It's Not Personal

Now why couldn't folks just leave well enough alone? Ah, that would have been too good and it would have made for a rather uneventful, a decidely boring holiday week. (Happy Rape Pillage and Steal from the Indians Day BTW).

So there I was with FINALLY nothing to do in the kitchen. This is a perk when there are no grandchildren around and your own children can read and follow instructions on most recipes. What does one do when there's nothing to do and your new computer is raring to go? Surf!

I decided to view some of the calls that other stores were putting out. Not that I wanted to ad another store. It's just nice to know what my potential options would be if I actually had an extra 15 minutes between sewing, gardening, designing, writing, blogging, cooking...well you get the idea. Which leads me to my rant.

Ladies, dear sweet wonderful colleagues of mine. Have you lost your damn minds? Let me rephrase because I'm sure that could be considered rude. HA! What is wrong with you people?

There are many wonderful designers who have expanded their businesses to include designer services --preview creation (for YOUR products), product descriptions (for YOUR products), advertising services (for YOUR products). Now I totally get it. Your time is valuable. Taking care of these tedious tasks, the business side of this business can make you want to pull your hair out. But how would you like to be paid for your kit with another kit? I'm not trying out for your creative team. I'm doing a job. One, I might add, that you will be paid for doing at some point.

I have bills too. Most of us do unless we are filthy, obscenely well-off. WalMart, the Electric Company, Gas, 7-11-- you get it--- won't take your kit to pay a bill. Most of them don't even know what it is.
So instead of trying pigeon-hole my services by bartering for something I don't need. How about you barter in good faith? Here's a suggestion: If your product costs $5, offer me $2.50 up front. I have an incentive to do an excellent job and you have a reasonable price for a service that you'd only need for that product once.

It's called a business relationship. Hmmm, I like the sound of that. A business relationship. We'd better be careful with this concept however. Before we realize it, we might actually start treating digital designing like a business. Who knows what could happen then?


PEACE
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The Beginnings of a Digital Rant

My new blog isn't a good two days old. I'm still rearranging the furniture, checking out the neighbors, getting used to things and already... yes, already there is a digital scrapbooking industry rant. Now you see why I had to separate blogs? It wouldn't have been fair for President-Elect Obama to see just how petty and short-sighted we digiscrappers are/or can be.

On to my rant.
As most of you know, I've been expanding my business ventures into designer services. It seems to suit my passion and frees me up for more writing. I searched the calls to find folks in need of the services that I have to offer. And there is an abundance, right? Wrong. There are people who are willing to barter. I write a description and you give me a gift certificate to your store? I create a preview and you allow me to use the kit (for personal use only)? How far to I have to take this before you get what I'm about to say?

Let me be sympathetic. I totally understand wanting to sell your products and not having the cash on hand to do what you need to do. BUT when someone purchases your product, they give you cash! You can go to WalMart, Target, Buy4Less and get what you want. What in your store could I possibly feed to my children? How am I supposed to fill my gas tank? This is a cash business for me too. Let's get with the program, alright/

Here's my proposal. When you have a kit that you want a product description, why not offer to pay HALF of what you're charging for the product? If it costs $5 then pay me 2.50 Not alot, but at least that's a gallon of milk. Do you hear me? Besides, I've seen your kit and there is a special place in hell for me for the lies oops embellishments I had to state to make it sound good.

Don't I have enough to worry about? PAY ME MONEY.
Let us ponder the moment.

Respond if you dare!

PEACE!
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Welcome to AfriDigiDiva Designs

I am in the process of separating my blogs. My homesite, where I have my store and my main blog are diversified. My blog there is syndicated and as such doesn't always reflect the digital scrapbooking/graphic arts side of my aspirations.

I didn't think it was fair for my digiscrap friends to have to read my political and other ramblings on a regular basis. Likewise, I didn't think it prudent for some one to pick up USA today and be faced with my digiscap ads.

This blog is more of a sythesis. I will transfer some articles here from my other blog, but mostly this will be a unique spot to keep up with my other works.


PEACE!
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