Naming-How do I get "noticed"?

[el01]

The title essentially describes it:

How can I "build" a name for a post on a case so that it gets noticed without being clickbait?

Also, how should I name projects so they aren't boring as heck? Is Greek mythology a good standard ?

Finally, how can I improve posts so that content isn't skipped over as much while doing the Blog Skim-style reading?

Thanks!

 

[Kmpkt]

I think if you put forth compelling ideas and execute well on your explanation of said ideas they will get noticed. If they aren't getting noticed then perhaps they need refinement?

 

[loader963]

I have no clue how to come up with a creative name. I’m also not going into the build or idea But I can tell you a couple of things about the presentation of a custom case:

1- Good Photos

Photography can not be overstated. Sleek, sexy pictures with the right sharpness, colors, etc that produce beautiful eye candy get my attention. Usually if they start off with a great picture followed by a short to mid length article underneath will draw me in.

2- Good writing

Walls of text are a turn off. Use good punctuation and format. And remember, sometimes less is more. Give a good summary but you don’t have to mention every single detail. It can be helpful to let some readers ask questions so you can engage them in conversation.

 

[el01]

I think if you put forth compelling ideas and execute well on your explanation of said ideas they will get noticed. If they aren't getting noticed then perhaps they need refinement?

I mean, you're the perfect example of what you're saying. Quality over quantity. I probably need to balance things more, considering that I have school, work, and SFF to balance on a daily basis.

I have no clue how to come up with a creative name. I’m also not going into the build or idea But I can tell you a couple of things about the presentation of a custom case:

1- Good Photos

Photography can not be overstated. Sleek, sexy pictures with the right sharpness, colors, etc that produce beautiful eye candy get my attention. Usually if they start off with a great picture followed by a short to mid length article underneath will draw me in.

2- Good writing

Walls of text are a turn off. Use good punctuation and format. And remember, sometimes less is more. Give a good summary but you don’t have to mention every single detail. It can be helpful to let some readers ask questions so you can engage them in conversation.

OK, I'll make sure to add no shadows in my renders and return everything to 8-bit color
This kinda helps since I tend to ramble a lot. Marketing really isn't my thing. I'll try to hide text with spoilers in the future.



Also, a question for the future...
If I want to introduce a product, when does one do so? Do I do it as soon as I have renders and keep working on it or do I do so after everything is finished? I see a lot of the latter and a lot of the former, but which is subjectively best?

 

[loader963]

Depends on the product. For cases, I personally like to see an actual prototype, even if it’s not yet a functional one. Renders can give you a look, but a prototype you can touch really helps.

I also believe the actual prototypes show a larger level of commitment to a case. Anyone can do a render and show it off. But to take the time to build one shows the builder’s dedication to it.

And as anyone can do a render, sometimes they are not realistic. Material tolerances, ability to fabricate, and space to work in are harder to grasp in a render vs in real life.

 

[Gautam]

It's not the name that's important, it's how closely and how cheaply you can clone a DAN A4, and how often you can post about it.

(I say this in jest)

 

[Kmpkt]

If I want to introduce a product, when does one do so? Do I do it as soon as I have renders and keep working on it or do I do so after everything is finished? I see a lot of the latter and a lot of the former, but which is subjectively best?

Personally I am of the mind that until you have something that is pretty well progressed you ought to wait on a big reveal. While I tease a lot of my stuff, I don't typically spill the beans on the specifics of my projects until I'm pretty far along.

Right now I have version 2.0 of the Dynamo system, a case platform and my heatsink all in the works. Firstly, I feel that by divulging anything too early I open myself up to the possibility of idea theft. Secondly, inherent in revealing what you're working on you are also making promises to potential clients that you may have to back out of later. Lastly these things often take VASTLY longer to bring to fruition than you anticipate. I started teasing my heatsink over a year ago and have had the design finalized for over six months with the parts sitting at my engineer's house since May. Between two bouts of depression, unforeseen financial constraints, failed assembly attempts and difficulties securing access to a soldering oven to do a professional assembly I am now over six months behind where I'd anticipated.

 

[Solo]

It's not the name that's important, it's how closely and how cheaply you can clone a DAN A4, and how often you can post about it.

(I say this in jest)

This, in addition to copious amounts of RGB.

 

[Choidebu]

Finally, how can I improve posts so that content isn't skipped over as much while doing the Blog Skim-style reading?

Thanks!

@el01 , I'll be frank with you: I skim read your posts 90% of the time.

To quote Blaise Pascal,

I have made this (letter) longer than usual because I have not had time to make it shorter.

A long thought dump is just that: a trainwreck. A well thought out idea is succinct, descriptive and usually short.

 

[GuilleAcoustic]

A long thought dump is just that: a trainwreck. A well thought out idea is succinct, descriptive and usually short.

That reminds me of my scenario writing course at school when we learnt how to write a pitch.

I agree with previous advises. A well thought out, short description that goes to the essential is the best.

Presentation also helps, here is how I tend to present things to make them readable: https://smallformfactor.net/forum/threads/the-guilleacoustics-game-design-thread.433/

 

[Windfall]

I will just leave this old adage here:

There is power in presentation.

 

[Phuncz]

I agree with the thought that a carefully crafted presentation of a product that is near prototyping is important. If you can't show people what you are planning with a few pictures, you're doing it wrong. Also don't bother hyping early ideas as this forum has seen plenty and eats hype-trains for breakfast.

