohesive experience for your audience.

• Gut Check for Every Decision: Throughout the project, keep coming back to your concept. For every decision, ask: Does this help reinforce the main idea or distract from it? Staying focused will help you avoid unnecessary distractions and keep the project aligned with your goals.

Get Inspiration, But Be Original

Eric also introduced me to the world of design platforms like Behance and Dribbble, but he did so with a word of caution: inspiration, not imitation. We live in a world where the exchange of ideas is constant, and it’s easy to get caught up in recreating what’s trending. But Eric’s advice was to put my own spin on everything I did. No matter how tempting it was to follow in the footsteps of others, originality had to shine through.

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This lesson wasn’t just about integrity as a designer—it was about confidence. It was about trusting my own voice in a crowded world of creativity. And that’s something I have carried with me, even when self-doubt tried to creep in. The more I leaned into my perspective, the more I realized that originality is what connects deeply with people. It’s what resonates beyond trends, beyond fleeting moments of creativity. And it’s what will help your business, your brand, or your content truly stand out in a noisy world.

How to Put Get Inspiration, But Be Original Into Practice

• Dig Deeper into Your Brand’s Identity: Before you even begin looking outward for inspiration, turn inward. What makes your brand unique? What values, stories, or perspectives are inherent to your company or your personal journey? Reflecting on these aspects first allows you to root any creative inspiration in something that’s authentically yours, so your work stands apart, no matter how much external influence you draw upon.

• Adapt, Don’t Adopt: When you come across something that sparks your creativity, resist the urge to duplicate it. Instead, ask yourself: "How can I adapt this to suit my business’s specific context?" The goal is to transform the core idea so it aligns with your brand’s message, rather than adopting the style, tone, or strategy outright. This keeps your work fresh, relevant, and distinctly yours.

• Blend Multiple Sources: Instead of pulling inspiration from one source, try combining elements from various places—different industries, creative fields, or even unrelated subjects. By cross-pollinating ideas, you create something truly original. Ask yourself: "What would happen if I applied this design concept from fashion to a tech campaign?" or "What could I learn from how musicians engage their audiences and apply that to my marketing strategy?"

• Question the Status Quo: Whenever you feel compelled to follow a trend, pause and ask: Is this really the best way, or just the popular way? Sometimes originality comes from questioning what everyone else is doing and taking a different route. You want to experience and create a real breakthrough? Go against the grain; more of the same ain't gonna cut it. 😉

Keep It Simple

Another key lesson: simplicity. When you’re starting out, there’s a temptation to add more—more colors, more elements, more everything. But Eric stressed the power of simplicity. A clean, minimalist design often speaks louder and is more impactful than one that's overburdened with details. He taught me the value of white space—giving elements room to breathe—and how less is often more in creating an emotional connection with the audience.

“Sure, George, this makes sense for design, but how does it apply to my business?”

Well, here’s the fun part: keeping things simple is just as relevant for your marketing, messaging, and strategy. Complexity can drown out clarity, while simplicity gives your audience the space they need to connect with your core message.

How to Put Keep It Simple Into Practice

Let’s keep this advice as straightforward as possible, just like Eric taught me:

• Cut the Clutter: Whether it’s in a campaign, a landing page, or even your business processes, ask yourself: Is this element necessary? If it doesn’t add to the clarity of your message or make the customer journey easier, get rid of it. Every piece should serve a purpose. If it doesn’t, it’s just noise.

• Focus on One Message: Instead of trying to communicate three or four ideas at once, zero in on the most important one. What’s the one thing you want your audience to remember? The simpler your message, the more likely it is to stick. Everything else is a distraction.

• Leverage White Space (Literally and Figuratively): In design, white space gives your elements room to breathe, but in business, it’s about giving your customers the mental space to absorb what you’re saying. Overloading them with too much information or too many offers at once? Not a good look. Let your core message shine by removing the extras.

• Make Simplicity Part of Your Process: Whether you’re designing a new ad campaign or rethinking a product offering, make simplicity your guiding principle. Ask: What can I remove to make this clearer, easier to understand, or more effective? The answer is usually more than you think.

Balance + Negative Space

Speaking of white space, the balance in design was another of Eric’s go-to lessons. I remember a specific project where I was struggling to make the composition "pop." Eric came over, looked at my screen, and said something like, “Try adding more negative space.”

It was one of those lightbulb moments. Negative space, as he put it, was just as important as the elements I was adding. The space around the design elements gave it breathing room, focus, and elegance. It was this revelation that turned my approach on its head—I began to see how removing things could sometimes have a bigger impact than adding them.

