Business Card Concept

[Myriam]

Hello everybody!

It's been a long time, too long, since I've been here but I have to get back to what I like the most and try to get the business going.

I've been fiddling with a design for a business card. Tried many things for a long time without coming up with anything satisfying. However, I think I finally have something worth showing.

I'd like to hear your opinion/suggestions!

[Ferg]

Hello everybody!

It's been a long time, too long, since I've been here but I have to get back to what I like the most and try to get the business going.

I've been fiddling with a design for a business card. Tried many things for a long time without coming up with anything satisfying. However, I think I finally have something worth showing.

I'd like to hear your opinion/suggestions!

You have been a member for a long time so it would not be appropriate to say welcome but don't stay away so long next time.

I like your card. My youngest daughter is a Graphic Artist. When I get the chance I will show her your card and see what she thinks.

ferg

[bruce johnson]

Myriam,

I like the graphics a lot. Everytime I think I have something that will make a good graphic I do something I think I'd like better. These all get trumped by running out and making a panic order just like last time.

My suggestions are kind of based on who you are giving these out to. I would put your name on them. I think that gives them a more personal feel to have name to go along with the business. Also I had some made up that they put the phone number with the periods to separate things out. Is that a new convention for phone numbers? Several customers didn't figure out that was the phone number. It even took a very close relative who bakes pies and lives with me a minute to figure out that was our phone number. I had them reprint the cards with the area code in parentheses and the seven digit separated with a dash - no more confusion for the traditionalists. Mailing addresses are good, I get a few orders every year that way, and most of my payments. It saves them calling again for the address. My thoughts.

[BIGGUNDOCTOR]

My thoughts are that braiding, and leatherwork cover a LOT of ground. You may want to put down some specifics like braiding of bridles, hondas, quirts, whips, whatever ,and for leatherwork put down what you do specifically IE; saddles, purses, repairs, wallets, holsters,etc.

Some folks still are not connected to the net, or have very slow dial up connections that make searching a picture heavy website difficult.

Use the card to separate you from all of the other braiders, and leatherworkers out there.

[TwinOaks]

I, too, think you need your name on the business card. It conveys a sense of dealing with a person instead of a business entity.

[Myriam]

Ferg:

Thanks. I'm eager to know what your daughter thinks. I'll be posting a revised version at the end of my message, so be sure to grab that one too!

Bruce:

Good idea about putting our names. I totally agree, gives it a more personal feel. About the phone number format, it's been around for a few years. I'm glad you gave me some insight about it though. Don't want people wondering what the heck it is, I want them to call! We'd rather not put our mailing address on there. Personal preference. If enough money starts coming in from this, then maybe we'll get a P.O. Box and put that on there.

Big Gun Doctor:

Good idea too about being a little more specific. At first, I didn't want to list anything so I wouldn't limit ourselves or have some people not call because what they want isn't listed. But I think I figured out a way of going around that problem.

Mike:

I agree. I just posted a revised version.

To everyone (whether you have replied or not):

I've taken in the comments received so far and came up with a revised version. Here it is. What do you think? Am I going in the right direction?

Edited January 30, 2011 by Myriam

[Myriam]

Bump!

Anybody else have comments/suggestions?

Edited February 2, 2011 by Myriam

[Ken Nelson]

I like it, I might add that in my opinion anyone getting business cards have them done on the best stock they can afford. A poor quality business card speaks poorly of a business. A retired executive told me this a long time ago and it took me a long time to figure out he was right. Besides the life expectancy of a a high quality card, slick on both sides is MUCH longer than an inexpensive card. Just my 2 cents worth. Ken

[Janne]

^ What he said. I assume you are going to get them printed in color, right?

I really do like the font on "Dakota braiding & leather work". Really good find, that alone communicates "good business" to me I also like the no-nonsense marketing text on the backside, I think that is something you really don't see much over here in Finland.

I also do like the image you have chosen, but I'd perhaps fiddle with its size. I mean, I'd probably scale that down slightly to give the card a bit more free space (free space communicates, too).

In my opinion the texts (your names & numbers) are too close to each other making them a bit hard to read. So scaling down the image may let you give a tad more leading between the rows.

Have you already printed out some test pieces? If not, I'd do that in order to see how the elements in the card look like in relationship to each other in real size.

[Bar C Leather]

I think it looks great. I agree 100% with Ken about quality of the cardstock and gloss is a good idea.

I would personally change "We do a variety of articles..." To "We create" or even "We make" or "hand craft"

[Myriam]

Ken:

I totally agree with you about the quality of the card stock. I have a high-end photo printer that I will use to print the cards. Still looking for the right paper though. I want something that'll last (good thickness and smooth on both sides) but not too expensive either. We currently have more urgent expenses so I don't mind cutting a 100-200 cards by hand to start with if it means saving the cost of professional printing.

