By: AnnaGrace Brackin, Digital Content Associate
What My Sketchbook Taught Me About Solving Client Challenges
Some of my most valuable marketing lessons haven’t come from textbooks, webinars, or campaign recaps. They’ve come from my sketchbook.
As an artist outside of work—I paint, draw, and crochet regularly—I’ve noticed how much my creative habits shape the way I approach client work. There’s something powerful about the quiet, focused energy of sketching that teaches you to look closer, work with intention, and stay open to new ideas. The same goes for painting or crocheting: it’s less about perfection, more about process. And that’s a mindset I bring into every brainstorm, strategy session, and creative pitch at RBOA.
Here are just a few things my sketchbook (and art practice) has taught me about solving marketing challenges:
1. Patience Creates Better Outcomes
Whether it’s building out a multi-phase campaign or sketching a portrait, there’s no fast-forward button. I’ve learned that
rushing leads to missteps—both on the page and in the work. Taking time to step back, observe, and refine the details leads to stronger results for our clients. It also helps maintain high quality, especially when we’re juggling multiple deadlines.
2. Mistakes Aren’t Failures—They’re Pivot Points
In art, a slip of the pen or a misplaced brushstroke doesn’t have to ruin the work. It can become part of the final piece. In client work, it’s the same: sometimes the strategy shifts, or the audience responds in an unexpected way. Instead of scrapping everything, we pivot. We adapt. We build smarter. That flexibility is what allows us to create marketing that lasts.
3. Creative Flow Unlocks New Ideas
Crocheting and sketching let my mind wander, which often leads to surprising creative
breakthroughs. I’ve come up with some of my best content ideas or social captions when my hands were busy and my brain was off the clock. That connection between rest and ideation is real, and it’s a big part of how I stay inspired in agency life.
4. Seeing from New Angles Matters
When I’m drawing something, I sometimes flip it upside down or view it in a mirror to catch what’s off. It’s a simple trick that forces me to see the piece differently. I apply this same tactic in marketing: when a campaign isn’t hitting, I try to look at it from the audience’s view, or reframe the message visually. A fresh angle often reveals the missing piece.
At RBOA, our team is built on this blend of creativity and strategy. We don’t believe in one-size-fits-all solutions; we believe in custom work shaped by deep thinking, big imagination, and careful execution. The same values I hold when creating art are reflected in how I solve client challenges: with patience, adaptability, and a clear creative vision.
RBOA is a digital marketing agency with a 40-year legacy of creativity, innovative strategy, and fresh thinking that delivers award-winning communications and successful results. We provide clients with a unique, omnichannel blend of advertising, social media, digital marketing, and web design services.
Want to work with a team that brings both left-brain strategy and right-brain creativity to the table? Schedule a free exploratory call to learn how we can help your brand grow.