Leather Business Cards

[Potroast]

Dear EDC,

I meant what I said in my initial post that my words are not to damn you, but to shed the view of an outsider. I shared my feedback as you asked this community for feedback.

When you ask a group for feedback - you have to accept and process all of the feedback, the nice and fuzzy as well as the honest feedback that can seem shocking to you. It's usually the hard to take feedback that can show you an opportunity. Focus the information on your item and marketing plan - not you.

To answer the question you posed to me, I would contact Joyce to make a leather business card stamp if I wanted one. (Now stay with me.) As this board is for helping eachother, brainstorming information sharing... not for selling items. So don't take offense to that as that is the purpose of this board. If you are upset by that response, then you should have started this thread on the marketplace under "items

for sale".

If I were you... I would have to decide where I want this thread to remain and what is my goal or expected outcome.

Edited December 30, 2012 by Potroast

[benlilly1]

I have bought 2 stamps from EmbossingDieCompany. I'm very happy with them. Turn around was FAST. I have no problem with his post of offering this service. Whether it was posted in the wrong thread or not I'm sure we all have done this...even me. I think it would be different if his offer had nothing to do with leather.

If I have to be worried about competition by someone else on here...it's not worth it! Just my opinion.

[Luke Hatley]

Leather Business Cards....great idea, at least they would not be used for Toothpicks

[EmbossingDieCompany]

"Wow, now THAT is a business card." ........that proves my point.

Thanks for posting a picture of your card Kate.......it's beautiful.....and I don't think anyone can dispute that.

[LNLeather]

...however, most leatherworkers don't carry around a box full of their finished pieces to the grocery store or a Christmas party for potential buyers to peruse......that's why business cards were invented...

I do carry around a box full of my finished pieces...

I think Custom Business cards is a Grrrrreat idea. However, they can't actually be used...

I like the idea of a Custom Coaster better... I know the first time I ordered a KIngMarker Rubber Stamp

(that was 25 years ago) they sent along a coaster with their business information on it and I still have it...

Or custom Key Fobs - Springfield Leather gives these out with their orders and I use one of them. If you want to

you could have a stamp made of your design to fit on any of these...

I live on a small island (10,000) and over the last 40 years have met many folks here. I actually do carry some

type of my leatherwork with me as I go about my business to the PO or Grocery etc... I enjoy show & tell with friends

and sharing an occasional coaster or two - and I like to know they will probably be using it and not just put it in a drawer.

I have made sales because someone saw my work in someone's house and I have also made many sales because someone

was near by in the PO that saw my work and wanted something too. That's when I let them see the box of goods I keep in my truck...

jmho

Kate - Nice Business Card

Luke - I'm laughin' - I have used a business card as a toothpick....

Edited December 31, 2012 by LNLeather

[RavenAus]

By the way, I'm still curious, why are these so over-priced? $1.50 in material (at RETAIL) and 5 minutes worth of labor justifies $65? Yikes! And what about the surcharge for non-vector artwork? That's pretty sneaky - the average leatherworker probably doesn't even know what that means.

What, so you could sell them cheaper? A 4" stamp? I do wonder how much the setup of EDC's business cost. I'm betting he didn't just wander down to Hobby Lobby and pick up the machine on clearance...

Also, we ain't all thick. Some of us actually know how to do more than hit things with hammers. I'm sure that many of us actually DO know the difference between vector and raster and why a raster file can lead to more work.

[sangmort]

Personally, I like the idea. But I wouldn't use Tandy's scraps [ why do that when I can use my own? ] & I work with latigo / bridle, which is easier to burn / brand than stamp. I mean really, if you make a card out of the leather you are using, people can see it & feel it. I don't know about others, but I was ridiculously picking when it came to finding the perfect supplier of leather. I went through 5 different suppliers before I found the leather that was perfect.

At the same time, if we did do something like this, I wouldn't hand them out to just anybody. But, from a business / marketing sense, it is a good idea. Imagine going to a meeting with a potential client & handing them one of these. Is it a gimmick? Sure...but it'll definitely leave an impression!

That's my .02 cents, not going to comment on the drama. lol ~

[Stewart]

Now that's something worth looking into. My first impression was it was bland.

Than I thought Key fob. Well than a change of fonts would improve the look.

As just still learning and like to hand something out when people see what I do.

Changing it to a key fob, my own tooling style on it Then maybe it would work.

What a way to practice and good use of scraps..

As some one knows, I am stuck on coasters. So if nothing else- Shot glass coasters.

Tooth picks is what some of my hand tooled tobacco pipes turn into.

Joe

[Mijo]

I thought about making leather business cards awhile back as a way to use up some belly sections of sides that I couldn't otherwise use (for dog collars and leashes). In fact I was planning on having a stamp made so that I could stamp our company info on dog shaped book marks and pass those out as business cards.

Ultimately what killed off that idea was the amount of work that was going to be involved. I had already procured all the necessary equipment to make the books marks (i.e. dog shaped die and wooden book press). Since I was going to incorporate book marks as business cards, I needed to split the leather (a 9-12 oz book mark is too thick and the same thing can be said about business card of the same thickness). Once the leather has been split to an appropriate thickness then I cut out the shape of the book mark using the die. After that's done then I stamp the book mark (with the eyes and nose of the dog and the our company info) and also punch the mouth of the dog which holds the actual page. Once that's done I had to soak the book marks in water then put them into a book press to dry over several days, in order to give the book marks some stiffness. That's a lot of work for something I'm just going to give away.

