DU self-promoters...what makes a "'nice' business card"?

[BlueIris]

As in, what qualities in a business card make you think, "Nice card, at least," even if you don't care about anything else a person has to offer you as...whatever they are. Just tossing that out there in search of input.

[Deja Q]

1. Hmmm

Logo, contact info, very brief description of what one does

Saying "Esquire" or "Escort" also helps, but that's conditional to the service(s) you're going to provide.

[BlueIris]

3. Logo? You really care about someone's logo?

I...am trying to avoid getting pinned down into a logo.

[Deja Q]

6. A logo is as much a representation of one's self.

And it's easier to remember symbols too... :)

Apart from Prince, but his symbol was too goofy and there's the exception to every rule... (except that one, which now invites a conundrum or paradox...)

[BlueIris]

17. Okay, man. Just for you, I made a logo.

And actually...I like my logo, damnit.

HEY. I have a logo! I am...a self-promoter with a logo! I rock.

[JVS]

2. Nude photo

[billyskank]

18. GMTA

Or maybe DMTA. :D

[Drum]

4. Good cardstock.

Textured or not, get your cards printed on something nicer than the cheapest offering. Choose font(s) carefully...I'd suggest something fine over something bold. Without knowing you or your business, that's all the advice I'd be comfortable giving
:hi:

[BlueIris]

5. Would you go serif or sans serif font?

I've always encountered such strong opinions about this from the people I've asked, WRT non-scannable resumes, websites and business cards. People who don't like 'the serif'...really don't like it.

[Drum]

8. geez, I dunno

I'm more a receiver-of-better cards than a producer-of...no strong beliefs about any sane font.
sorry! :shrug:

[Rabrrrrrr]

29. serif - there's a reason it exists: it's a better style, easier to read,

and looks more professional.

You don't see newspapers, magazines, or many books using sans serif fonts.

[Atman]

7. SIMPLICITY

Go for simple...very simple. Don't be afraid of white space and small, clean type (9 pt). Don't go for anything weird. "Decorative" typefaces look unprofessional. Save any "art" for the logo, and don't feel you need to list everything you do on your business card. Just the important stuff.

KISS applies here, over everything else, because you have such a limited amount of space.

.

[BlueIris]

10. Oh, yes. If there's one thing I do know, it's that simplicity

is the essence of good style. Every resume/cover letter/letterhead I've ever done has been all. about. the simplicity.

[Redstone]

9. I'd show you mine, but I don't want the trolls to have my contact information.

If you'd like to see it, send me a PM.

Even though you don't love me anymore, I'd be happy to help you with your business-card design.

Redstone

[Robb]

11. Rubber-stamp your name and phone number

...onto five-dollar bills. Always worked for me.

Although that was more a "social" calling card than a business one. :evilgrin:

[Kire]

12. That's a great scene in American Psycho

where they're all sitting around competing with each other over their business cards

that one, and the diatribe about Huey Lewis & the News

[Auggie]

13. Something that shows some thought...

An interesting use of typography or color, or a picture or logo that visually supports what you represent.

[BlueIris]

21. Check, check and check.

Good to know, I'm not totally off the mark.

[ThomCat]

14. Good cardstock

Simple, professional font, neither too big nor too small
Not crowded with too much information
Not a non-standard size
No funky colors, but should definitely have some color on it somewhere

I like cards with small photos on them, because I have a hard time remembering names but I always remember faces. When I forget a name I can glance through the cards, find the face and get their name again.

A logo is important if you are representing a business. Otherwise the card looks like a individual's calling card instead of a business card (not that you see calling cards anymore).

Anyway, that's my $0.02. :)

[sarge43]

15. Legibility

A business should give basic info and clearly. Don't fill it up with a sale pitch. If I have to use a magnifying glass to find and decipher the phone number, I probably won't bother.

So, contract info, clear readable print, striking logo. Keep it simple.

[BlueIris]

25. Excellent tip about the number.

Thanks!

And my logo is striking, gosh darn it.

[Bunny]

16. Make sure your email address is on the card.

That is, if you use email. And these days, who doesn't use email? As long as your company's name is on the card, I don't need your company website address - I can find that pretty quickly with google. Having a phone #, fax#, email address AND website address clutters up the card too much, IMO. Keep it all very simple and classic - no weird types, fonts, sizes colors, or other cutesy stuff.

[BlueIris]

22. Oh, I hear you on the "no cutesy."

I hate cutsey anything on a business card, corporate website, letter of reference, etc. Just...no.

[EFerrari]

19. I made a card from a photograph that was iconic.

So, even if you forgot the name, you'd probably remember the image. Worked pretty well. :)

[Phillycat]

20. Clean, clean, clean...and on really nice stock!

If I have to squint at the card to read anything on it, blech.

[BlueIris]

23. 'Nice stock' is...essential, apparently. ...egh.

That may or may not be in the budget.

[Phillycat]

24. Unfortunately, it's kind of like having nice shoes and a nice handbag.

Essential if you want to leave the "right" impression. People are snobs.

[BlueIris]

26. Thanks for that analogy.

I always invest in good bag/good shoes, so I guess I will have to find a way to do "good business card," too. Sigh.

[sarge43]

27. Well, save the nice stock for one on ones and people you want to

impress. Keep the lesser quality cards for drop offs at reception desks and memory joggers between friends and such.

Yes, snobbish, but as janesez said, people are snobs.

[Rabrrrrrr]

28. No perforations on the edge; preferably a sturdy cotton paper;

it should have raised lettering; and lots of "white space" (that is, emptiness).

Have them done professionally - the ones you can buy for your home printer, even the ones that don't have a noticable lasting perforation on the edge, will never be as nice as what a print shop can do, and a print shop can still do it for about $30 for 250 good-enough cards. Or $100 for 250 super-good-enough cards.

[trackfan]

30. It should be engraved, so that the print is raised, thus proving

you didn't make it at home.

[BlueIris]

32. 'kay, but...a tiny part of me...just a tiny part...

still wants to make them at home. (I know! I'm terrible.)

[HEyHEY]

31. raised print

[BlueIris]

33. Well, at least I know what the truly snotty want.

:-)

[BlueIris]

34. Well, scratch the "I'll just make them myself" idea.

Blech. Designing them on my own is one thing...just don't have the tech to do anything else but have them professionally done, I guess. Maybe if I just pray really hard, the money for them to be made shall materialize...

[Rabrrrrrr]

35. It's not all that expensive

Stick to one color, and a white card, and you should be able to do 250 for $30 with raised lettering and good paper.