Inside the Mind of ThemeForest’s Top Selling Author
Kriesi is ThemeForest’s top selling author; he, last month, broke the record of most sales in a single month, across all of the Envato marketplaces! It’s even more shocking when we consider the fact that he’s only 27 years old!
In this interview, we’ll dive into his work process, and hopefully steal some tips and inspiration!
How long have you been in the web design business?
About five years ago, I started the Multimedia and Web Design Course at SAE Vienna in my home country, Austria. Back then, I did mostly Flash stuff (almost every piece of work was REALLY horrible to tell the truth) and I also had some interest in html coding (I loved table design back then :P ). With every course I took, I lost a little interest in Flash and got more curious about HTML and CSS. When they handed me my Bachelor Degree a few years later, I was pretty decent with HTML and CSS whereas my Flash skills were lousy at best.
I did some small projects for an event agency during that time and as soon as I finished College, they offered me a full time Job as a Front-end Developer, which I gladly accepted. I’m still working at this Agency :)
When/How did you first come across the Envato marketplaces – specifically ThemeForest?
I was a regular reader of the TUTS-PLUS Websites and therefore was aware that there is a marketplace called ActiveDen, where people sell all this neat Flash stuff; but since I was only a Front-end Developer with HTML, CSS, and some PHP Skills at that time, I didn’t really bother.
When Envato announced the opening of ThemeForest, I thought I could give it a try, and uploaded my first WordPress theme. The theme flopped really hard and only earned me 30 Bucks during the first month. Out of pure boredom, I created a second theme. :)
The second one did a little better, really just a little, but it was enough that I became curious if I could do better with each theme. =)
You’ve been particularly successful when it comes to WordPress theme sales. When developing a new item, do you try to plan for PSD, Site Template, and WordPress submissions? Or do you prefer to focus only on one category per design?
When I started creating templates, I almost always only planned for the WordPress version. I was thinking that the HTML Templates are far to cheap to earn a good amount of money, which is actually not true.
I did this until I invested countless hours into a WordPress theme which underperformed to a point where I had worked for about 3$/hour for a whole week. Since then, I usually create a HTML template as well, to test if customers like what I have designed.
I still usually don‘t do a PSD version. Unlike other people, I only design to a certain point in Photoshop; many of the small improvements and details that customers see in the final HTML version are added while I code the HTML and CSS.
Though encouraged, we do not require that authors provide support for their items. Do you? Considering how well your items sell, how do you manage to provide quality support to so many different buyers? Any tricks/short-cuts?
It is indeed really hard sometimes to support all customers, especially those not familiar with WordPress, but I try to answer all questions. I think it’s crucial if you want customers to return and buy your themes again. The big problem I guess is providing “Quality Support”. I simply don‘t have the time to do more than 90 minutes of theme support each day, so if I see tons of requests on my Author Dashboard, answers usually (and unfortunately) get a little more generic :/
There are several “tricks” that worked out pretty good for me:
- I am trying to encourage all customers to use the item dashboard and not the mail contact form. That way, other customers benefit from the answers as well and I only have to check one place for requests.
- Updating the documentation file that comes with the download regularly helps a lot as well. I also save answers that I have given more than 2 or 3 times into a text document for copy/pasting on demand.
- Overall I can only suggest to find your own method of streamlining support; the best way to cut down support time of course is to create themes and documentation that are so easy to use, that support requests drop to a minimum.
Do you or have you considered selling on the different Envato marketplaces as well?
Yes. I have tried to upload a flash file once last Christmas, since I had a pretty neat Santa animation. Those who have checked my portfolio might have already guessed it… it seems it wasn’t that neat. ;D
Many successful authors have noted that the biggest advantage to selling their designs through us is that it takes the client completely out of the design process, and instead allows the author full control. Would you agree? Any other advantages?
I agree, it is indeed great to be in full control of all decisions. I have worked with too many clients over the past years who thought just because they can use MS Paint they are great designers But you should never underestimate the positive impact of a second opinion when creating your themes. Therefore I almost always ask some of my colleagues at the agency to make suggestions on my designs before I release them.
I also love the fact that I don’t have any deadlines here and can try new stuff with every theme I release :)
Do you take advantage of our referral program, or promote your items in any additional ways to increase sales?