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This idea of balance extended to everything: balancing large elements with smaller details, balancing colors, and even balancing the complexity of an idea with the simplicity of its presentation. It wasn’t just about the visual design—it was about creating harmony and allowing the most important elements to take center stage without overwhelming the audience.

Of course, your application of this advice can be literal—you can't attract, engage, or delight any of your customers without thoughtfully developed visual designs. However, this concept of balance applies just as much as to your marketing, sales, and business operations as it does to design. 

How to Put Balance + Negative Space Into Practice

• Less is Often More: Just like in design, sometimes the best way to create impact in your messaging or strategy is to take something away. When was the last time you reviewed your marketing campaigns, content, or product offerings to see what could be simplified or removed? Ask yourself, Is this really necessary, or is it just cluttering up the experience?

• Prioritize the Important Elements: In design, negative space gives the key elements room to shine. In business, the same rule applies. Focus on the few things that really matter—whether it’s your main product offering, a core value proposition, or a single campaign message. When you give too many elements equal weight, the result can be overwhelming for your audience.

• Balance Complexity with Simplicity: Whether you’re launching a new product or designing a marketing campaign, balance is key. Too much complexity can confuse, while too much simplicity can leave your audience wanting more. Find the sweet spot by asking, How can I present this idea clearly without oversimplifying it?

• Allocate Resources Strategically: Just like balancing design elements, business requires balancing resources. Are you spreading your team too thin across too many initiatives? Are you focusing too heavily on one channel and neglecting others? Create balance by allocating your resources where they’ll make the most impact.

Consistency in Typography + Color

When it came to typography, Eric had a rule: two or three fonts max. Why? Because consistency breeds familiarity, and familiarity builds trust. The same went for color palettes. I distinctly remember him advising me to keep my color choices simple, especially when working on branding. A primary palette of 2-3 colors was more than enough, and a secondary palette should complement it. And don't forget the grayscale tones, he would say—they ground your design and give it a timeless quality.

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I’d often find myself struggling between what was trendy and what was timeless, but his advice about limited fonts and colors reminded me that design isn’t just about creating something that looks good today, it’s about creating something that will still look good tomorrow.

This principle of consistency doesn’t just apply to design—it applies to your entire brand experience. Whether it’s your visual identity, messaging, or customer experience, consistency creates trust and recognition over time.

How to Put Consistency Into Practice

• Consistency in Voice and Tone: Just like typography, the way you communicate—your brand voice and tone—should be consistent across all channels. Whether it’s social media, email, or customer support, your brand’s voice should feel familiar to your audience, helping to build trust and recognition.

• Visual Consistency Across Platforms: Use the same fonts, colors, and design elements consistently across all assets—whether it’s your website, marketing materials, or social posts. This visual consistency not only reinforces your brand identity but also creates a cohesive experience for your audience.

• Consistency in Messaging: Just as consistent design elements build trust, so does consistent brand messaging. Make sure your core message—the value you provide, your brand’s mission—remains the same across all channels and campaigns. Don’t confuse people with conflicting messages or shifting priorities.

Know Your Audience

This was huge. Eric would always remind me to know my audience. It’s one thing to create a beautiful design, but if it doesn’t resonate with the people it's meant to reach, it’s not doing its job. His words encouraged me to think deeper—not just about what I liked as a designer, but about what would speak to the viewer, the user, the client. This user-centered approach helped me make decisions that were not only visually appealing but also purposeful and functional.

Knowing your audience is essential in any business. It doesn’t matter how polished your product or campaign is—if it doesn’t connect with your target audience, it won’t deliver results. Whether you’re designing a website, launching a new product, or creating a marketing campaign, the focus should always be on who you’re trying to reach.

How to Put Know Your Audience Into Practice

• Audience Research: Who are your buyer personas, folks? This is inbound marketing 101, but it matters. Before launching anything, dive deep into understanding your audience. What are their needs, pain points, and desires? The more you know about them, the more tailored—and effective—your solutions will be.

• Know Who Your Audience Isn't: One of my favorite exercises to do with clients to uncover their negative buyer personas, because it's just as important to define who you aren't for. Understanding who you aren't for makes it way easier for you to focus your resources and attention on the segments most likely to engage with your brand—instead of wasting time, money, and human attention on folks who aren't right for you.

• Personalized Marketing: Personalization freakin' rules when you're using HubSpot. Customize your marketing to speak directly to different segments of your audience. The more relevant your message feels to them, the more likely they are to engage.

