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9 Years Ago
I need to make a new one - I'm about out of the one I use now - and I don't have a pic of it - but here is one I used when I had my photo's in the same account as my digital abstracts:
Since I only sell on FAA - and I'm not really in "business" of taking photo's for people or creating art for people (as in commission) I don't have my phone # or address on the card.
9 Years Ago
Good thread idea, Bob!
For some reason, I've always liked seeing other people's business cards. Even as a kid, I collected every one I could get my hands on. I saw them as windows into a stranger's mind.
Now -- older and wiser -- I know that's only true sometimes. :-)
Here's my latest. I use three unique email accounts for different segments of my art business. Rather than order three sets of cards, as I did in the past, I've started adding a sticker to the card-back with the appropriate email and phone info. (That's what the empty space is for, though I don't always add a phone number.) Works like a charm, and is great for my budget!
9 Years Ago
Haven't sent in the order yet. The images look darker after I uploaded to the Z. Also wanted to use a vertical landscape photo but couldn't find a suitable one so went with another bird shot. Not sure that's a good idea because I don't want people to think that I only photograph birds. Do you think I should choose a landscape photo instead for the vertical or not use a vertical format at all?
Card will be double-sided.
9 Years Ago
I keep the back of my cards blank because -- that's where the notes go. People will jot down where they met you, what was discussed, the price of a particular piece of art.
More importantly, that's where I can write notes to them: great meeting you; a private number or email; Thursday at 3PM; call me maybe :-)
Dan Turner
Dan Turner's Seven Keys to Selling Art Online
9 Years Ago
I understand Dan's point of view - and there were time's I wish the back of the ones I'm using now were blank. I have the one side completely covered with one of my digital abstracts the other has easy to read information, black on white.
Need to be careful about not making the card too busy and easy to read, not outlandish script or writing that merges with the background - There's got to be a good contrast - if folks need a magnifying glass to read it - guess what - not many carry them - "I" may be the exception.
I should add that the ones I am using now have a QR block that people with phones that can read them can scan - I've seen it done three times - on one man returned the card - he said, "I've got it now." He said he would send the link in an message to himself on his computer. but he could look at the images right then.
9 Years Ago
New card business card by suburbanscenes
Find additional business cards at zazzle.com
i sell this design, after i made my own card. i didn't buy it here, but i still have the mock up here. it's two sided.
---Mike Savad
MikeSavad.com
9 Years Ago
I think Dan's got the right idea to leave the back blank and make sure the card paper is 'writable'. I didn't do that and immediately needed to write something first card I handed out! So, I need to redo mine and leave some space somewhere.
9 Years Ago
Mine are blank because the printers charge less for one-sided. But I have written info on them if required, so I too keep the one side empty.
9 Years Ago
Here are the front of mine, using a slinky to display them for a show.
These are Moo Mini Cards (about half the height of a regular business card.) You can get a pack of 100 mini cards for $19.99, each with a different design on the front and a consistent back. I use close-ups from my artwork and let whomever I'm talking to take the card that appeals to them best. That way, they are likely to hang on to your card.
If you are interested, this link will get you 10% off your first order : http://www.moo.com/share/wx2w96
I love these cards! I actually need to order more because they were all snapped up at my last show.
9 Years Ago
Hi, Nikki,
Even with a discount, Moo is too pricey for me, but . . . I'm definitely stealing your Slinky idea. Crazy clever! :-)
9 Years Ago
next fliers, it was about $20 for a 2 sided card 1000 pieces. so, what the heck. i can see where a blank side is good, but whatever. i think if people want to scribble things on the back, they would use a phone instead. and if it's for a quote, then oh well.
---Mike Savad
MikeSavad.com
9 Years Ago
The back side is white background with black ink:
Lets connect on LinkedIn ...
www.linkedin.com/in/frankjcasella
.... I promise you will value from it!
Um ... the card may not look like much ... it's really impressive once you 'touchie - feelie' the stock it is printed on and the ink used.
9 Years Ago
@Kathleen, I don't think the shot on the business card is going to make anyone think that's all you shoot. I think any shot you use would be fine. I do have a problem with your choice of fonts, it may be pretty and the purple matches the flower but it's lost on the picture. Need something a little bolder. That's just my opion.
9 Years Ago
Thank you, Bob! I wasn't sure about the font and colors either so I appreciate your advice.
9 Years Ago
Wow, these cards are all so impressive!! I like the clean look of yours, Frank, and I'll probably go that route, although with more of a logo. The minis are beautiful, Nikki. Abbie, yours is pretty ingenious, or at least I've never seen one like that before. Way to go!
9 Years Ago
After seeing the QR codes, I think I'll skip that. They are very distracting!
One of the tricks to designing a business card was taught to us in one of my graphics classes: If you think of the field you have to work with as a balance and your info/images as weights, you'll get a better sense of how to lay them out. Too much on one side would cause it to be off-balance, too weighty.
I don't see too much of a problem with the purple, Kathleen. If you put a soft glow around it, it will make it "pop" more.
