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Question, I have visited the DT forum and see how each company has their own requirements/expectations. My question is this, if you are on a design team, do you get paid, do you get products instead? I'm just curious. How much talent do you really need?
All manufacturers will have different terms and conditions for their DT members so there isn't really a single answer to this. Typically, you'll get sent new release products to play with before they go on sale (so there are samples for people to look at if they're thinking of buying during a release). Depending on the company, there could be extra perks like an allowance for stuff from the back catalogue, payment for publication if you're submitting to magazines or discount in the store if you're shopping for things outside your DT allocation.
As for talent - you need to be producing stuff at a good standard and sometimes to short deadlines so I guess yes, you need some talent as well as being able to dedicate some time to it. Most DTs are looking for a mix of people so they'll want people who concentrate on card-making and probably use the popular tools, colouring techniques etc and they'll probably want people who stretch their stamps into different areas such as scrapbooking, altered art, jewelry etc. I'd say that if you're going for a DT post, just do what you do best - that will give you the best chance of success.
Most of the time you are paid in products when you are on a design team. If a company needs samples for shows and what not, they sometimes will pay you for those samples. When a company has a DT call, they will list their requirements, along with what you will receive from them in return.
If it is a challenge blog, a lot of time you will receive freebies from the companies that choose to sponsor that particular challenge to use on your project.
The design team that I was on which was a Scrapbooking Store rather than a particular stamp brand or challenge blog, and they would send me products like a stamp set, die, designer paper and occasionally an edge punch and I would make several different cards using those products - hopefully showing a number of ways that you could use the products. But I would use my own cardstock and ribbons. I had to be very careful not to use products that they didn't sell in their store which was little constricting. As this store went to all the major craft shows and my cards were shown in the booth where they demonstrated the products, my cards needed to be of a high standard which did add a little pressure as you didn't want embellishments to fall off! Sometimes my cards would be used as a basis for a workshop too and it wouldn't have looked too good if they were coming apart! I also made a point of decorating the inside of the cards too. I also had to meet deadlines - often with not a lot of notice. I also had a discount on any products that I purchased from their store. Of course, I realise that this isn't quite the same as being a DT member of one of the member companies here, but it gives you an idea of the different DT's that are around and that you don't have to be restricted to a particular brand if you are looking to be on a DT.
Last edited by JoBear2; 04-23-2012 at 03:54 PM..
Reason: accidentally posted it before I had finished typing!
Most of the time, you have to have a blog. You become part of the advertising that these companies have for their products. Producing samples for the latest release and posting them on your blog is advertising for them. Some want you to send in the actual samples to use in trade shows, then they usually only want card fronts, not full cards.
I did samples for one company that did not have a design team. I approached them, asking if they needed people to make samples. I got free stamps and used them to make samples which I then sent to the company. It was an easier arrangement than a design team and much less work. No blog required, but the owner was happy to have me post pictures of my samples on my blog.
Some companies design teams are a lot more work than others. Some require you to create a large amount of samples each month, participate in blog hops, stay up to participate in release events in their forums or ones here, even to pitch in with customer service. All unpaid work, only receiving product in kind. A lot depends on the company. All the ones I worked with were good companies and treated their DT well.
I notice most DT members really know how to take a picture, too. The pictures of their samples are always awesome.
Yes, you are absolutely right - and when I was on a DT for a scrapbooking store, taking really good pictures was a requirement of being on the DT. I was given a list of requirements before I started with my DT and had to follow them to the letter such as taking good and clear photographs, not using retired designer paper or retired dies and wasn't allowed to use products (eg: a sentiment stamp or brand of ink pad) that weren't available on their website nor cross-promote any other stores in my blog posts about my card. Plus I had to add links to the products in that post so readers were directed straight to the product in the store. I had to add my cards to their online Gallery as well as my blog. It was really quite an involved process and took a lot of time. And you do need alot of time to devote to it and be very organised to meet deadlines if you are involved with a company's new product releases, blog hops and commenting on other Design Team Member's blogs. Often, they will have challenges to participate in too and you will need to be able to comment on participant's cards or projects. I stepped down after a year as I didn't want to commit so much time to it. So it's not just a matter of talent; it's all that it encompasses as well.
DT member functions
