How To Succeed In The Graphics Business Without Really Trying
How can you succeed n the graphics business? Have you wondered this before? Then wonder no longer! Here's the article you've been waiting for!
Before you ask though, yes, this article is a pun on "How To Succeed In The Spy Business Without Really Trying Really Trying." (which is also a parody of something else already) XD So anyways... prepare to succeed! No one has accused me of being an expert but I like to help out when I can. :)
Before you ask though, yes, this article is a pun on "How To Succeed In The Spy Business Without Really Trying Really Trying." (which is also a parody of something else already) XD So anyways... prepare to succeed! No one has accused me of being an expert but I like to help out when I can. :)
Okay, there's a set of Ten Commandments that you need to remember in the graphics business (Yes, I made this up so don't steal it)
Those are Ten things to remember. Let's break them down...
- Quality
- Quantity
- Originality
- Innovativeness
- Speed
- Variety
- Versatility
- Common Interest
- Credibility
- Professionalism
Those are Ten things to remember. Let's break them down...
Quality
Your graphics need to be quality. Generated graphics, like HowrseInfo's or MyBannerMaker's or Pizap's are just not quality. If your graphics look like you-get-what-you-pay-for freebies, nobody will use them, and the point of adding graphics to your Howrse help site is to attract more visitors. Likewise, know that when people use your layouts, if the codes don't work right, it doesn't matter how cool looking the actual graphic is. A '69 Chevelle looks great, but if the engine doesn't run like a dream, it's not quality. Also, if people use your quality graphics, and you have your site address on them, then people see it on Howrse and think "Wow, that artist did a good job, I think I'll go there." High five, that's what we want after all!
Quantity
If given a choice, you should choose quality over quantity every time .But if at all possible, quantity and quality together are a wonderful combination. The more free use graphics you offer (no need to order) the more likely people are to find one that suits them and use it. If you make sure to add your site's address to the layout (I always say "get yours at thebookofhowrse.weebly.com" after the other credits) then people help to advertise you site for you. Quantity also makes your visitors feel that you're not stingy or lazy- you give away free graphics, and lots of them, of a good quality. That gives your visitors a pretty good opinion of you.
Originality
Originality is very important. I once saw someone with a layouts section called "Cbear style layouts". Cbear is an extremely accomplished graphics artist of the international server, and I think it's safe to venture most graphics people know about their work. Cbear has a distinct style of these layouts with manips all over the place, popping out from behind text boxes and around text, and it's very recognizable. It didn't seem right to have someone else trying to do the same thing. Naming after the person they were coping only made it worse. Note that there's a fine line between being inspired by work and just copying the style of the work, and it's a good idea to try and stay on the south side of it. Then there's the other way to have a lack of originality: Copying the entire thing. Going on someone else's graphics site, copying over the images and codes, and tweaking the credits so they're "yours". That is punishable by law, it's called stealing, and you don't have to go very far down that road to find a tombstone marking your graphics business.
Innovativness
Do something different. Do something no one else has thought of. Have you ever seen a layout focused on foxes? Think somebody'd like it? Good. Do it. Ever see a banner for that one quote? No? Then get started. People flock to the newest novelty. When what you do is old hat, they will go where the surprises are. Keep the surprises on your side.
Speed
Don't have the waiting time for your custom graphics so long that people forget they ordered it and are surprised by its arrival. 2-3 weeks for a custom avatar is pretty silly, considering that most people can do an avi in less than a half hour. I've never spent more than 40 minutes on a 200 x 200 box of pixels. As soon as a graphic is done, deliver it. Don't put it in some queue for later. Deliver it the instant it's possible, the faster you work, the more your customers will think you actually care that you get what you want on time, and the less they think that you look at them as another email address on an order form. If the latter is how you view your customers, it's time to reinvent your thinking. A week for layouts, four to five days for banners, 1 or 2 days for avatars, is acceptable.
Variety
Variety is important. If you only offer avatars or only offer banners or only offer layouts you're losing a big market for the things you don't offer. Variety is very important if you want to drive traffic and drive business at the same time.
Versatility
If all your layouts have three text boxes in a straight row across the picture, nobody will care about your quality, quantity, originality, innovativeness, speed, or variety, because if they want five text boxes, by George they'll go someplace where they can get five text boxes, and you're not the lucky duck they pick, well, it's your loss. Different people have different needs. Never over or under crowd a layout just to achieve versatility- the picture will tell you what it wants. Listen to it. If several pictures call for three, well, give them three, and then go find some that'll take five or six or four or more. This goes back to quantity and quality- you need versatility, but you also need quality, and to have both you'll need quantity.
Common Interest
If you're a fan of the band Yes, and you want to make a lot of Yes graphics, that's fine and dandy, but chances are that the majority of the people who come to your site are looking for horse graphics, not Yes graphics. So have a selection of both. You don't need to take this to an extreme, but you should try to make common interest points for your graphics. Horses, wolves, and music (in general, not per band/artist) are just a few common interest subjects.
While things like One Direction, Taylor Swift, the Hunger Games, and other things like that are common, I wouldn't be as concerned because just like movies such as Back To The Future or shows like The Mod Squad were all the rage in merchandising in the 80's and 70's, respectively, these things will go out of style, and no one will be using their graphics anymore.
While things like One Direction, Taylor Swift, the Hunger Games, and other things like that are common, I wouldn't be as concerned because just like movies such as Back To The Future or shows like The Mod Squad were all the rage in merchandising in the 80's and 70's, respectively, these things will go out of style, and no one will be using their graphics anymore.
Credibility
If you don't credit your work you lose credibility. If you rip people off you lose credibility. If you fail on any of the subjects above, you lose credibility. You can't afford to lose credibility.
Credibility is when people tell other people to come by your site, it's when they want to order from you for the first time, it's when they want to work with you (though you don't have to accept), it's when they keep coming back because they like what you've got going on. Lose it even once, and it'll be hard to convince people that you should get it back.
Credibility is when people tell other people to come by your site, it's when they want to order from you for the first time, it's when they want to work with you (though you don't have to accept), it's when they keep coming back because they like what you've got going on. Lose it even once, and it'll be hard to convince people that you should get it back.
Professionalism
Seem friendly and professional at the the same time. Let people know that you know what you're doing and you're not goofing off. Also let people know that you're not a robot and you care about them and their satisfaction and their support, and the like.
Professionalism is also getting your graphics to them on time, following all of the above whenever possible, never going off on somebody who annoys you, never stealing work- just... be a a professional. It isn't that hard, and it earns you a heck of a lot of credibility along the way.
Professionalism is also getting your graphics to them on time, following all of the above whenever possible, never going off on somebody who annoys you, never stealing work- just... be a a professional. It isn't that hard, and it earns you a heck of a lot of credibility along the way.
There, I hope that helps you out a little bit! I'm not an expert but I just thought that might be of some assistance. If you have any more commandments to add, feel free to comment with them, and also, if you disagree, don't be afraid to say why! I won't bite you. :)
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