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Trying to get set up - Any advice?
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Should I use the flash intro, I like it but does it take away?
Yes use the Flash intro  
 62%  [ 5 ]
Don't use the flash intro (explain below)  
 25%  [ 2 ]
Couldnt you have found a better flash intro?  
 12%  [ 1 ]
Total Votes : 8



anuta




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, May 14 2007, 12:32 pm
I am not an expert, so can't help with answering your questions....

but I noticed a misspelling on your scrolling thing: its "sophisticated", not "sophistocated".
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DefyGravity




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, May 14 2007, 12:46 pm
There are TONS of people in the business. . . don't let that discourage you - competition is VERY important.

There are several people that set up small businesses and charged a bit cheaper than Spotlight Design, and now they've become viable competition. You're naive if you think there are only two other competitors! There are lots of people that do work for different shluchim. My brother decided to do graphic design for shluchim this past summer to make a little bit of money - he charged less than the larger design companies and QUICKLY became overwhelmed with clients.

I'm also in the design business - Shluchim aren't the only Jews that want stuff done quickly and cheaply - there are kollels and other organizations that do Jewish programming.
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Ambassador-to-KJ




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, May 14 2007, 12:48 pm
Quote:
I hope I'm not discouraging you or anything but there are two other businesses doing the exact same thing.


LOL there are surely more than two doing this! That doesnt disscourage me at all.
Quote:
I always skip the flash


Yeah I think it should come off too.

Quote:
but there's no info on pricing


Yeah I didnt put it in yet, I have the pricing set up already but wanted some advice from you guys without looking like Im advertising here Smile

Quote:
Otherwise with 2 other competitors the market is saturated


I know for sure there are way more then 2 competitors maybe more like 20 but I dont think the market is saturated. Maybe my pricing will appeal to some and maybe my style. thats why my shluchim use me. They sometimes get predesigned cards made for them by other places but when they want custom made Im much cheaper.

Quote:
but I noticed a misspelling on your scrolling thing: its "sophisticated", not "sophistocated".

Thanks Anuta! I didnt run the site spell check yet. I surely dont want people to think I'm going to design misspelled cards for them LOL
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shwartzcop




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, May 14 2007, 12:53 pm
lol LOL
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BennysMommy




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, May 14 2007, 12:58 pm
bashinda wrote:
I hope I'm not discouraging you or anything but there are two other businesses doing the exact same thing. I always skip the flash. I'm into tachlis. Shluchim don't have the time to mess with long flash intros so I don't think they'd be that excited either but then again I'm not a shlucha.

btw for full disclosure a relative of mine runs one of the businesses so I am a bit biased. Your stuff looks good but there's no info on pricing. I'd try to work with the other people if you're just getting started. Unless you try to market yourself with more than just Chabad. Otherwise with 2 other competitors the market is saturated already and I'm not saying that because of my connections.

Hatzlacha Raba with whatever you do! PM me if you'd like me to introduce you to my relative.


What do you mean 2 other competitors? There are thousands of graphic designers out there and there will always be business for a good graphic designer which I think the OP is. I went to school for graphic design and she is better than many of the students with that as a major!

I say good luck and keep it up! It's hard to find work by yourself from home. I'm doing the same thing. Maybe we can help each other with critiques on our work? PM me if you're interested.
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DefyGravity




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, May 14 2007, 1:04 pm
I think your stuff is decent, considering you don't have a design background, however, if you're going to compete with all the other designers out there, you might want to take some design classes.

You should also check out what other people are doing - it's good to see what the competitions up to.
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bashinda




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, May 14 2007, 1:22 pm
I think the market is saturated for chabad shluchim maybe not for other people but there were 2 businesses both doing flyers and cards for geared for chabad shluchim. How many businesses do chabad shluchim need to do flyers? That's what I call a saturated market. Competition is a great thing but sometimes it pays to try and work with the competition especially when you're starting out. I would send my resume to these people and see if you can join them. And I agree with Defy that the more training you have the better you are as software is always changing.
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rainbow




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, May 14 2007, 1:54 pm
I like your stuff! Would it make sense to offer your local shluchim a 10% discount for referring others?
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Ambassador-to-KJ




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, May 14 2007, 2:13 pm
I dont think many shluchim want to be advertising for me, I think they are realy busy, mine sure dont lol. But my shluchims prices for custom designs are a good 20 dollars less than my regular prices regular is 120 a card and shluchim get it for 100 a card or 50 for customizing an existing design. I think for shluchim I would even drop lower, maybe to 85 or 90 if they have a monthly deal set up with me.
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cdawnr




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, May 14 2007, 6:57 pm
I do graphic design for a Natl Outreach Program and I want to first applaud you for trying to make a go of it.

My dh says I should for sure try and pick up some real freelance work but I am way to scared and insecure.

Anyway, more to the point. You def. need to have the pages all proofread. I don't have time right now but I immediately so something in pricing about "a already" which should be "an already." (I alsodo writing and editing for the org.)

I think you have some excellent design work...but I think the click on previews on your front page really don't do justice. The pics there are small, and when you click on them they are bigger than the pop up screen (at leaston my computer).

