Design Team Call--Improving the Process

[[Record Keeper]]

I've been looking around at the design team calls.

When asked to design for a company, I'd like to see examples of the types of stamps or work that company produces. A link to the companies web page on the call is a GREAT. If it's a new company, just show examples of the types of work you like to create for use.

It's hard to create a vision for working with a company when you don't know what it is they produce in any general sense when you apply!

[whoistracy]

I completely agree!!

[dini]

Great thoughts ...though personally I don't think I'd jump and apply for a DT position with a company I had never heard of before, or wasn't familiar with, or didn't already love....but maybe that's just me.

[prchvs]

I kinda agree with Dina ...

if you want to know what they are, though, all it takes is a little searching. Quite often the poster has a blog link that you can check out and go from link to link until you find the company or you can simply google them.

[[Record Keeper]]

I'm open to good products, even if they are new. Just want to see!

I'm google savvy and often do okay with that approach, it just takes a lot of time when they don't list their link and all the details. I don't have all day to keep notes and links and deadlines...if they'd put all that on there for the times I have to come back to it, it would sure help me sift ideas!

[beccabatgirl]

I agree!

[AmberAKAmom]

I agree!

[mearsfansinboise]

Quote:

Originally Posted by [Record Keeper]

I've been looking around at the design team calls.

When asked to design for a company, I'd like to see examples of the types of stamps or work that company produces. A link to the companies web page on the call is a GREAT. If it's a new company, just show examples of the types of work you like to create for use.

It's hard to create a vision for working with a company when you don't know what it is they produce in any general sense when you apply!

I have thought the same thing, so what I did with a DT call was send each applicant a sample of what they would be working with. I did this because it was a new company and it was a digistamp so it was easy to do it that way, I guess. But what I usually do is kinda stalk the person that posted the DT call, go to their blog and find the link to the store blog and then look at the blogs of their designers. Sometimes it saves you time because you find that clearly they like designs that are like this while you are like that, or, you find that their images are centered around a cute little water buffalo and you don�t think it�s that cute at all � LOL

[whoistracy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by prchvs

I kinda agree with Dina ...

if you want to know what they are, though, all it takes is a little searching. Quite often the poster has a blog link that you can check out and go from link to link until you find the company or you can simply google them.

I agree with what you're saying. But what if the company is so new that there are NO images on their blog or site yet? And a google search turns up nothing?

There have been quite a few calls like that in the DT Call forum here.

[prchvs]

Quote:

Originally Posted by whoistracy

I agree with what you're saying. But what if the company is so new that there are NO images on their blog or site yet? And a google search turns up nothing?

There have been quite a few calls like that in the DT Call forum here.

well, yes, that would change things, wouldn't it? If they are that new, then there is also not as much opportunity for someone to just *love* their product and have a familiarity with it. In this case, it may well be beneficial to include a sample.

I still think, though, that it shows a potential DT members' willingness to search and find out what the product is. Oftentimes the owner/s has/have a blog and have been playing with their product and so you may still get a glimpse at their product offering.

[[Record Keeper]]

Yup, I'm all for finding people who are resourceful, as long as there are resources to be found! If not, a sample or something would be way cool, and would save us some searching.

[jazzytobi]

there was that one digital stamp design team call ( i didn't apply because i don't like digital stamps) but they had a free image to download so you could use it on a card for submission... i thought that was a good idea for a beginning company to do..

but otherwise, if they are an established company I only apply for teams that I know and love...

[Jeanne S]

Quote:

Originally Posted by whoistracy

I agree with what you're saying. But what if the company is so new that there are NO images on their blog or site yet? And a google search turns up nothing?

There have been quite a few calls like that in the DT Call forum here.

If they don't have any images to show to a perspective team then they should probably wait on a team or recruit a team from online galleries and blogs instead of an open call. That way they could do the matching with their style with what they see in uploads.

I wouldn't apply to any team where I couldn't get a feel for their style (or the quality of their stamps since my name would be associated with them if I'm on their team).

[dini]

Good point Jeanne...I was thinking that too - better for a brand new company owner to be looking out for people he/she feels would be able to really bring their new images to life with the unique style they see in a gallery or on a blog. 1 of the teams I'm on was that way, where team members were hand-picked and invited.

.....

For some reason your comment about association with a company/quality and service has me flashing back to the unfortunate "free stamps for card samples" experience that hundreds of us jumped at a couple years ago...