]]> http://www.business-cards-for-free.com/149/business/prank-goes-wrong/feed/ 9 http://www.business-cards-for-free.com/158/business/on-designing-business-cards/ http://www.business-cards-for-free.com/158/business/on-designing-business-cards/#comments Thu, 13 May 2010 10:09:05 +0000 Annette Finelli http://www.business-cards-for-free.com/158/business/on-designing-business-cards/ It is not for nothing that business cards are used by businessman of all stature. It is an effective tool to reach out to maximum number of potential customers. It helps them indirectly advertise their product or service and that too without spending lots of pounds. Since these cards introduce your business to others, it is the means through which you create the first impression. ]]> http://www.business-cards-for-free.com/158/business/on-designing-business-cards/feed/ 0 http://www.business-cards-for-free.com/133/business/why-you-need-a-business-card/ http://www.business-cards-for-free.com/133/business/why-you-need-a-business-card/#comments Sun, 25 Apr 2010 08:19:01 +0000 Annette Finelli http://www.business-cards-for-free.com/133/business/why-you-need-a-business-card/ Ever been in a scenario when someone asked you if you had a business card and you had to write your contact information on a slip of paper or a napkin?

It’s not the ideal situation, is it?

Having a business card is integral to running a successful business and networking with other people. Business cards are an extension of you and your business.

Your business card is a portable and mini version of who you are, what you do, and how to get a hold of you. It’s real estate in someone’s Rolodex as well as in their mind.

Being able to quickly trade or give a business card to a potential client or business partner is not just convenient, it’s a necessity and suggests that you are someone who takes their line of work seriously.

I can still remember various business cards over the years that have made an impact on me visually.

In fact, the card I have in mind at present is one that I received several months ago. It was from voice actor Daria M. Dutzmann. The branding was quite unique, had catchy colors and an obvious, identifiable theme.

Even though I haven’t looked at this card for a couple of months (and do not have it in front of me now), it left an impact on me and because of its originality, it still owns a piece of my mental real estate today.

While it’s good to be memorable and to brand effectively, it’s also good to make sure that you have all of your bases covered regarding the information that you make available on your business card.

What should be included as mandatory business card information?

- Your business name
- A few words describing what you do (i.e. Professional Voice Talent, Composer, etc.)
- Your first name and last name
- Your business telephone number
- Your business email address
- Your business website
- Your business mailing address

I’ve seen all kinds of business cards and something I’ve noticed along the way is that paper quality matters. It’s not necessarily about flashy colors all the time or how many of them you have. The difference that the weight of a piece of paper can make is incredible.

My sister-in-law Lisa, a graphic designer who specializes in letterpress, taught me long ago what the difference is between a common piece of paper and one that has rich, strong fibers that give a piece of paper that extra texture and durability.

If your business card selection is being made based purely on cost, don’t skimp out on the weight or quality of paper that your cards are printed on. Cards that have a physical weight or robust feel to them are associated with strength, professionalism and are pleasing to touch and examine when held in your hand.

Although business cards are extremely important and for the most part are inexpensive, some people do not purchase them because of printing and shipping costs.

If you are a member of this camp, perhaps a beginner, re-branding, or just about to move locations, there are a couple of options you can consider for more economical business card production.

You could always design the card yourself at home using a template from a software package and print off the cards yourself or explore using services on the Internet that provide printing free of charge if you agree to list their company information on the back of the card.

Printing (ink related) and paper expenses may prove too costly to print up massive quantities of business cards at home, so the second option may be more viable for you to consider.

If you are looking to get some printing done online for next to nothing, if not nothing, these services are easy to find.

Why do they offer that option?

Every time you give a card out, they get advertising for their website and printing services. By printing off your cards in a high volume, they are in effect saving money on advertising by supplying you with business cards to give away to numerous contacts. It makes more sense to have your cards bear their information and give you the cards for free than it does to throw more money into advertising on their own.

You have cards, can use them, and are happy. They made you happy, have their name printed on your cards, and may also receive more business because of that fact.

Services that offer free products also give you the option to pay for your cards without printing their information on them. The choice is yours.

Now, those are just the basics.

While you need to have effective branding, clearly communicated contact information, and a paper weight that you are comfortable with, it is possible to add bells and whistles to your business cards if you have budgeted for them.

Recently voice talent Mike Massa gave me a very impressive mini package that accompanied his business card which included a compact disc (miniature size) with his voice over samples on it.

Ingenious!

The package itself is a plastic sleeve marginally larger than his business card with enough room to slip in the CD housing his commercial and narration demos, complete with his branding on the disc and play list, including a breakdown of all the spots in each demo so that when you are listening along, you know what is coming up next.