• Test and Adjust: Your audience may change over time, or their needs may evolve. Continuously gather feedback, analyze the results of your campaigns, and adjust your approach to stay aligned with what matters most to them.

The Rule of 3

Another nugget of wisdom that stuck with me was Eric’s “Rule of Three.” Whenever I was working on an ad, landing page, or a similar project, he encouraged me to simplify the design by focusing on just three key elements. It helped create a clean, focused visual path for the viewer, making the message easier to digest. It's easy to lose sight of simplicity, when you're in the weeds of your work; but the Rule of Three has been my go-to when I’m stuck in a sea of complexity.  

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The Rule of Three applies far beyond design. When you’re communicating a message, crafting a product offering, or organizing a strategy, simplicity and focus are crucial. Providing too much information can overwhelm your audience, but by narrowing your focus to three key points, you ensure that your message stays clear and memorable.

How to Put The Rule of 3 Into Practice

• Limit the Focus: In your marketing campaigns, landing pages, or sales pitches, narrow the focus to three main points. Any more than that and you risk diluting the message. What are the top three things your audience needs to know? Make those the focus.

• Organize Around Threes: In presentations, product descriptions, or even website content, group your information into threes. It helps with both retention and engagement. People are more likely to remember and act on clear, concise information that’s organized in manageable chunks.

• Prioritize: Use the Rule of Three to prioritize the most important aspects of your strategy. What are the three most crucial things to achieve in this project, campaign, or initiative? Focusing on these helps prevent overcomplication and keeps you aligned with your goals.

Going Beyond

Finally, the lesson that continues to fuel me even today: go beyond. Pushing past what’s comfortable, reaching for the breakthrough, and not settling for the first good idea—Eric planted this seed early on. In design, as in life, there’s always a temptation to settle for “good enough,” especially when time or resources are limited. But Eric’s philosophy of going the extra mile taught me that it’s often in those final moments of frustration and exhaustion that the most innovative ideas are born.

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This idea of going beyond applies to every aspect of your business—whether you’re building a brand, developing a product, or crafting a marketing strategy. The most impactful outcomes often come from going the extra mile, pushing through the discomfort, and refusing to settle for “good enough.”

Going beyond isn’t limited to just one part of your business—it touches everything from brand building to product development to marketing strategy. The biggest breakthroughs happen when you push past what’s comfortable, dig deeper, and refuse to settle for “good enough.” The extra effort is what separates the ordinary from the exceptional, leading to truly impactful results.

How to Put Going Beyond Into Practice

• Challenge the First Idea: When you come up with a new idea, don’t stop there. Push it further. Ask yourself, How can I make this even better? Often, the first idea is just the starting point, not the final solution.

• Test and Refine: Don’t settle for a good result when a great one is possible. Continuously test, gather feedback, and refine your approach. Whether it’s a product or a campaign, there’s always room to improve.

• Invest in Innovation: Sometimes going beyond means dedicating extra time, resources, or creative energy to find the breakthrough. If you’re looking for game-changing results, be prepared to invest in thinking differently, trying new approaches, and taking risks.

• Embrace Discomfort: Pushing beyond “good enough” often means stepping outside your comfort zone. The best ideas usually come from embracing that discomfort, whether it’s through taking on new challenges or venturing into uncharted territory. Growth happens at the edge of your comfort zone—lean into it.

From Lessons to Results—Make Your Next Move

These lessons from Eric Jacobs are more than just advice—they’re the foundation I lean on for every project. From designing websites to building brand identities to creating content for my own personal growth, Eric’s principles have proven to be timeless. They’ve been my guide during moments of creative block, pushing me to think beyond the obvious and find solutions I might not have seen otherwise.

I often think back to those early days at Mindgrab Media, and I’m grateful for the wisdom Eric shared with me. His mentorship wasn’t just about shaping me into a better designer; it was about shaping me into a better thinker, a better problem solver, and a better human.

But now it’s your turn.

Take a moment to reflect on your own work. Are you leading with a clear concept? Are you staying true to your voice while resisting the temptation to simply follow trends? Are you keeping things simple, giving your ideas the space to breathe and your audience the clarity they need? Most importantly, are you pushing yourself to go beyond “good enough”—to that place where real innovation happens?

These aren’t just design principles—they’re mindsets that can transform the way you approach your business and your life. Start by applying just one of these lessons to your next project and see how it shifts your perspective. You might be surprised at the results.