print business cards, turning out to be a good earner

[epantha]

Can u sell them multiple times?

Yes you can. The default setting sells the template as a "public image" but you can also choose "extended use" or "limited distribution".

I signed up last night and was contacted within an hour by the community developer. I sent him some personal information about my experience with print, links to my website and some of my stock work. He said he would work on a portfolio page for me over the weekend. In the meantime, I used existing artwork to produce 9 business card templates where I uploaded the little backgrounds (around 1.6 mb), chose the location of the text, picked an appropriate category (large list of choices) and added a short description. I liked the feature where you could add a link to the original photo on IS or other agency. Creates sort of a "mini gallery" of your stock photos and allows a new audience to become familiar with your work. Looks good so far and this type of work is right down my alley.

[Roadrunner]

epantha - I thought I had to be prepared to upload 25 templates?  Did they let you start out with 9?

I'm not quite sure I understand the mechanics of the site, but it seems that we can only upload one image at a time, and we have to do some work on it wt the site (on line).  Do you find uploading is very time consuming? 

It does seem interresting - a change from trying out a new MS site! 

Radrunner

[epantha]

I also thought I had to have 25 templates but maybe since I have experience designing business cards and worked at a printer, the guy thought it would be OK for me to get started. I should have 25 new templates for the site by the end of the weekend.

Very similar to uploading at IS where you click the button and browse to upload the file and then work with the description and type layout and then it goes into a queue for approval. Somewhat tedious process but the work needs to be done initially so you can get the card the way you want it and the description and category helps in specific searches.

Now I'm wondering if there are more Bus. Card sites like this, or is this one unique with the artists contributing artwork for the printer?

[TimMc]

Hello Folks,

My name is Tim and I'm the Community Development Manager at PrintBusinessCards.com.

I don't want to cause too much of a stir here in your thread litifeta, but I also thought it was prudent to mention a couple of important things. First of all, thank you for starting the thread and recommending our site. Several of you have registered with us and have started uploading some wonderful looking business card templates.

What I would like to do is simply clarify a few things so there isn't any confusion.

Here's how the beginning steps work:

1. Register on our site. Please use the link that litifeta supplied: http://www.printbusinesscards.com/Community.php?do=JoiningArtistsCommunity&src=litifeta. For some reason, the very first link that he posted takes you to the home page. So, please just use the link that is right here. The second link that litifeta supplied is okay too. A couple people signed up as users/customers and started uploading. This only puts those designs into that user's shopping cart...this won't work well for trying to sell cards to other customers. You need to register using litifeta's link, which takes you directly to the artist registration area.
2. Check out the design requirements for our templates and start uploading. The minimum is 25 templates, there is no maximum. You may upload all 25 in one hour, day, or take a week. However, your portfolio won't be published until there are 25 available.
3. You will receive an email from me requesting information about yourself, your photography, and links that you would like to include in your portfolio. It is essential to get this info. to me so that I can create your portfolio/landing page on our site. I will send the text back to you for your approval prior to publishing it. Once your page is written and approved by you and I have 25 templates available in your portfolio, I will then publish your work and page on our site.

There are more steps and features, but I don't need to explain all of them here. I can/will communicate them to you outside of this forum.

To answer another question I saw here: yes, you can sell the same card to multiple customers. It functions very much like a stock site, just that the product is a business card template and not simply an image.

For those of you who have signed up, again...thank you! I'm excited about seeing your work on our site. I'd like to encourage you to sign in and visit the artist forum area on our site as well. We have many excellent artists and lots of good information is there that should help and encourage you in this new venture with business cards.

Thanks again. I hope I didn't irritate anyone by posting here. Just thought it might be in the best interest of everyone.

Thanks litifeta and Denise...you're great!

[Kngkyle]

TimMc,

I uploaded 25 a day or two ago and they are all listed as "Needs Approval" on the manage templates page. Am I doing this right or?

[dbvisualarts]

your welcome tim,
  kngkyle,  they will tell you if there is a problem.  sometimes it takes a couple of days for the reviews to go through and especially if there are a group of new artist submitting.  if they aren't approved by monday, just contact them, it is probably a busy time.

[TimMc]

KngKyle,

Your templates look good. I haven't reviewed all of them just yet though. In the letter I sent to you, I asked if you would please send me information about you, your photography and artwork, links that you would like to list, etc. I need that information to create your portfolio/landing page for our site. After I have written your page, have it reviewed and approved by you, I will then go through and approve all of your templates and publish your page.

So, the only thing holding up the process is getting your information so I can write your page. If you can send it to me tonight or Sunday morning, I will work on it along with several of the other pages that I need to write Sunday evening.

I "try" not to work much on the weekends. However, most of the time, I fail miserably at it, haha.

Anyhow, I look forward to receiving your information.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend,

Tim ~~

[Dreamframer]

Where do I have to enter informations about my self, please?

[epantha]

Where do I have to enter informations about my self, please?