You could think of it as a miniature jewel case with inserts only this is a soft sleeve. There is still cover art as well as the play list and Mike’s contact information. He has a regular business card in addition to this package, so if you are planning to present your prospects with something more tangible, be sure not to overlook the basic business card when marketing your talents.

Key points to remember:

- Brand effectively
- Include your full business contact information
- Be aware of the paper weight
- Do your research
- Always have a stack of business cards on hand wherever you go

dealing with Business Cards, asking for tips, hints and even full detailed instruction about how to manufacture their own Business Cards at home, using their own domestic means and knowledge.

The reason is obvious:  people want to save money, cut expenses and avoid ordering Business Cards from professional sources like Print Shops and printing websites. Most of them are students who had just graduated and are making their first steps in the long road of searching for a job, others are High School students who start juvenile businesses, many others are fired people who found themselves out of jobs and try to start all over again, and even ordinary craftsmen, tradesmen, business people, free profession people, who want to pay the list for the most in advertising and promoting themselves and their businesses.

The possibilities are available and handy. All you need are: a personal computer, the appropriate  software, a desk printer and the right type of  paper. There are professional and semi-professional software for graphics like: Photo shop, Free hand, Corral draw and Paint shop but you don’t need to have those because even “Word” of “Microsoft Office” has a Business Card designing tool.

The domestic printers of today, color laser or ink jet printer, can deliver fine colorful products and you can feed those printers with 300 gram chrome standard Business Cards paper.

Those who are looking for shortcuts and saving money in Business Cards manufacturing are winners, in the short term, and losers, in the long term. The Business Cards you distribute among people are supposed to represent you or your business. The way the card looks reflect who you are, what you think about yourself, how do you feel about what you are doing and include a hidden clue about the quality level of your image. This is why manufacturing Business Cards is a matter for professionals. There are several parameters and aspects one should take care of when it comes to design an attractive Business Card:

The background color.

Uploading a “Logo” on.

Using pictures, illustrates, photos, images, decorations and so on.

Choosing the adequate types, sized and colors of wording fonts.

Write the maximum information using the minimum words you can.

There are some professional additions to Business Cards which I can hardly think of how to produce them domestically:

Lamination.

Rounded corners.

Matching products like: magnets, stickers, fliers and so on.

Colored backside.

Vertical cards

If the motivation to create your own Business Cards by yourself is economically then you better check those professional printing websites because most of them offer 50 – 250 business cards for free , except a small price for handling and shipping. The free cards are simple and basic but respectable. If you need more than 250 cards it will cost you full price but yet we are talking about $15 to $100 (5000 cards!) with the ability to choose your preferred design out of many choices.

The bottom line is: don’t try to manufacture your own Business Cards amateurish. Leave the shortcuts and the wisecracks aside. Order your Business Cards from the professionals so you’ll be proud to circle them around and they’ll serve you right.

Click here to see the video

His name is Joel Bauer, a self-proclaimed ‘infotainer’. And sure, the video is ‘infotaining’, but the emphasis is really on the ‘taining’ because the ‘info’ is a bit thin on the ground.

The video does raise some interesting points however – namely that a good business card will provide good publicity, whilst a bad business card will provide bad publicity.

Well, that might seem obvious. But why is it that we regularly see poorly designed cards representing companies? Often home-made cards are handed out by start-ups and small companies. Why is this?

Remember, a business card provides someone with an image of your company from which they will build an impression – and it’s often the first impression they will have of you. A badly designed and produced card serves only to provide a bad first impression!

But should everyone have a business card like Mr. Bauer – foil stamped, embossed and die-cut to the shape of their face? Of course not. But there are some vital points that you should follow when putting together your business card.

Don’t try this at home

The reason people make their own cards using domestic equipment is obvious: to save money. All you need is a computer, printer, the right kind of software and the right kind of paper. Maybe even a laminator. Most people will have these to hand – especially those in business. And saving money might seem like a good idea – but remember that when you’re distributing your cards, you’re creating an image for yourself. And it’s this image that you’re hoping will drive people to use your products or services. A home-made business card will not portray a high-quality image.

Think of it as a mini-flyer

Would you send out a black and white brochure with no images, plain text and lots of white space? Of course not – but why do so many business cards exist to only portray the bare essentials – contact details – in a basic manner?

Think of a business card like a mini flyer. Keep it simple, but keep it interesting. Use colour, images or designs, an interesting & relevant slogan and your logo. Of course, the contact details should be there too. Your business card needs to capture the holder’s imagination, inspire them to get in touch with you and provide the necessary information for them to do so. Don’t make it too wordy though – it’s not a book. Give them enough information to be interested, and no more.