Only a little; I promote my themes on my blog and on Twitter when I release them. But since I make postings rarely on my blog, the impact on my sales ain’t that big. ;D I will try to post more often in the future when my sites redesign is finally done, but to tell the truth I am not a very persistent writer.
Without giving away any of your key techniques, if you could only make one choice, what would be the most important thing to keep in mind when selling on ThemeForest?
Study and improve. There are very few authors here that did a great job from the beginning. Almost everyone who is selling a lot nowadays has heavily improved over previous months. I am no exception, I can’t believe how much I have learned about web design and coding during the last year, and I think that’s the best weapon we have. Learn from your mistakes, listen to reviewers and customers and improve with every file you release.
A new member signs up with ThemeForest and is hoping to upload his or her first item. Any advice?
Use the help of the community to get your items uploaded and to improve yourself. Authors, customers, reviewers, almost everyone here is very helpful; so don‘t hesitate and ask :) Don‘t give up if an item gets rejected several times, it happened to almost all of us!
Final question. What’s next for you? Any special items planned before the end of the year?
I will try to invest more time into my themes, which basically means more themes, hopefully better themes, more updates and better support. I am already in the process of designing the next two items, but it’s been a very busy month at the agency so I haven’t been able to release anything new for a while now.
Last but not least, I wanted to take the chance and thank everyone who purchased one of my themes! I appreciate it more than you probably can imagine. Earning money here is great of course, but its equally amazing to be part of such a great community!
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Wow first :) I bought some of your Themes – absolutely perfect Work. Thanks for sharing with us :)
I am really inspired by kriesi.
Well done !
Wow that is some serious dollar. I had no idea there was such a demand for themes.
Great tips Kriesi ! I’m going to upload my first work in ThemeForest soon and you’ve helped me a lot!!!
Thank you, you’re awesome ! :)
Yeah, I’m with everyone else Kriesi. I’ve been watching your work forever. Love your blog and would gladly pay money for a Javascript plugin of that Cubit 3d carousel as featured on valendesigns.com.
That goes for anyone who wants to make that plugin, but I think it fit right in with your tutorials Kriesi.
Keep up the good work. As always, inspired.
Ditto on that carousel! Love the effect.
@w1sh:
Contact me : // thuglife_199 @ hotmail . com // (thats my spam adres)
I can show you how to build 1 exactly the same in 15min.
Nice work Kriesi
thanks for this great post
Great! I happen to work with a webdesign agency in southern austria and did buy 1 or 2 of Kriesis Themes for some very low budget production. They were clearly some of the best Themes available on themeforest.
But back then, I didn’t realize he’s from vienna! Great job, gratuliere!
hi,
kriesi !
Greetings from Linz! :)
Nice work :) I have bought Twicet and it is really a top theme!
Keep the themes coming
Great Work!!
Great work Kriesi, I’m using your Twicet theme for my portfolio.
kriesi – Keep up with a good work and tnx for advices. Greetz from slovenia
Its really nice to get a glimpse into the successful people over at ThemeForest. Kudos.
I brought the last 3-4 WordPress themes from Kriesi
Excellent stuff.. Very clean design
Awesome work! I’ve been meaning to submit a theme or two to themeforest.
Very inspiring!
You’re really lucky to have landed on the Envato marketplaces(themeforest) as soon as it was opened,.
With the skills you already had at the time, it gives you a huge head start from the rest of us who are still trying to break into the industry.
Great article. Awesome work kriesi.
I loved the insight about shooting for the more expensive wordpress version when in actuality you can earn just as much with the html version and spend less time doing it.
You’re now a star Kriesi xD Congrats!
I hope I’m getting as successfull as you are right now :) Keep it up
grüsse aus der Schweiz.
Best of luck to Kriesi, your good at what you do.
nice interview. a bit of an advert for themeforest but still good.
i am looking at selling themes through themeforest soon but damn that 40/60 split in favour of themeforest is a steep barrier to entry.
agree’d – i think this was a themeforest blog post more than a nettuts… interesting none the less.
Great Interview ! Thanks for advices …
Excellent work!
