Is The Business Card Dead Or Alive?

i made them. i don't talk to anyone. to really make them work you have to have a dialog to a person who is already interested and the card is just to remember you by. some people leave them in odd places like wedged in the pipe of a urinal. i don't know if they work or not.

others use the QR code and attach it to a url tracking site so they can see if someone used it or not. i suppose if i was more aggressive with them i would hide them in odd places.

---Mike Savad

It's not dead. But in the age of the internet they definitely aren't used as much as they used to be. There's still a use for them though.

Like if I'm out and I get to talking with someone and they want to keep in touch, I'll hand them a card with all my website info on it. You can have them made at $10 per box, so there's really not a lot to lose by having them.

--Roz Barron Abellera

I was asked for a card just last week, after talking with one of the mothers of a kid in my robotics class. Talking to people is much more effective then dropping them on the ground or hiding them in a library book. '-)

Good grief - I use them every day! I leave one with every restaurant charge, I leave them on bulletin boards, I pass them out when I am out shooting and people want to know where they can see my art, I leave one with every street performer I shoot, ... I can't imagine NOT using them.

I always try to keep a few in my wallet. Never know when they might come in handy.

I am almost out of the 1,000 I ordered last year. Most of them went to people that visit my booth at art shows.

They are a cheap way of advertising so why not use them?

Thanks everyone for your feedback, keep it coming! The best advise I ever got about business cards is that they are like a pocket billboard, and you don't get a second chance at first impressions. Unlike swapping contact information, the 'touchy feely' of the business card makes an impression about YOU.

So what do you include on your business cards: email address, website ( which one; Pixels or AW ), address or just your phone number. Do you have a call to action line printed on the back of your cards?

Frank what is "call to action" exactly?

Simply, Sydne, its about ten words that calls a person ( your prospect ) to take action. Some people use a mission statement if it is compelling enough.

It is still alive, in both forms now. What is the issue though is storing them. And now they even come up with an app for that lol.
No I believe business cards are here to stay.

I carry around standard 2x3.5 cards and for shows, etc., I have 4x6 ones. I just have my name, email, websites and what I do on them. I stopped including my phone number-too easy to then get solicitation calls. I always design my own and change the design each time I run out of them. This time around, it's a camera lens bursting through a stone wall.

Anyone else besides Louise using non standard size cards? I've been needing to do new ones. For years I've been printing them myself but I'm thinking of a non standard size like maybe a 4x6, bookmark size, or the 1/2 size by moo.com........having a hard time deciding!

I have a double sided business card. One side is for my art business. On that side I have my website daricemachel.com (which is linked to my AW site) my email and my phone number. On the other side is my art school business. I have that website, art-estudio.net, my email (same as the art side) and phone number. It's very handy to have both on one card. I hand out a lot of cards and get pretty good responses. Not everyone I hand my card to looks at both websites because they may only be interested in either my art or my school.

I've used a square 2x2 card for years, and they make quite an impact. They are printed both sides, with no "call to action". I try to invite the person I have given the card to stay in touch as a form of a call to action. I've never given a thought as to whether the business card was dead, because I still hand enough to make it worthwhile.

-YoPedro

I use a post card size business card, my customers ask me for them all the time and they ask for extra ones to give to their family and friends. It's an essential business tool and I could not imagine running a business with it, unless your business is totally online only and even then I could still see a need for the business card, it's not going out style any time soon, just make the best card you can afford and don't go the cheap route as it's the first impression you make with a customer.

Absolutely necessary IMO.

Say you went to a 30th reunion and meet the girl of your dreams. By girl of your dreams I mean an interior designer that is right in the middle of the "scene" where your art works and works well. No business card? Lets hope she remembers your web site that you wrote on a napkin. Good luck with the latter btw.

I print my own glossy photography business cards in two different batches; one for my Asphalt Nebula oil stains and the other for my cars. Each has an image that fills one side, with the other containing contact info that includes a url and QR code for my AW site and a url for FAA. I have tiny icons for Pinterest, facebook and Wanelo. I'm a huge fan of QR codes and while my conversations steer potential clients to my AW, I include the reference to FAA because it shows I'm affiliated with a professional organization. I always leave a card in "free lunch" raffle boxes at restaurants, mirror seams in bathrooms and other targets of opportunity. But I've never left one in a library book....

