Make Money with Cafepress - #2 Design

Okay, so what sells for a design?

Well, that varies greatly for your audience, and what kind of stuff they're looking for. Teens want something different than say, Babyboomers. But you knew that, right?

So, I'll tell you what works for me. Bold, graphic and illustrative designs. Now, some of your are artists, and some of your aren't. I'll be honest; if you're a graphic designer or illustrator, you definitely have an advantage, so make use of it! Draw!

If you're not an artist, get clipart! Many of the top selling designs I've seen come from clipart and "dingbat" fonts. Yep. Check dafont.com for tons of ideas. But, if you're feeling more powerful, go buy some from your local art store. There's tons of art out there, use it! Just make sure that you follow the license agreement, so you don't go to jail!

Another reason to go illustrative/graphic, is that there are bajillions of text based designs out there, and they're exceptionally easy to rip off. If you're going to do text based designs, use cool fonts, and arrange the words interestingly. Google "typography" and go to town.

For me, I decided that I want a store that will stand out, so I avoid the text-shirt fad.

ALSO, take care in whether you choose to chase pop-culture fads or not. Sure, fads can be moneymakers, but you've got to be careful, as it only really pays to be first. If so, watch buzz.yahoo.com like a hawk, and make new designs weekly.

For me, I didn't want to go that route because I wanted *lasting* designs. I want designs that I can sell for years to come, with a huge number of choices. I'm pretty sure that "Runaway Bride" sales have slowed down to a dead zombie trickle about now.

Do what works for you.

In terms of the design itself, I like to make graphics that can easily be seen on the CafePress site. Though I personally like small prints, I'm sort of forced to make them a little larger, just so they preview nicely. The simpler the design, the better, as it really helps people find what they're looking for. In the end, this helps drive sales.

Files

I make all of my designs 12x12 inches at 300 dpi, and upload png files.

Why? Because you never know if CafePress is going to increase print areas. Also, you want the quality of the prints to be top-notch, and 300 dpi will get you that. Also, you can make a design smaller, but not larger. (Well, not successfully at least).

I use Photoshop, but you can also use other programs like Gimp (free), which I heard is great.