OMG could you write a tutorial on that 3D carousel please?
http://www.kriesi.at/demos/levitation
I think many people would LOVE to build a carousel like that!
Maybe if we all ask Kriesi very nice, he can come up with something?
Who agrees with me?
Please reply to my post with…
“Kriesi… we would LOVE to build a carousel like that :)”
Cheers!
Good idea… write a tutorial. ANY tutorial. With such amazing work, I’m sure we’d all like to learn a thing or two from you. :D
I love your designs Kresi really awesome…
I hope you could write a tutorial about wordpress theme designing from scratch for nettuts I’m sure a lot of folks would like it very much!
Congratulation and thanks for sharing
very nice thanks for sharing
Some fantastic themes here, thanks for sharing with us all. As someone who is new to WordPress I am still learning just how powerful this platform is. There are some excellent examples here that show me what is possible with the right design.
It’s always interesting to see how a designer thinks so an interview like this can really open your mind into how to go about aspects differently yourself. Also finding out how a freelancer such as Kriesi approaches Twitter is worth noting, the fact that he doesn’t use this particularly often but yet still has the highest selling themes around. Proof that social networking is certainly not essential when it comes to success.
I would be interested to see more interviews in the near future, seeing how other designers approach projects can really help you and allow you to approach your work in a more efficient manner.
Kriesi Kriesi Kriesi Kriesi
Guys work is Pure Quality
More and More designers on here are starting to building more designs like his ,
He is the Defo in WordPress Standards
Wow! His portfolio on ThemeForest is really amazing! It gave me a lot of inspiration. Thanks
I think they are load of rubbish using the same limited tricks.
u can’t call it rubbish, but it’s true that a lot of things are repeating. Especially the ‘business-themes’, who are selling very well.
How did you make the carousel please?
Thanks for the interview. Very interesting to hear about the inside work. :)
ha ha, I’ve just done the math from the screenshot in the article:
guess how much: $116,790
That’s a sweet amount of cash from 8 items – an average of over $14,000 per item.
It’s well worth the time taken to develop the skills as well as the time to develop the stuff.
Men lie, women lie, numbers don’t!
Kudos Kriesi.
Numbers lie all the time. But I’m sure he’s still making big bank!
Nice Work
Great Interview…
I admired your themes, they are good to attract the eye, the colors and the style your use are nice, your interview and your themes helped me to fix my designs problems and eye catching.
Hi everyone! Thanks for your kind comments, I will definitley consider to write more tutorials in the upcoming future, most likely on my own blog since I am not sure if my written english is good enough for a NETTUTS Tutorial :)
However I am glad that my work gets recognized and once again I can only thank everyone who ever purchased one of my themes and therefore helped to make all of this possible :)
Less worry about your written english, your design speaks for itself and so as your written code ;)
I’ll be waiting for your tutorial soon Kriesi!
Congratulations dude, I working recently in new themes for sell, your work is a good inspiration for me for create them!
Very inspiring. Great!
Nice tips and very polite Interview. Very good read.
Great interview, Kriesi you are an inspiration to us all mate.
I’m glad I ran across this post today. I had my first theme rejected and I’ve been in a bad mood all day! It’s hard to keep waiting, sometimes for several days, only to be rejected. Maybe next week it’ll be accepted!
I have just calculated. It’s 141.890 $ exactly. Really good money.
Awesome interview! These answers really gave me a lot to think about. =) Thanks so much for sharing!
“I only design to a certain point in Photoshop; many of the small improvements and details that customers see in the final HTML version are added while I code the HTML and CSS.”
I’m glad I’m not the only one who does that. If somebody went through my folder of PSDs (and hadn’t seen my live sites I made from those files), they’d think I stop halfway through any project!
Hey Jeffrey thanks for doing this. Hey Kriesi thanks for being awesome at your work.
I am only about a few months old in this area of work and have no formal education in web design, but I am super charged with inspiration from authors at Themeforest.
Thanks again guys. Loving it.
@Kriesi – Can we see some pics of you ?
I’ve been surfing around learning things that i like but never worked at them which is not good. To aim for the appreciation of the community in your first try is not good either.
You inspired me! Thanks
great post, thanks for the insights
He is the best…
Love you man !!!!! “”When i see you i wanna be you!!”"