I also print pics from one of these categories with contact info on 4 x 6 glossy stock (the kind that's frequently bundled with replacement printer ink sets) and along with my business cards I carry them in a "murse" -- a small male handbag or tote -- whenever I go out. I leave them with select people I meet, put them on bulletin boards, include them with the tab tray or billfold at a restaurant or bar, etc. I also send them to local auto body shops and SF bay area exotic car dealerships.

I'm a retiree on a fixed income that affords absolutely no wiggle room for expensive paid advertising, let alone the outlay for a professional physical portfolio to show to galleries. I don't even have pieces to display at a coffee shop. Everything I have is purely digital. So I've created two different 5-image slide shows on my laptop and if I'm going someplace indoors where I may be meeting art lovers and collectors (wine bars, "Friends of Laphraoig" or "Ardbeg Committee" scotch tastings, for example) there may be an opportunity to casually show them. I have found that in impromptu encounters most people don't want to sit through an extensive portfolio and if they're not convinced of your talent after 5 images, they won't be swayed by 15 more. At least not in those settings.

Back to just business cards, though, mine always get dog-eared if I keep them in my junky wallet, so If I don't take my murse, my cards go into a business card holder that keeps them fresh. I always keep them in my camera case, backpack, change holder in the car, bass guitar cases -- everywhere I can think of.

Thanks everyone for your feedback, its very encouraging. Before the internet became such an everyday thing in our lives I used to distribute at east a thousand cards each month. Come to think of it, that is when ( my ) business was more profitable. Mario Is right to not skimp on your business card. I have been a rep for a nationwide printer since 1995 and, back when more businesses printed brochures, I would tell a business owner who could not afford to do a brochure to really use business cards to full potential. It worked. My business cards are 2 1/4 X 3 1/2 size, and this works nice because they fit in the card stack you would collect ( say from a networking show ) but just a pinch larger to stick out of the stack. And what do you do with the odd size card in a stack ... put it at top or bottom of the stack. Darice, you're like the fifth person in the last month who I know has two cards back to back. Makes me think.

Keep the ideas coming ... thanks again !!

I carry business cards on every photoshoot and some of my sales have come directly from meeting people. When someone starts asking questions about photography, I give them the best answer that I can and give them a card.

July 4th, I was talking with a couple before the fireworks started and the man took out his iPad mini and started cruising my site. Next thing you know, his woman points at a picture and says, "Oh, I gotta have that one." The next week it sold and it was the largest print that I have sold so far (84 inches) and although I cannot be absolutely sure it was them that bought it, it was shipped to where the woman was from.

Melissa, check out UPrinting.com for a lot of different sizes for cards, bookmarks, etc. Their quality is excellent and very reasonably priced. If you're not sure of something, their live chat will walk you through it.

thanks Louise!

Samuel

Is it cheaper to print your own than order them from a place like Vista? I know they are pretty cheap to buy them from there and all you have to do is open the box.

This is my business card. My name has a silver foil.

I also had these printed for a show in Michigan. Something someone could put on the fridge like a postcard (they are postcard size) and more likely to keep them.

David -- that is an amazing illustration of the power of business cards.

John -- you can get cheap cards from Vista and Moo but sometimes the shipping costs more. I've also had a number of clients who have come to me because Vista cut their cards off the trim line, etc. When you spend a little more for quality printing you're investing in your customer's patronage. It really works.

John,
I have yet to order from Vista or anywhere else, so I can't answer if that's ultimately more cost effective. I only do batches of 50 or less because I don't want 500 identical cards; I want to change the image and layout, frequently. I actually want my cards and postcards to be unique so that every time I return to a bar or restaurant I can leave a different version in their lunch raffle or along with the final receipt they keep. And if I'm interacting with a group of people each one gets a card with a different image so they feel it's uniquely their own. Hopefully....

