Finding low cost graphics for blogs an websites can be easy if you have the right resources.
If you are doing things yourself:
My main source for royalty free graphics is Istockphoto. Depending on the size of the image you are charged a certain number of credits to purchase an image. Most small images for the web are just a dollar or two – and a large file for printing may cost you 10 to 15. All in all – great value when you need to create an impact in your marketing material.
Another source is 123rf.com
123RF has a very large selection of free images they offer which are offered on a time-limited basis – definitely worth taking a look as the “just right” image may be right there waiting for you.
If you are looking to have someone help you with your graphic marketing materials there are a number of sources for which you can find economical help depending on what your needs are:
Try these folks:
99designs connects clients needing design work such as logo designs, business cards or web sites to a thriving community of over 17,000 designers.
Elance is not just for graphic design – but also great to find writers here.
Guru.com – also has a very large freelancer data base
Outsourcing your design work can save you a lot of time and frustration if you are not an expert with graphic programs and up with best practices – and at the same time – it can also cost you some time and energy when working with outside suppliers.
A couple of quick tips:
Don’t just accept the 1st offer you get in response to your request – as some of the folks on these data bases – respond to everything – and sometime they don’t read what they are responding to. I often put a codeword in the post – and ask any reply to include the code word in the response – that way I know I am not getting just an auto-response.
So some smart best practices are often a great idea.
Things like:
- not paying full balance until the work is completed to your satisfaction – Keep the funds in escrow ready for the work to be completed
- not writing a positive recommendation until the work has been completed
- find someone who you like and who is efficient – and then use them
- be very specific about B timescales, quality required, layout etc – and renegotiate after anything changes
