I want to start a greeting card company with my images, but no copy. Can this work?

The first thing you have understand about a greeting card is that it is NOT an industry that is about the art. Greeting Cards are about the message. And I know this is something you may hate to hear, but it’s true. Over 90% of all cards sold in this country are greeted cards, cards with some kind of message both on the inside and the outside of the card. It doesn’t have to be wordy, the message can be one word, what is important is that you understand that the total package of art and message is what creates a card that a person buys.

I emphasize this because over the years there have been literally hundreds of artists who have come through my door wanting to start their own greeting card company and every time when I tell them this, I get this look from them that suggests that ‘well, that may be for some, but my art stands for itself’. Yea, well…that may be true of your art, but try to find one single company that exists in the greeting card business with blank cards and the work of a single artist…it doesn’t exist for a reason.

And yes, there are a couple of card companies that have made it with just blank cards. These companies and again, out of 1000’s, there are really only one or two that made it use art of all types from literally 1000’s of artists. I’ve been blown away when I find an amazing photographer or artist of international acclaim and then find that these companies have chosen 1 or 2 images from a body of 1000’s that they artist has.

But that is the art card or blank card market. It does not work for one artist – ever.

So let me ask you a question. Do you want your company to be successful? If you answer yes, then I’d say to you; ‘why take a path that has so little possibility of success when there is another path….or let me put it this way; ‘why set yourself up for failure when you don’t have to. Give your art a voice, if you can’t…stay in the fine art market.