The business card or post card could have a call to action like: Visit Me on FAA. If FAA...being in the POD business...offered a couple of formats to its hundreds of thousands
of artists/photogs, it could have a cadre of reps out in the field like Avon ladies of old. Make money on the print, make money on the business and attention it brings to FAA.
The real way to do this is to facilitate us having a QR code on our sites and on our promo materials. What is wrong with this idea; must be something I'm missing?

I'm in the process of redoing mine and there is a lot of buzz on the use of Minnie's that can have 50 different images on them they have all kinds of reusable uses as well like tags for gifts, ornament for a tree, included as a thank you when sending out an order even add a 1 in x 6 in backing for a bookmark with a purchase of your art. I saw them on Moo.com and they have even more uses listed on there but i may have to go to a combo half reg size and half mini as I would love to have a QR code for our AW site and i wish to list the other FAA and Pixel sites as well.
I do know if your doing business overseas the business card is most important and you are to greet each other card in hand first and exchange them (i had to do this in China and Korea for a show there) and it had to say Made in the USA on it.

Vista and Moo are only cheap if you take the bait version. IF you switch, then they end up being in the same ballpark as MPIX and other printers. (Bait version being a basic card on cheap stock printed on one side, and if I recall correctly I couldn't use my art as the background on them.) It is also worth noting that you NEED to read the ToS on the card printing sites. One, can't remeber for sure but I think it was Vista, had in the ToS that any image uploaded could be used for card designs beyond your own with no compensation to you.

I also only get batches of 50 and vary them with each batch. I have them printed front and back with my art then the needed info.

Betty & Kim -- you and I are on the same page. I'd like to simplify it though. I didn't realize until this thread the number of artist who have their own cards, so it answers the question to the title of this thread. So, it would be practical along with the sales sheets PDF we can print out on each image to also include a link for a business card using that image. Those sales sheets have a QR code on them. Also, many printers today allow a PDF to be supplied for printing the cards, so we could bring it to the printer of our choice. Likewise, we could have such a link on our Behind the Scenes that included a QR code to our gallery page instead of the image page as previously mentioned. So the application is there, it just needs to include business cards.

JC -- You're right about Vista. But in batches of 50 aren't you paying at least 50¢ each piece or more??

Yupp, 40 cents each.

One 36 inch print sale buys 450 cards.

Cheap compared to the 1700 each I am going to spend on a couple different magazine adds next year.

I print my own business cards that I designed. One side is a work of art (mine) the other contains two smaller images of my work and a QR code and under that my AW site link, www.rdEricksonfineart.com .

I have had people scan the qr code with their phone - check the site - and return the card - they've got it saved - and don't need to take it with them.

About my cards...

1) I have no call to action on my cards.
2) I do "upgrade" to quality card stock and a gloss finish (and have received compliments about that "touch").
3) The back of my card is blank to provide space for note-writing.
4) I do NOT use FAA or AW - Instead I use my own domain, USPictures.com, that I direct to land on my AW. (I can easily change it - if ever necessary).
5) The image on my card is the same as my logo (here, to the left) and, yes, includes the URL.
6) I also have a matching image on a polo shirt (small, on front only) and a T-Shirt (large on both front and back) that I usually wear when out shooting somewhere - or attending a photo event.
7) I have matching magnetic signs for the doors on my Jeep Wrangler.

~ Bill
~ USPictures.com

Vista is having a sale that ends today, August 5th:

50% off Premium cards.

250 for $7.99

You can always get a lower offer from Vistaprint - buy getting an order together and into the shopping cart - but not completing the purchase. In about two days you will receive an email offering a nice discount to complete the purchase. :)

~ Bill
~ USPictures.com

Samuel, if you are only doing 50 at a time I understand doing it yourself.

I used gotprint.com for my postcards and Vista for my business cards.

The postcards cost about $65.00 for 1,000 color both sides. Like I said, with the "tourist" shot people seem to be more likely to hold onto your card (maybe on the fridge?)

The problem with mine is that I had the name of the city printed on the shot where the show was located. I was going to use the extra postcards when I did the same show the following year. Well, they canceled the show so I am "stuck" with the extras. I plan on going to local tourist spots in the town and asking the business owners if they would be willing to give out the postcards to their customers. Of course, I won't charge the business for the cards and they can help their customers remember their trip. I assume they would be willing to do it, it doesn't cost them anything and I can at least use them to get my name out. I actually should have done this months ago before the tourist season started!