Also, just as far as the competition...so what. Keep in mind ALL the Jewish organizations. For Jewish designers everywhere it is good to know that as of last summer DiscoveryProductions, part of Aish which used to do free design work for outreach programs and kollels and such, started charging $100 per flyer. There is a lot of potential business out there. I happen to do work for our community kollel pro-bono, but they are just starting and the community really needs whatever it can..

JUst my thoughts

Hatzlacha!!!
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amother


 

Post Mon, May 14 2007, 8:16 pm
I say go for it. Your designs are colorful, and creative.

Don't worry about the competition, if you are reliable, easy to work with, have reasonable rates, and do a good job, I think you will gain loyal customers.

I used to think I would be a graphic designer, then I decided to go in another direction... But in the meantime, I have the training...

My suggestion to you is to get some books on design from the library or Barnes and Noble. Read read read. For two reasons- 1. It's ok to be "inspired" by other people's work, and you will continue to develop your eye for design 2. You can improve your work by learning the principles of design. For example- establishing a visual hierarchy, and another example- don't use more than one "gimmick" per piece. A great book is "Graphic Design Solutions" by Robin Landa
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lifeisgood




 
 
    
 

Post Tue, May 15 2007, 11:33 pm
1. your graphics are really nice. each postcard only took 2 hours??? are you kidding me? I learned graphics and I know these things take TIME...???
2. your website is really nice, im sad I missed seeing the flash, you must have taken it away already.
I do have 2 recommendations though first is the text... everything about it. the font/color/wording (I know this is your 'rough draft, if thats the reason.. ok, just hope ur planning on fixing that) and second is that it is frustrating that when I click on your portfolio it takes you to a new page that you cannot click back to the website from... at least have it open in its own window so people who are not as technically capable (and there are many people like that) dont get lost from your website.

Other than that, BEAUTIFUL work!!

ps. where do you get your graphics from? do you buy them/take them yourself/ or snatch them from websites? just curious how diff people collect their pics for graphics
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Mom2Three




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, May 16 2007, 3:18 pm
Nice site and I wish you lots of luck!

I couldn't vote because here at work, we don't get any flash content. Just a message saying to update our flash player, which we aren't allowed to do.
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cdawnr




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, May 16 2007, 4:41 pm
lifeisgood: "where do you get your graphics from? do you buy them/take them yourself/ or snatch them from websites? just curious how diff people collect their pics for graphics"

Just so you know, it is not ok to take or snatch graphics from other websites unless permission is explicitly stated. This is actually stealing, though most people don't people realize it is.

I am sure OP did not because also, graphics taken from web are a low resolution and tend to be blurry or look weak when printed.

If yu do things and need graphics, a great site is istock.com, graphics range in price from $1.50 to $10. The major graphic sites like -- ahh I just blanked! but a lot of sites charge like $400!
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amother


 

Post Wed, May 16 2007, 4:46 pm
you can change the word SNATCH
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DefyGravity




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, May 16 2007, 4:50 pm
Corbis, Gettyimages, Masterfile, etc., are all great stock photo sites, but they're very expensive.
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Ambassador-to-KJ




 
 
    
 

Post Thu, May 17 2007, 12:19 am
Thanks to everyone who replied for their feedback. I realy appreciate it Very Happy

Quote:
Posted: Wed, May 16 2007, 3:41 pm Post subject: re: Trying to get set up - Any advice?

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

lifeisgood: "where do you get your graphics from? do you buy them/take them yourself/ or snatch them from websites? just curious how diff people collect their pics for graphics"

Just so you know, it is not ok to take or snatch graphics from other websites unless permission is explicitly stated. This is actually stealing, though most people don't people realize it is.



I so far have gotten all my graphics from sxc.hu It is a free stock photography site. Im sure there will come a time where I cant find exactly what I need in which case I will pay for it from a pay stock photography site.
I second what cdawnr said. Using somebody elses image without premission is stealing *which the word snatching appropriately connotates
I more than a lot of people know and understand that. I am also a photographer and have run into situations where people were using my images without premission.
About the text on my website dont worry! LOL It is in the roughest of forms. Ive only been able to work on the site for about 4 hours and havent yet spent time with the wording yet.
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su7kids




 
 
    
 

Post Thu, May 17 2007, 1:00 am
cdawnr wrote:
lifeisgood: "where do you get your graphics from? do you buy them/take them yourself/ or snatch them from websites? just curious how diff people collect their pics for graphics"

Just so you know, it is not ok to take or snatch graphics from other websites unless permission is explicitly stated. This is actually stealing, though most people don't people realize it is.

I am sure OP did not because also, graphics taken from web are a low resolution and tend to be blurry or look weak when printed.

If yu do things and need graphics, a great site is istock.com, graphics range in price from $1.50 to $10. The major graphic sites like -- ahh I just blanked! but a lot of sites charge like $400!


There are actually websites, one in particular, which gives you free graphics, specific for this purpose, and its free. They do have some graphics thatyou hvae to pay for, but this one is free.

So, I just thought I'd tell you that its nto stealing and I nkow Ambassador did not STEAL her graphics or SNATCH them, she downloaded them legitimately!
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