9 Years Ago
So I've been thinking that maybe I don't want to change my card and leave it blank on the back but I can still see why that is a good idea....I really kinda like it being the world's smallest portfolio! My purposes for the card are to get people to visit the website and I was thinking the little mini pics would entice the people that would be interested...maybe. Also don't really want to pass out my phone number, so I did not have that printed. I used www.uprinting.com and I believe Louise Reeves - I got that tip from you. Here's mine front and back and I'll post the one I made yesterday for Rita. I don't think she has seen it as of yet. I did message her though.
9 Years Ago
I think yours looks good, Melissa. It could go either way in regards to using both the front and back.
9 Years Ago
Melissa, gorgeous on both counts!! I love the one you did for Rita, also. I may just have to "steal" your idea for double-sided with one being a mini-portfolio. Well done!
9 Years Ago
Patricia, 'steal away!' Rita just contacted me, she loves it so I'll be sending her the image. I'm glad she likes it too because I thought it was adorable, ha!
9 Years Ago
Notice that the back is a washed out version of the front, ... what?, something like an eighth-tone? ... anyhow, light enough still for people to write notes on.
9 Years Ago
Roy, the code looks like it's one of your pieces. Someone who doesn't know a thing about QR would think the same thing. I'd put another piece there and put the QR on the bottom left or right corner, slightly smaller than it is. JMHO
9 Years Ago
... or put the QR code on the back, on the left, to allow room on the right for notes. You do not want to make it too small, you know. I would actually make it bigger and put it on the back left.
9 Years Ago
I, too, use Moo.com for my business cards. They are pricier, but the fact that I can put up to 50 different images on one of the sides makes it worth it to me. Instead of a two-second "Here's my card" -- it turns into a several minute contact, while they look through all my cards, pulling out their favorites, trying to narrow it down to just one. ;-) After they've spent that much time choosing a business card, hopefully they will hang on to it for a little longer!
9 Years Ago
Parker: The words are hard to read being the same color as the graphic. Either make them black or put a drop shadow or stroke on them to make them pop.
9 Years Ago
I will resist the urge to use this excuse to post all 50 of the different images that I use on the front of the card...Moo will print a different image on each card for no extra charge. I have images of people that I hand out if I am taking street photography so that they know that I am not just any stalker, I have boating images for when I am handing them out to boaters that I have photographed and I have travel photos that I have on hand when I am traveling with a group. I also have macro flower shots that look very nice on a small card and are popular when I hand them out to the the ladies. There is no text over the photo and the back of the card is black with light grey text: Bob VonDrachek fine art photography and digital creations. I'll post three examples of the front images:
edit to add: the back of the card also has my AW url but no phone or e-mail.
9 Years Ago
When I hand out the cards and people notice that I there is a different image on each, it often results in me waiting as they go through a stack of cards looking at the different images and we talk about my photography. It makes for an excellent bonding opportunity with the potential client compared to "here take this card with my name and contact info on it" to stuff in your pocket and forget.
9 Years Ago
Went with Next Day Fliers, $20 per thousand two sided color including shipping.
Front:
3 different backs:
Was going to go with MOO but they were just too steep.
Ideally the image on the back gets people to hold onto the card, the photo on the front puts a face to the photographer and the text is a brief call to action and explains what I do and how to go buy stuff.
I'd like to have more different backside images so wherever I am in the country I could hand someone a card with an image they would recognize locally and go to the site to check it out which made the MOO cards sound good.
If these help generate some sales then maybe I'll go with them or just order a few more different designs from Next Day Fliers.
9 Years Ago
For $20 it's probably worth getting cards just for art sales and promotion. I've got ski instructor cards and had marketing agency cards too when I was doing that. Just give out whichever one is appropriate for whoever you happen to run into.
9 Years Ago
@clif
I like them, I always like bold and to the point.
Bob Slitzan
http://bobsphotography.com
9 Years Ago
Thanks, Bob.
I like yours too... the background draws my eye to your concise message, and the photo is an excellent representation of your work.
Have a great creative day,
Clif
9 Years Ago
A very attractive design, Jan. I like the clever play on words: "Holden the Moment"... and the rounded corners makes it stand out.
9 Years Ago
Thank you Cliff. I'm hoping it helps and I wanted to make sure that when I tell people my page is holdenthemoment.com that they don't type holding :) I had friends tell me that I should use my name for my future photography business but I stuck with Holden the Moment. My sister helped me think it up. Plus when I went to purchase a domain it was available and when I looked up Jan Holden it would have cost over $800. I opted for the $12 domain name and to buy a new lens for my camera lol
9 Years Ago
This has been a great party. I hate to spoil it.
I consider Twitter to be business cards gone mad.
I have sent out my Twitter profile to tens of thousands of
different people from all walks of life since October 2014.
Out of that 17.1k are "somewhat" available to new art being
tweeted. All of my art has many RTs. Some my art has
reach, unlike FB.
https://twitter.com/DavidBridburg
The idea that Twitter is business cards gone mad is an abstraction of
what Twitter's purpose is. It is an accurate impression.
Some stats from NPR radio on Twitter accounts. The average American Twitter user
has 100 to 200 followers, with 200 being some sort of high average. Remember different
industries have different averages. The average ISIL member on Twitter has
1000 followers.
I dont know what that makes my account, other than very commercial.
Dave