It is my pleasure to introduce you to Dan Rosandich, accomplished cartoonist and guest blogger. Enjoy! ~ YWC
Humor can be defined as the tendency of particular experiences to provoke laughter and provide amusement. This definition is certainly fitting when it comes to cartoons. When presented with images depicting a scenario with a gag line underneath, we are entertained. When we are entertained, we tend to desire further entertainment and so return to the source of the enjoyment. Perhaps even again and again.
Cartoons are to the internet what comics are to newspapers. That being said, participants in social media marketing should consider adding cartoons to their repertoire. Remember, Your Web Chick recommends the Make ‘em Laugh – Make ‘em Think – Make ‘em Learn formula for offering valuable content on your website and in social media. When you entertain someone, you add value to their day. Sharing cartoon humor with your visitors will not only help make you memorable, but will also show that you have a sense of humor; it makes you more of a real person. It can also keep your visitors coming back repeatedly to see the next cartoon.
Finding cartoons for use on the web is relatively simple; just do a web search or simply visit DansCartoons.com, hover over Cartoon Catalog in the menu and then browse the drop-down menu featuring over 50 categories of cartoons, from “Blogs Away” to “Youth Spot”. Select the category that fits your industry and then select the cartoon(s) from that category you want to use; they can generally be resized for your needs, and then supplied in a single compressed (zipped) folder. Always be certain to negotiate the proper usage terms and a licensing fee in advance. Fees are generally based on a variety of factors, such as whether the cartoons will be just used on your Facebook page, or whether they might also be used in a series of PowerPoint presentations. Perhaps the same cartoon would appear in an email template used to send your weekly e-newsletter to your subscribers. This is why it’s impossible to apply a “One Price Fits All” to every cartoon license; uses vary from buyer to buyer and those specific uses need to be identified, whether you want to acquire one or 100 images. Always emphasize usage when inquiring about cartoons. This will speed up the process between yourself and the cartoonist and will ensure that you get the most affordable licensing fee quote that works within your budget. The best rule of thumb to keep in mind when inquiring about using cartoons is the wider the intended use for the cartoons, the greater the licensing fee.
Here are some project ideas where cartoons could really help you stand out from all the others who do what you do:
Calendars
Books
Brochures
Print advertising
Posters
Facebook Pages
Website Pages
Blog Posts
Email Templates
Apparel (T-shirts)
Newsletters
Catalogs
Magazines
E-books
Keep your visitors and readers coming back periodically for a new cartoon and you’ll always make an impactful statement!
Cartoonist Dan Rosandich sold his first cartoon in 1976 to Mechanix Illustrated magazine for $35. Since then, he has become a full-time illustrator and cartooning specialist offering thousands of images on dozens of topics for licensing via his online cartoon licensing database. His work has appeared in the Chicken Soup for the Soul series as well as in Saturday Evening Post, Good Housekeeping, Better Homes & Gardens, The National Enquirer, Reader’s Digest, Boys’ Life and Woman’s World.