Keep it functional

A business card is not there just to make you look good. It’s not a vanity aid. It should also be functional. “My Company” along with “John Doe” and “CEO” means nothing to anyone. The card needs to say what your company does, and why the holder should contact you instead of your competitors.

Avoid ‘free’ business card web sites and mall booths

It might seem like a good idea, but they often offer a limited choice of basic pre-set designs and small quantities. If you want larger quantities you’ll have to pay, and your card will look exactly the same as countless others, thus cheapening your image!

Call the professionals

All the above information is moot, because the best method of obtaining high quality, functional business cards that deliver results is to contact the professionals.

While it might seem like you’re saving money printing your own, or using an instant ‘business card booth’ at a shopping centre, it might surprise you to learn that using a professional design company and printing firm could actually save you money.

This is because quantity is as important as quality. Distribute your professional quality cards en masse in order to get the word out. Utilising a printing firm for a bulk order of cards may actually cost a lot less than printing them yourself.

Three To One offer a full business card design and print service. Your design will be unique, and have the necessary impact on prospective customers that a could business card should. We offer a range of sizes and print-finishing options. Enquire to find out more at www.ThreeToOne.co.uk

Where should I design my business cards?

The very first thing you need to know is where or how do you design your custom business cards. Well, in this day in age, all business card designs are made using some desktop publishing software in a computer. You can choose from three kinds.

One, you can try to use those specialized “business card design makers” that have been solely designed for creating business cards. While this offers the best in terms of manipulating color business card elements, these kinds of software are still limited when it comes to certain color and image effects.

Your second option here is the word processing application. Many office suites like Microsoft Office or Open Office offer the feature of creating business cards using their word processor. While this may not be as flexible as the business card makers above, they do offer a more familiar platform in making business cards. Since a lot of people use word processors, learning to layout a business card in that specific application should be very easy for almost anyone.

Finally, if you are gifted a bit in digital art, you can also try using photograph or image enhancement applications such as Adobe Photoshop. With tools like this, you can really let your imagination run wild with your business card designs. As long as you are proficient with the tools, you will get what you want.

How should I layout my business cards?

The layout of your business card depends entirely on your preferences. However, if you want a simple guide or a foundation to build upon, you can just take a look at business card templates in your software or you can look at other business cards online. A quick search on business card templates should give you what you need to start out the proper layout that you want.

Where can I print custom business cards?

There are many places where you can print your business cards. The best option of course is to have it printed professionally by hiring a business card printer. There are many of those setting up shop online these days so be sure to check them out using a search engine. You also have an option however to print your business cards yourself, especially if you have a great printer.

What options should I use in printing business cards?

To get the best look for your business card, you should choose the option that gives the best added impact to the appearance of your business card. Therefore, this means choosing the thick and glossy paper stock along with glossy inks. Your business cards will shine and glimmer using these options maximizing their impact with people.

How should I give away my custom business cards?

The best way to give away your custom business cards is to have lots of them on you at all times. You do not want to encounter that great business opportunity only to miss giving them your calling card right? So always have couple of those business cards around you at all times, and when any opportunity arises, do not hesitate to give them your business card. This should maximize your opportunities significantly giving you an extensive reach and wide publicity to many possible contacts.

Great! Hopefully that gives you enough of the information you need to get started with printing custom business cards. Now, you are not a business card idiot no more.

Learn about the developments in custom business cards or print business cards industry.

Most business card stock options fall into one of these categories: paper stock, card stock, and other stock. 

Paper Stock

As you might expect, paper stock is the least expensive option simply due to the nature of the material.  Simply put, paper is not as sturdy or as “high-end” as the other 2 stock types.  The low relative price of this option has made paper, or “matte,” stock by far the most common type of business card stock you will see on a daily basis.  Of course, this cheapness applies to the perception of the card as well.  The bottom line is that a regular matte card does very little – if anything – to generate a potentially market-differentiating first impression.

Card Stock

For most companies, real cardstock is a better choice.  As the name implies, cardstock is cardboard whereas paper stock is…well, paper.  Therefore you can expect cardstock to be much more durable, long-lasting, and much better at representing your company to potential customers, clients and business partners in the best possible light. 

There are a variety of cardstocks available in the marketplace, such as glossy-ultra violet (UV), silk laminated, ivory, and synthetics.  The lowest-cost option is glossy business cards .  Glossy UV cards are appropriate for companies with limited budgets because despite the inexpensive price tag, the glossy coating ensures that they will stand out from dull and boring paper stock matte cards.  The main limitation of glossy cardstock is that the coating makes it non-writeable, and it tends to easily pick up fingerprints and miscellaneous smudges. 