My dog shaped book marks tanked on their own so I had no interest in incorporating the business card aspect of it. IMO, there's actually more work involved with making leather business cards (that I would be okay with representing our company) than I'm willing to spend. My leather business cards would need to reflect the type of craftsmanship that I'm cable of (as limited as it is) which would mean splitting the leather, pressing them and finishing the edges.

[Spence]

Just a thought, or two. No drama...

I agree it's a good gimmick. I believe gimmicks make business thrive. If you run out of gimmicks, you waste away.

I've had a few businesses of different types over the years and they were all successful, to a degree (no fails). My "secrets" were gimmicks - knowing what to give away to whom and when. You've got a good steady customer, why not throw an extra item in there - I do dog stuff now, so a leash goes into some packages.

A new customer could get a leather biz card on their first order. If you do craft fairs, keep them in your pocket and when you see a likely future customer (you can tell by the way they fondle the leather) give them a leather biz card. It's all gimmick. If it works, it's not tacky. If it doesn't, blame me.

Quite frankly, for what I could get on my ROI (Return on Investment), purchasing a 5 oz (or lighter) tooling shoulder and using that for leather biz cards could probably multiply my ROI significantly. Sometimes my "gift" doesn't pay off, most times it does. It might take a few weeks or months, but when they come back to order a collar or leash or two, my little "gift" is a pretty good ROI.

So what if it's a gimmick. Everyone knows it's a gimmick and they're looking at the gimmick 4x a week and thinking about that gimmick that has your name on it.

[Leatherman5900]

Here's an idea.....those that want to use leather business cards - use them, those that want to use paper cards - use them, and those that do not want to give out business cards period - don't. There....now it is 2013 and time to move on and begin fresh. Happy New Year to everyone!

[Rayban]

Leather business cards, good idea, I like it.

[Leela Valley Leather]

Joyce, I wonder how many of the members here will be recommending your business now that you've totally trashed another member's product. Remember, attitude trumps everything and you've just trumped your own business. Too bad too.

I wont be, and she was one of the people on my short list for a set of custom stamps.

Back to topic:

They seem like a good idea for a certain market I some times sell to.

[dirtclod]

Joyce, I wonder how many of the members here will be recommending your business now that you've totally trashed another member's product. Remember, attitude trumps everything and you've just trumped your own business. Too bad too.

On the third of January i got a new stamp made by her company looks great and works great. I will be happy to recommend her business.

[Chief31794]

On the third of January i got a new stamp made by her company looks great and works great. I will be happy to recommend her business.

Same here, I just got in two templates made to my design specs, a rifle sling template and a banjo strap template that will make cradle or standard banjo straps, absolutely beautiful, and right on the mark. Great company to do business with and has great products and great customer service.

Chief

[cmantz]

Going to have to try engraving some delrin myself. Is this what most are using for maker's marks?

[Potroast]

Dirtclod and Chief, I agree. Great people, great products and great service. I also recommend Joyce's business.

I had a customer ask me to make him various leather items with the Croatian GRB symbol on it. So I sent Joyce a picture of the Croatian GRB and she turned out two awesome stamps with incredible detail for an inch and an inch and a half stamps. I made up a simple money clip for him for starters... and him was astounded to see his country's flag set into leather.

Joyce and her business make me look good. Thanks Joyce,

Jason

[Rayban]

Going to have to try engraving some delrin myself. Is this what most are using for maker's marks?

I don't know about "most".....it's what the lower end makers marks are made from...$35-$50 range...and they do a good job.

[RandallFlagg]

I like the idea. Just 65$ seems steep.

[DoubleC]

I don't 'hand' out business cards. Someone has to ask me because I'm cheap, LOL. As a tag on a purchased product I wouldn't mind something like this, but would rather it be a key chain or something functional. My first farmer's market I went to the bathroom and my neighbor watched my booth. When I got back she was handing out my business cards to everyone. I told her people that don't ask just throw them away and not to do that. I can see both sides here and do know if I made something like this as a key chain to go with a paid product I would just have my name and phone number on it. And maybe VT. We get a lot of tourists and they like things with VT on them. Cheryl

[DoubleC]

BTW thanks guys. I have an order going for SLC. and just ordered 100 key chains. I've liked the idea of having something inexpensive for my customers. I'll just stamp VT and put my maker's mark on them. Cheryl

[RoyalLeatherDesigns]

I would love to have a stamp die from you what is your charge PM me please

[raysouth]

Well, I suppose everyone has an opinion about everything in their life. We either like it or we don't, and perhaps a few "in betweens".

If you like it, use it, if not, don't use it.

Folks tend to have different market areas where some things work and others do not. Try to find what is good for your use and others will find their preferences.

Any idea that produces is the way to go. You can decide at your leisure if it will help or hinder.

I may like the idea, (I do), and you may not. Easy decision for all of us.

Creativity is something that we all strive for. Just look at the varied uses of leather found on the site, and the talents of those having discovered what they like to create. Amazing !!!

We are all blessed and entitled to our individual likes and dislikes and should be thankful for the opportunity to share our ideas. We are also allowed to make fools of ourselves when we forget, or for some reason, become "uptight" and neglect to stop and think before acting. Been there and done that more times than I care to recall.

Life is GRAND, and I hope that we all continue to be creative and enjoy the craft.

God Bless.

Ray

Edited September 10, 2013 by raysouth

[SeattleLeather]

I think it's an awesome idea. I'd say use scrap pieces from the same quality of leather you actually use in products. Definitely spend time on a good design. In a lot of ways, using random shaped leather (not business card size) could almost be fine. Doing key fobs or coasters or something could in fact be stepping it up a little more though.

Speaking of, my biggest suggestion would be to the stamp maker to create a cooler looking/more detailed promo shot!