I replied to an email that was sent to me but there is also a place on the "My Account" page, fourth bullet down and it says:

"Work with us to develop the text for your main page by sending us information about you, your work, links to your website and other relevant information related to you which we will place in our Featured Artists Section."

The words "sending us" is a link to a form where you can enter your information.
 

[TimMc]

Please feel free to simply email your information directly back to me ([email protected]). I can then get to work creating your page on our site.

Thanks!

[Dreamframer]

Ok, thank you!
Tim, I sent you few sentences about my self and my photo. I also submitted 25 templates. I hope I will get in! Regards!

[graficallyminded]

I've been with them for a few months, I think I'm up to around 50 cards.  Not too many sales just yet, but I need to keep on making more.  With the text placement on the cards, I think there is a bit of a learning curve remembering how to navigate the text placement categories. You do catch on with practice.

[epantha]

I'm optimistic about the growth potential of this company. Very curious to see how things go in the next few years.

[peep]

What personal information do they require? I am not too happy about having to share any information about myself...

[Magnum]

What personal information do they require? I am not too happy about having to share any information about myself...

They already know everything about you. If you feel behind your left ear there�s a scar from when they put in the chip

If people here that I recognize from a while back is saying they are happy with it, Im feeling safe.   

[Dreamframer]

What personal information do they require? I am not too happy about having to share any information about myself...

Hmm... I am afraid that many people already know almost everything about you, so I don't understand why you are afraid to say  some ordinary things about your self. Few people more or less...what makes the difference? Unless you are from other planet and you are really afraid to share any information about your self

[oboy]

Signed up there over the weekend. Hope it will work out! Looks like fun to create the templates.

[oboy]

How long is the approval time for a template?

[Microbius]

Thanks again. I hope I didn't irritate anyone by posting here. Just thought it might be in the best interest of everyone.

Thanks litifeta and Denise...you're great!

Hi Tim,
Just to let you know, in case you were still wondering, that we get quite a lot of staff on the forums here (from the stock agencies etc.) and I think that no one minds as long as people are honest about who they are. I for one find it a very useful source of info. It's often easier to ask questions "on neutral ground" away from stock site forums.

[coolart]

How did you find out about this site? Have you heard of others or do you know where to look to find more. They sound interesting. I enjoy doing design as well, so this could be fun too.

[dbvisualarts]

it goes through the word of mouth channels.  a friend hears and wants to share with others and so on and so on.  i also do greeting cards on greetingcarduniverse. 

as for the approval time it varies but is usually only a couple of days.  it seems thanks to this post, they are swamped right now, in a good way.  so it may take a couple of extra days. 

[epantha]

i also do greeting cards on greetingcarduniverse.

I see that artists get .56� per download on this site. Do you get a lot of downloads each month?

[heyoka]

I actually learned about PrintBusinessCards in May 2007. It was hospitalera posting here in this very forum, and I signed in.
This is the old thread:

http://www.microstockgroup.com/index.php/topic,1795.0.html

(Don't know whether her referral link in that old posting is still working.)

[dbvisualarts]

i also do greeting cards on greetingcarduniverse.

I see that artists get .56� per download on this site. Do you get a lot of downloads each month?

actually they just changed the fees and such and we get from 21 cents to 56 cents depending on if we are part of a bulk sale or not.  sales vary and as the holiday's approach they will pick up.  also they are in a push to get more advertising.  they are a fairly new company but are powered by 7 of the reminder services that will email you to remind you of birthdays anniversaries etc.

i have had decent sales there and we do get a discount for our own cards to be printed so that is a perk.  they also will mail out cards from their site directly and that is a big convenience  for busy people.

if you  are exclusive anywhere this is not an option for you though.

[TimMc]

Hello Everyone,

Wow! The positive response we have received has been overwhelming! Thank you!

We have over 30 new artist registrations as a result of this thread. I'm really excited about the people who have signed up with us and have started submitting card templates. You all are a very talented group!

Because we are a small company, I need to temporarily curtail working on new registrations. So, for anyone who registers after midnight tonight (Tuesday 8/26/08),  I probably won't be able to review/approve your templates and publish your page on our site until after the 5th of September. I apologize if this causes a problem for anyone.

As I mentioned, we are a small (but growing) company. I invest a lot of time into writing and publishing each artist's portfolio. I have enjoyed getting to know the new folks who have signed up and started submitting. I feel very fortunate to have them as a part of our community.

Prior to this influx of new folks, we had around 75 contributing artists on our site. So, as you can see, the addition of 30 new artists is very exciting for us.

We are also in the process of putting together a new, exciting feature for our website that directly impacts our artists (potentially increasing their revenue per sale dramatically). Due to the addition of this new program and all of the new artists, I need to place a temporary hold on processing anymore artists.

Again, this is temporary! As soon as I have everyone who registered with us (prior to midnight tonight) set up on our site and we have this new program implemented, I will post here again that we are 'open' again for new artists to join our community.

Litifeta...thank you so much for posting here and recommending us. I am deeply grateful!

Everyone, I will keep you updated on the progress. If I can start accepting new artists earlier than September 5th, I will definitely let you know!