Janne:

Glad to hear I nailed the font for the business name. I lost track of how many fonts I tried!

I added more leading between the phone numbers and it does make a big difference. I guess I stared at the card for so long that I didn't even realize they were too close together! I also tried shrinking the picture on the front side and it does make everything breathe better. I'll have to take another picture of the braiding though 'cause I don't have more showing on either sides and I'd like to keep everything looking like a it's in a rectangular shape rather than an hour glass shape. Will do that tomorrow when the sun's up and will post a revised version.

Bar C Leather:

Like I said to Ken, we can't afford professional printing for now. But I'll keep the idea about the gloss, even though I'd prefer a semi-gloss. It would still have the more professionally done side without making the cards too hard to read under harsh lighting.

Good idea about using "We create" or "We make" instead of "We do." I'll discuss with my hubby which one of your suggestions we want to use and I'll implement the change.

[BIGGUNDOCTOR]

My first business cards were inexpensive matte stock, bright yellow, with black lettering. When we moved we got new "nicer" cards. The customers liked the old ones because they were really easy to spot in the stack of white cards.

Why was the Sears catalog deliberately smaller then the Monkey Wards catalog? How do you stack books? Smallest on top. A unique card can have its advantages. I have wooden cards, playing card cards, and various shaped cards in my collection. They can help someone remember you.

I have a Rolodex, but a lot of people scan the cards into their computer then toss it. I hate glossy cards because they are difficult to write notes on. Think about where the card is headed. A Rolodex, binder, computer, etc. how durable does it need to be? I have a couple in my wallet, but that is just to bring them home where they are tossed on the desk with many others to be sorted later. Whatever yo do do not use an ink jet to print them out. The ink runs at the slightest hint of moisture.

[bstomper]

Hi Myriam,

Me personaly I like buisness cards that you can write on the back of. Great when a buisness gives you a quote or estmate.

Just an idea...

Bstomper

[Ken Nelson]

Most of my referal customers are horse people, especially cowboys. 99% of these guys tuck the card down into their wallet for future reference. I believe the glossy cards on heavy, high quality paper last longer in a wallet, in fact I have had several comments the last couple of months about how good they stand up. First and Formost though, you should be comfortable with your card. Don't do something just because someone does it. That said, I like to use someone else's trial and error whenever I can. The studio that does mine, charges me less than what I can do them for myself and as I am not good on a computer and do not have a really good printer, they are far better than what I could ever do for myself. I buy a 1000 at a time and they are NICE, HIGH QUALITY, OF MY DESIGN AND THEY ARE REASONABLY PRICED (YOU COULD EVEN SAY CHEAP). Ken

[mulefool]

I like the overall look, I've used that font as well becuase it looks so nice. I especially like the photo, the composition is pleasing and it really shows the attention to detail in your work. good luck with it. Chris

[Saddlebag]

Mine aren't even card stock. I switched to good quality paper as I'd heard too many complaints about wallets being too fat with business cards. Mine are easy to write on and take up almost no room at all. I'm lucky, my address is already a box number and because I get most of my work from "long distance" my email address is included. There's an old expression, what you heard isn't what I said, so I prefer that my instructions are written in an email. Myriam, I do like your card. Very nice.

[Myriam]

Took a while longer than I expected but I finally have a new version to show.

I've made the following modifications:

- card front: reduce the size of the picture and give more leading between the names and phone numbers;

- card back: added "leather" in the first paragraph and changed "We do a variety..." to "We make a variety..." in the second paragraph.

A big thank you to all who have commented so far. Your ideas really helped me think about the cards and some things I hadn't thought about or noticed. I guess we're ready to print them now, but I'll wait a bit, in case someone here notices a big boo-boo I missed

[Myriam]

Just thought I'd report on my home-printed cards. I used Avery's Ivory Two-Side Printable Clean Edge Business Cards and my Epson Stylus Photo R2400 printer. I don't know if it's Avery's paper and/or the inks in my printer, but the cards are smudge proof. I even wetted one so much that now it's wavy. No amount of pressure could get the ink to smudge though.

The package doesn't say how thick the cards are, but it's the same thickness as most business cards around. The paper surface is matte and baby-skin smooth. It takes pen or pencil beautifully if you want to write on them.

In regards to being smudge proof, your mileage may vary depending on the type of printer (inks) your have, but I would definitely recommend Avery's products, especially the Clean Edge series. You really can't tell that the cards were not printed by a print shop.