Ample Avi has been a popular Second Life avatar shape/fashion brand for many years, with a large presence on the SL Marketplace and in-world (map location here, Destination Guide listing here). And since Ample is also a proud sponsoring partner of New World Notes, I asked the founder and CEO, Xme Xue, to share some secrets to creating a successful avatar enhancement business.
Ms. Xue makes about 85% of her real life living through her Second Life creations. ("I have a part-time job," she adds, "which I do from my home, and I keep that job as my safety net.") She works hard for her Lindens, to be sure: "You can find me in Second Life a good 40-plus hours each week," she tells me, 'but the 'plus' part is often the rule, rather than the exception." And notably, in contrast to the popularity of mesh-based creation, with Ample avatar shapes, "Everything is done in-world, using SL-provided tools."
After the break, Xme's tips for SL fashion/avatar creators:
"My name is Xme Xue. I own Ample Avi, an avatar shapes store in Second Life. I also have an online shop on the SL Marketplace. Ample Avi is listed in the Second Life Destination Guide and often appears in the What's Hot Now section of the viewer login screen. I have been asked to say a few words to starting designers who want to become successful content creators in a Second Life business. So, for someone new to the creation process in SL, I offer the following thoughts:
First and foremost, you need to define success, as it pertains to you
"For example: One day, I had several visitors to my shop. A few of those visitors bought shapes. And out of those few buyers, one person sent me a note. She stated that she had been in SL for several years and had spent a fortune trying to find the right shape. She said she loved the shape she bought from my shop, and that it appeared to have been created just for her. She also told me to keep doing what I was doing because I was obviously doing something right.
"That day, I was a successful creator. My product pleased the buyer, and her note pleased me. On other days, I have had more visitors and sold more shapes but, on that particular day, I felt like a real success.
Marketing is as important as creating
"I actually started selling my shapes from a clothing shop. A friend had a clothing franchise, and she leased a small space in her shop to me. It was during this early period that I realized there was a market void in the area of my product, and I became confident that I could be successful trying to fill that void. And watching my friend run her business taught me that there is more to being a creator than just creating the product. You are also responsible for your own marketing. You will usually spend more time on marketing than you spend on the creation of your product, as your target market is always changing, constantly evolving.
Expect to Make Mistakes; Create Quality; Stick With It
"First, if you want to be a content creator in Second Life, go for it. You will learn most of what you need to know as you go along. Yes, you will make mistakes. I made mistakes early on, and I cringe when I think of them. But I learned from those mistakes, as you will learn from your mistakes. Also, you will often meet seasoned creators along the way who are willing to offer helpful suggestions.
"Second, creating a quality product is essential. Keep revising and updating, as you learn new ways to make your product better.
"Third, you need determination, stick-to-it-ness. Do not give up, no matter how long it seems to be taking.
Success Takes Time
"Create what you love and love what you create. Because your love for your product may be all you will have, for quite some time. Unless you create something so different that the SL population sits up and takes notice [and the odds against that are astronomical], there is going to be a period of time between the creation of your product and the time potential buyers find that product. Being a content creator in Second Life can be rewarding. But you may need to spend a few years developing your business before becoming an overnight success.
"A time will come when you stand in the middle of your shop, look around, and find you are absolutely thrilled at what you see, even though you have not yet sold your first product nor had a single visitor. That is the day you will know you have what it takes to become a successful content creator in Second Life."
Visit Xme in Second Life at her shop in Pryeri.
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