For companies looking to generate an impression of class and elegance, high-quality silk is the better option.  Silk business cards are not glossy, thereby eliminating the primary limitations of glossy coated cards.  Silk cards, as the name suggests, have a silky smooth texture and are truly unique.  Even though they are a little more expensive than glossy business cards, silk business cards are still very cost-effective and thus are appropriate for companies of all sizes that occupy the higher ends of their respective niches. 

Other Stock

The third type, referred to as “other stock,” covers things like metal business cards, plastic business cards, translucent poly frost plastic business cards, and even magnetic cards.  Any of these options represent the highest end of all the possibilities, but with that comes a steep price.  You are probably looking at double or triple the price of any cardstock-based card product.  The product within this category offering the best mix of uniqueness and value is the translucent poly frost card .  This is comprised of a slim, translucent card stock, yet it is generally priced in the same ballpark as “regular” cardstocks.

Conclusion and Summary

Business cards can be split into 3 categories depending on whether they are printed on paper, cardboard, or something else.  Never settle for a paper stock business card because your customers will perceive your cards – and your company – to be on the low end of the quality scale.

Other stock, like a plastic or metal business card, is not cost effective for most companies other than those with highly specialized needs.  The only exception is poly frost plastic business card stock, which is highly unique yet still cost effective.

The best choice for the vast majority of companies is card stock due to its durability and thickness.  Glossy business cards are the least expensive, but silk business cards are usually the best choice because they are very high quality, unique, elegant, and also relatively cost effective.

One of the best tools to use in reaching out to potential customers is the business card.  These simple items can do incredible things for any company.  First, there is the benefit of being good ways to give people the basic information that they need about the services you provide.  This initial contact and basic advertising technique is a great way to bring in new customers, and take advantage of word of mouth in your local community.  Furthermore, quality placement of business cards in local retail locations or restaurants can provide a free advertisement that many people will see.

Be careful not to go overboard. There are rules of etiquette that govern the spreading of business cards.  One easy mistake to make is to include business cards in personal items.  While it may seem harmless in Christmas cards or other such items, it tends to become a situation in which the focus is turned back on to you, when really you want to be giving something to somebody else.  Despite these potential pitfalls, business cards are still a very reliable way of getting your name out, and corresponding effectively.

Aside from business cards, post cards can actually be a great way to stay in touch with customers as well.  Postcards are especially handy at keeping in touch with long held customers, or announcing major promotions.  Since postcards are relatively inexpensive, and can be sent in the mail for a small amount of money, they are excellent ways to reach people at home.

Furthermore, they are simple, and not as intrusive as more complex mailings.  If your company has a solid base of consistent customers, but wants to hold a special sale or event to get many of them in at once, a post card is a great idea.  Announcing the sale on the front with some sort of fitting image will grab attention, and then there is ample space on the back to give important details.  The same goes for any sort of grand opening or clearance type of activity.  By getting local addresses together you can mass mail announcements and be sure that they will reach a substantial number of people.  Sure, some will just throw it away immediately, but people are always looking to save many and experience better service.  Bringing to their attention, through a postcard, that you are planning something special is a great way to get people’s attention.

Another way to reach people is to use magnets. They hold basically the same overall function as business cards, presenting essential information in a small space.  The difference is that magnets provide a service to the person who gets them.  While business cards and other such items are easily discarded, magnets often end up on the refrigerator.  Then, when parents show off the various things they like to hang up, people will also see the information about your work.  There is also more freedom in designing magnets.  The standards of professionalism that are required by business cards are not nearly as strict when it comes to magnetic art.  Magnets should be presentable and attractive, but creative as well.

A more common way to keep people up to date with what is going on in your company is a simple newsletter.  While the process sounds simple, newsletters are surprisingly difficult to make useful.  Unless you include important, relevant information in the newsletter, people will likely throw it away quickly.

It is important, if you are going to use a newsletter, to make it a worthwhile read.  There are a few general ways to accomplish this. Start by maintaining a consistent format. Your audience needs to know where to look for different types of news, or they will be quick to simply ignore it, and use a different source for information.  A second rule of thumb is to use enough pictures and other images to attract attention, but not so much that they are dominant.  Content should still be the focus. Also, there should never be mistakes in a good newsletter.  This will turn people off immediately, and make your efforts fruitless.  If done well, a newsletter can be an invaluable tool for promotion.

There are plenty of effective ways to keep your company’s name ringing in the ears of your customers. Utilizing business cards, postcards and newsletters can provide the level of promotion unmated by other means. Quality business cards, postcards, magnets and newsletters are tools that can help drive any institution towards success.  However, you should be sure to put the effort into these items that is needed, or they could backfire.

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