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Should a business card be all business?

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macrumors 6502
Original poster
Jul 17, 2002
329
28
As I stated in another thread, I'm currently revising my company identity.

As I got to the business card, I came to a crossroads; should a business card always be straight forward and a basic 3.5 x 2 inch piece of cover stock or is it always better to have a funky card design that makes the user jump through a hoop to get to the information they want to see? Maybe there is a gray area in between?

I like the idea of fun business cards, especially since I'm a designer. But I find myself wondering if it would turn off most marketing executives that just see the utility in them (that they are a vessel that carries necessary information) and nothing else.

Anybody have any thoughts? Maybe I have too much time on my hands, hence the need to finish my identity work and get some new business!
 
All business... with a twist.

But I'd never make it difficult to get the information.
 
I had a guy give me his business card once which i still remember clearly....

it was one of those small CDs with cut off sides (It wasn't completely round). All the "necessary" information was printed right on the CD and when i loaded the CD into the computer, it had his resume on it. It wasn't just a DOC, it was a proper presentation which went on when i started the CD.


It was extremely well done.

Maybe you can have some of your previous designs on it etc so people can see you work too.
But, with that being said, i'm sure the cards were expensive.
 
TheNewDude said:
I had a guy give me his business card once which i still remember clearly....

it was one of those small CDs with cut off sides (It wasn't completely round). All the "necessary" information was printed right on the CD and when i loaded the CD into the computer, it had his resume on it. It wasn't just a DOC, it was a proper presentation which went on when i started the CD.


It was extremely well done.

Maybe you can have some of your previous designs on it etc so people can see you work too.
But, with that being said, i'm sure the cards were expensive.
Click to expand...

They are cool and very functional.

The idea ran across my mind, but the cost would be more than I can take on right now. Also, I'm not sure you can use these mini discs with slot-loading drives, like on most Macs.

I'll have to look into these later on as my business grows.
 
Cursor said:
They are cool and very functional.

The idea ran across my mind, but the cost would be more than I can take on right now. Also, I'm not sure you can use these mini discs with slot-loading drives, like on most Macs.

I'll have to look into these later on as my business grows.
Click to expand...


Don't do a mini disc card. It was a fashion that went away when people found out that they jam in computers. Not cool. Especially when you are trying to impress someone. Use a flash key drive instead and then attach your business card to it. It's more expensive but it might be worth buying cheaper flash drives in bulk and then only handing out to special clients. Just have your regular business card as a backup.

Another option is to design a leave behind. Inside, you would make room for a dvd or cd of your portfolio, your business card, maybe a printed resume, and a few samples of work. When I did mine, I made a small booklet of 5 select projects that was inserted into a pocket of the leave behind.

As for the business card... it's one of the hardest things to design because you have so many limitations - and it's often the focal point of contact. The number one rule is that it has to be readable and functional - you can't stray too far from the standard formats or you risk having it tossed away. Secondly, it should be affordable to your budget. Third, it needs to integrate with the message you want to say about what you do and who you are. And finally, if you can design it so that it makes your message memorable, then you've hit the jackpot. For example, I saw a business design card design that was done for a dentist. It had a diploma kind of frame around it and it looked quite formal. When you flip it over, it had dental floss that was attached like a hanger-wire. And even though it looked real... the floss was actually a photo of the floss. And the floss was tied to connectors that I believe were foil stamped to the card. Hard to explain, but it looked really cool and it said a lot about the business.

It's always worth it to come up with a really clever way to present yourself, but you have to make sure it can be done and that it's affordable. I had a buddy of mine redo his identity. He was really excited about his concept - it had an unusual die cut and intricate score for folding. The mockup he showed me was really nice. Then he went to get them printed... if I remember correctly, it was going to cost him $600 for 500 cards. Needless to say, he pulled back on the design.
 
I like the concept of simple/all-business.

One area that might be interesting for prospective clients, is the "Augmented Reality" microsite.