Something I've noticed in myself is that I tend to ignore threads that promise the world in a wall of text, with no clear plan how to achieve this and no images to relay that idea. And afterwards I tend to ignore that thread too because it's usually full of people trying to drag this information from the topic starter.

tl;dr
Have a product near-ready, tell most of the story in pictures, have your end-game plan ready from the start

 

[Josh | NFC]

I have no expertise in this area but I really like Phuncz and KMPKT's notes.

Additionally I stress this as a fellow enthusiast:

If YOU don't believe in your product, then I certainly don't.

Crowdfunding and early hype have their place but only as extra gas in your tank. Testing the waters tests my patience, and I am sure other people feel the same way on here too.

Peace my friend and the best of luck. Work hard!

 

[el01]

@el01 , I'll be frank with you: I skim read your posts 90% of the time.

To quote Blaise Pascal,



A long thought dump is just that: a trainwreck. A well thought out idea is succinct, descriptive and usually short.

So that's why my rooms are a mess!
Hopefully my language doesn't turn into pure, unfiltered marketing catchphrasing...

I have no expertise in this area but I really like Phuncz and KMPKT's notes.

Additionally I stress this as a fellow enthusiast:

If YOU don't believe in your product, then I certainly don't.

Crowdfunding and early hype have their place but only as extra gas in your tank. Testing the waters tests my patience, and I am sure other people feel the same way on here too.

Peace my friend and the best of luck. Work hard!

Just asking, how does testing the waters test patience? Is consistency a virtue? Or is sporadic ideation?

 

[loader963]

I believe he means that when someone is trying to get "attention/cash/etc" before his product is ready for it aggravates him. Honestly, I feel this way a bit too. There are so many unfinished ideas here, on just this site, that have potential but never come to fruition. There are also a lot of bad ideas put up that get shot down regularly.

It's one reason I believe you have to have a prototype ready or almost ready before you debut in today's business because there have been so many others that get to phase 1 (renders, napkin drawings, pages of notes and details, etc) and then the spark just dies and is abandoned.

 

[Josh | NFC]

Trying my hand at business coaching:

1. Eat someone else's cake, and be inspired to make your own. (Design a product and get other people excited about it).
2. Gather ingredients for cake. (setup business and figure out how to collect money and pay people and governments)
3. Make batter. (build BOM with manufacturing, order fulfillment logistics)
4. Bake and trim cake. (order inventory and get it where it needs to go--to you or customer)
5. Ice cake. (customer support--not just answering emails, but making sure your product is getting to them undamaged and on time).
6. Eat your cake. (enjoy operating your business or realize you could do alot better before paying taxes and investing the rest back into the cycle.)

What is important is knowing all the steps ahead of time, and understanding that getting a prototype (and getting people excited about it), while requiring a massive effort, is probably the "easiest" and most fun thing on the list. I think what makes people successful is if their passion and work ethic is so strong they can push through all the steps and improve on each cycle.

I want cake now. So I'll brb.

<3

 

[Windfall]

Trying my hand at business coaching:

1. Eat someone else's cake, and be inspired to make your own. (Design a product and get other people excited about it).
2. Gather ingredients for cake. (setup business and figure out how to collect money and pay people and governments)
3. Make batter. (build BOM with manufacturing, order fulfillment logistics)
4. Bake and trim cake. (order inventory and get it where it needs to go--to you or customer)
5. Ice cake. (customer support--not just answering emails, but making sure your product is getting to them undamaged and on time).
6. Eat your cake. (enjoy operating your business or realize you could do alot better before paying taxes and investing the rest back into the cycle.)

What is important is knowing all the steps ahead of time, and understanding that getting a prototype (and getting people excited about it), while requiring a massive effort, is probably the "easiest" and most fun thing on the list. I think what makes people successful is if their passion and work ethic is so strong they can push through all the steps and improve on each cycle.

I want cake now. So I'll brb.

<3

That's good advice, and I plan to remember it.
That's also funny, which will help me remember it.

 

[el01]

Trying my hand at business coaching:

1. Eat someone else's cake, and be inspired to make your own. (Design a product and get other people excited about it).
2. Gather ingredients for cake. (setup business and figure out how to collect money and pay people and governments)
3. Make batter. (build BOM with manufacturing, order fulfillment logistics)
4. Bake and trim cake. (order inventory and get it where it needs to go--to you or customer)
5. Ice cake. (customer support--not just answering emails, but making sure your product is getting to them undamaged and on time).
6. Eat your cake. (enjoy operating your business or realize you could do alot better before paying taxes and investing the rest back into the cycle.)

What is important is knowing all the steps ahead of time, and understanding that getting a prototype (and getting people excited about it), while requiring a massive effort, is probably the "easiest" and most fun thing on the list. I think what makes people successful is if their passion and work ethic is so strong they can push through all the steps and improve on each cycle.

I want cake now. So I'll brb.

<3

I guess... I'll eat my case and have it too?

 

[el01]

To go back to the original topic...

Should I be including liter numbers in my titles? Or is it redundant if it's on SFF Forum already and it emphasizes something different other than just pure liter count?

 

[Windfall]

To go back to the original topic...

Should I be including liter numbers in my titles? Or is it redundant if it's on SFF Forum already and it emphasizes something different other than just pure liter count?

If it's big, avoid it. I guess. A 1.3L in a title is far more attractive than 17.2L.
NFC, DAN Cases, etc, never put it in their titles though...