Copyright © 2009 Greeting Card Designer
Why should artists keep their card submissions organized when they send them off to companies?-To avoid resubmitting the same card twice.
-To keep track of which card was submitted to what company.
-To show the status of any given card at any point in time.
-To keep a record of rejected cards, so you can redesign or adjust them.
-Once you have 50-100 cards, you need some sort of system for organization.
Here's a simple, functional filing system.
Step 1. Get a heavy shoe box or re-purpose an index card filing box.
(filing system)
Step 2. Cut Extra heavy duty 5 1/2 x 8 1/2 cardboard or mat board.These will be used for dividers to separate major categories such as Birthday, Valentine's Day, a specific company, etc.
(mat board or heavy cardboard)
Step 3. Cut several 5x7 pieces of cardstock for each card sample.
(cardstock or heavy paper)
Step 4. Gather a copy of every card you have ever submitted.
(card assortment)
Step 5. Photocopy or Print out the front image and the inside text of each card.Make light copies. (can be adjusted with photoshop opacity) This will allow you to write notes on top of the image, and it will also save ink.
You can put both parts of the card together on one page and print them on a 8 1/2 x 11 sheet of paper. print as a 5x7 folded card.
(sample front and inside of card)
Step 6. Glue the image of the card onto a piece of the 5x7 cardstock.
(glue inside text copy on backside of cardstock).
(inside text of card glued on cardstock, printed very light)
Step 7. Write any reference numbers or holiday code on the card.
It helps you know where it belongs in the file.
(card data)
Step 8. After submitting the card to a company, keep a running record of information. On this card sample (below) I have the following handwritten notes of things that happened time.
-The occasion category (Birthday-Juvenile)
-The 8 digit ID number the card company gave me.
-The date I sent the art.
-The date of the result. In this case, the company wants to hold the card because they might have a place for it later on. After 6 months, I will call the company, and write an additional note on the card about the phone call.
(card sample with handwritten information)
Step 9. Once the card has been accepted by the company, and they send back a sample, replace the cardstock copy with the "real" card.
Write all reference information on the front, such as what day it will be released on store shelves, along with the past history (when it was accepted, when you submitted art, etc)
All cards, no matter if they were rejected, accepted, or are in any stage of the process, should end up in the file, because you need to know the history of what happened with each design. Then, when Mother's Day submission time comes around, you can easily pull out all the mother's day cards and analyze what happened last year. What cards did you already submit? What succeeded? What failed? What was printed? What was held? This helps you decide what to submit this time around.
(finished card arrives from the company)
Step 10. Where do you submit?Check out this list of
company guidelines.
Step 11: IMPORTANTWant to see more articles like this? Then be brave!
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your organizing tip and leave a comment below. Your ideas help other artists. We all don't need to reinvent the wheel. -Kate
Kate's Greeting Card Designer Booklets on Amazon
You can support this blog by ordering e-Booklets that are a compilation of different articles on this blog starting at only .99 cents! They can be read on your kindle, ipad, ipod, cellphone, or your computer. Free samples and lending options available.
ART LICENSING Booklet on 20 Steps to Art Licensing that is a list of suggested steps to to take for getting into art licensing. How to license your art to companies that publish greeting cards, and manufacture coffee mugs, magnets, wall hangings, kitchen items, and dozens of other gift items. This booklet covers 20 basic steps from how to prepare your art, to what companies to contact. It includes topics on: How to find agents, classes and what trade shows to attend. There are extensive resources on social media, licensing community groups, and lists of interviews with professional designers (5,200 words).
MARKETING CARDS
Booklet on Unusual Ways To Market Greeting Cards, and 22 places to get your designs featured. A 20 page booklet on how to get your cards noticed in non-traditional ways. Everything from why you should send cards to your dentist, to how to get special features in national publications. Great tips for designers who are starting out and want to get their cards into the hands of people beyond friends and family. Special Section: Submissions guidelines and contacts for 22 Gift Industry publications and professional gift industry blogs that seek out new greeting card designs to feature for free. (5,000 Words and 17 greeting card images included)
CARD WRITINGBooklet on 7 Mistakes Greeting Card Writers Make A list of 7 things to avoid when submitting greeting card verse to publishers.Includes a list of card publishers and their guidelines, links to writer interviews, articles, card samples and other current resources. 20-page booklet and 2,300 words and 8 Pages of Card Samples.Thanks for helping to support this Blog