Basically, the back of the card would have a simple black and white geometric symbol printed on it, and a URL to the microsite.
Go to the site, and hold up the symbol in front of a webcam; an application on the site will map 3d objects or video onto the card.
It's fairly astonishing for the uninitiated, and if well done, might even be useful as a promotional tool.
(those impressed by your "AR bizcard" are likely to show it to others)

Here's a video tutorial for creating basic AR content.
http://www.gotoandlearn.com/play.php?id=114
 
Surely the answer to that is in your Brand. What sort of company are you? Are you all business, or are you funky, are you a family business, what is your Brand. A brand is more than your logo. It is everything about your business, from the way you answer the phone, to your business card, to the clients you chase and service.

Ask yourself "What sort of company am I", and then make the business card to suit, and then it will strengthen your brand.
 
Just going through the same process, rebranding the company I work for... My design brief is *awesome*, "make it cool!"

So I have no idea what to do... :eek:
 
ezekielrage_99 said:
Just going through the same process, rebranding the company I work for... My design brief is *awesome*, "make it cool!"

So I have no idea what to do... :eek:
Click to expand...

Ha! Isn't that typical? I'm sure it's due tomorrow, too. Or "It's due next week, but sooner is always better".

The toughest thing I've ever had to do, is rebrand myself. I'm just unsure and second-guessing everything I'm doing.
 
Cursor said:
Ha! Isn't that typical? I'm sure it's due tomorrow, too. Or "It's due next week, but sooner is always better".

The toughest thing I've ever had to do, is rebrand myself. I'm just unsure and second-guessing everything I'm doing.
Click to expand...

LOL, but at least it's not as bad as getting this from a client

I will not be paying you for the work because FREELANCE implies it's FREE. Don't freelancers work for free anyway?

Why would I pay for a free service it makes no sense?
Click to expand...
 
Are there any programs, preferably FREE programs, on the Mac that allow one to design a personal business card??
 
citizenzen said:
Oh no they didn't! :eek:
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Oh they sure did... I ended not getting paid but let them out of the contract, it wasn't worth the hassle. But the whole time they were under the assumption that freelance was free, and ironically did burn through a few designers in the process.

Suffice to say you get what you pay for ;)


TheNewDude said:
Are there any programs, preferably FREE programs, on the Mac that allow one to design a personal business card??
Click to expand...

I would either use Inkscape (free) or Pages, IMHO for ease of use they'd be the best option.
 
Kevin Mitnick had the best business card ever. It's a lock pick set from a security consulting firm if you don't get it.

km.jpg


My business card has my logo top left, name/position/email/cell top right and company name, address, office number on bottom right. Logo on back bigger than card so part of it is cut off by the sides
 
ezekielrage_99 said:
My design brief is *awesome*, "make it cool!"

So I have no idea what to do... :eek:
Click to expand...

Story of my life.

me: "So what do you want the lower thirds to look like?"
client: "Just make them POP and look COOL."
me (a day later): "How's this?"
client: "Nice but not really what we are looking for."
me: "So what are you looking for?"
client: "I don't know, something cool."
me: smashing my keyboard over my monitor hoping the client dies in a horrific bus vs bicycle accident later in the evening.

sigh....
 
Cursor said:
The toughest thing I've ever had to do, is rebrand myself. I'm just unsure and second-guessing everything I'm doing.
Click to expand...

I have seen many small studios "trade" this kind of work... if you have two studios who respect each other, have each do the other studio's brand... that way it is not "precious" and you can really be creative and have fun with it.

A few years back I "rebranded" a very well known advertising/interactive agency. Its not that they didn't have designers on staff to do it, they wanted someone on the outside to try and capture their corporate culture. It was a really fun project that allowed me to deliver something that made them laugh at themselves.
 
ezekielrage_99 said:
..........

I would either use Inkscape (free) or Pages, IMHO for ease of use they'd be the best option.
Click to expand...

I checked out Inkscape. Seems a bit complicated. I'm no graphic designer or artist. Just a regular dude wanting some business cards for personal use. Before stumbling upon these posts I was trying to make them in MS Word :S
 
Interesting discussion, always good to show that your capable of some good thinking. You could have a few card types, and use your ability to read people before deciding which card to give. Say a clean functional card for some, maybe for the people who you find the door into early you can have a bit of fun with a strap line on the back saying "....will work for food", or say you run late for a meeting, have a card with "sorry I'm late" on one side. I have done this and I really enjoy breaking the ice across a table, by slipping the "sorry, i'm late" card.....
 
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