Frank,
Do you have the ear of Sean or whomever runs FAA? You obviously grasp what I mean and I agree that it would be best to be able to
do the cards, promo material and bar code ANYWHERE, but I still think FAA is looking a gift horse in the mouth if they did not
do this and make it easy for people like me. I am so lacking in technical skills that I don't grasp exactly how I could do what
you say...the PDF and QR code and take it to a printer. I'd like it to go to the home page where I chose galleries to open.
I'm sorry that I'm a bit off track on the initial question but to me it makes a difference whether or not I have promo stuff AT ALL.
Seems to make sense mainly IF there is the QR link.

Thanks for your encouragement Bettey. I don't have the ear of Sean I'm afraid. My only wish is that if I knew the next time he comes home to Chicago to visit family, that I sit down with him. But like I say, that is only a dream. I know EXACTLY what you are saying though.

Frank,
He's obviously one smart fellow to have designed and constructed FAA so that it has almost the world market in original art and a huge
presence in photography. So many search engines, links, new alliances is world class, but this idea would
help us a lot. Maybe a cadre of AVON ladies from the 50s is the wrong image but we would turn into free sales reps spreading
the word like wild fire every time someone scans the code with the smart phone. I see FAA as the ultimate winner even more than us
as artists but it would be an assist to our sales! (Just to link to one piece wouldn't be as good for me I think as to go to my home page
and galleries.) Let me know if you open another thread and maybe you will get to 'sit down' and get your brain picked! Thanks for your
expertise and interest.

I have used Vista and my experience was horrible. They ruined my design and then wouldn't reprint them.
Uprinting starts at about $.08 a card for business cards and no set up fee. I haven't found any site that does it for that price (1,000 will cost you less than a nickel) and their quality.

I don't know that FAA could compete with that. Those sites go by volume ( I could not get pricing on Vista's site without uploading an image and then signing in-not a good sign to me) so FAA would have to do a LOT of printing and they don't print onsite anyway, so they essentially would be a middleman.

Louise,

Gotprint will print 1,000 color both sides for $.03 each.

Obviously its important to shop to make sure you're comparing paper stock, size, and if its off-set press or digital press.


I've been thinking about a call to action for the back of my cards, what do you think of this?

'Visit my site and see what's clicking! 30-day money-back guarantee.'

'Visit my site and see what's clicking! 30-day money-back guarantee.'

Good idea. Not only a call to action but a statement about a guarantee. I may have to "borrow that." LOL

Just keep it small enough so there is plenty or room on the card back for note-taking. I went to a trade show a few years back with this really cool calendar on the back of the card - and heard from several people over three days about it being difficult to write anything on the card. :(

~ Bill
~ USPictures.com

Yeah Bill I made the exact same mistake. Now I just ask the person if they're on LInkedIn, which is so about 90% of the time, and mark an "L" on the back of the card.

... go ahead and borrow CTA .... just don't show up to the same networking events I do. ... Just kidding !!

By the way, I may change that to " Visit my gallery and see what's clicking! " So change 'site' to 'gallery'.

Now you've got me thinking if I should mention LinkedIn on my next order...

"Louise,

Gotprint will print 1,000 color both sides for $.03 each."

Yea, just checked them out-same pricing as Uprinting. What I notice with all these sites is they change their pricing almost as much as gas stations. They're always within a certain range ( although some charge set up fees, which I avoid like Ebola) but comparable. Only one I refuse to go to is Vista. Their customer service sucks, their printing is awful.

What do you mean Louise?

On my next business card order, think it would be a good idea to also list my LinkedIn page? Granted it goes by name so no biggy, but it would put it up there so whoever has the card knows.

AHH !! Put it on the back with a check-off box. Get it ??

OK, Frank, my slight variation: 'Visit USPictures.com to see what's clicking! 30-day money-back guarantee.'

~ Bill
~ USPictures.com

Visit USPictures.com AND see what's clicking!

Thanks everyone for your feedback. I have learned that the business card IS alive.

Closing thread now ...