Business Cards - OPINIONS PLEASE!

[amoona]

Alright guys so I already have a set of business cards that I keep with me and in my brush belt at work for freelance work. But I always feel kind of weird handing out my make-up business card to people when it's nothing to do with make-up. Like when I try to network with people at school and teachers or other people in the fashion industry. I mean I go to fashion school and want to work in the industry and I don't really want to have any confusion when it's not make-up related.

With that being said I decided to make seperate business cards for personal use. So my first question is where the heck can I find some unique professional elegant looking business cards? Everything I've found so far is sort of cheap and tacky looking. What I was thinking of is something smaller then a regular sized card with maybe engraved print.

Now here's where I need opinions - is it tacky to put a picture of myself on the back of the card? The idea came when my friend and I were talking about all the business cards we have of people who we eventually forget about and just throw away. We thought that if someone had their picture on the back of their business card it would remind you of who they are before you were to throw it away. My friend who work for the government thinks its unprofessional but with fashion (i'm doing marketing/business/pr) do you think it's a good idea?

 

[COBI]

OK, my first thought is don't think that you should spend the extra money for engraved printing. In reality, most business cards will be thrown out. Even those who keep your contact information will often key your information into their own system (whether it's Outlook, their blackberry, or a rolodex.)

I feel the same way about using a smaller size card; what would be your objective with that? I would find it odd if someone handed me a business card that was smaller than the traditional card; it would make it seem less professional to me.

That being said, I have ordered "premium" cards from vistaprint for friends' businesses (a construction and an auto body/towing company). I designed them online, uploaded photos for the background (business-related). They look FANTASTIC. They LOOK more expensive than the engraved cards that I have at my own full-time job at a bank, but, trust me, we pay about 3 times per order of cards (same quantity) as the vistaprint cards I ordered.

One of the things that made the vistaprint cards that I have ordered look so good was that I paid for the "glossy" finish on the front.

I don't know how I feel about the personal picture. I don't know the fashion industry standard. The only industry that I am familiar with that regularly uses portraits on their cards is real estate agents.

Good luck.

 

[Esperanza]

I also made my cards on Vistaprint and this is a really good website, you should def check it out. You can make your own design or use pre-made ones and you can have a good quantity for a great price. I used the pre-made design and I paid around 25€ for 250 cards! I still have a lot left.

As for the picture, I would recommend you not to put any at the back of your card, my opinion is that it could be taken as a bit pretentious (even if it's not your intention). Stick to the regular size, and to a simple yet professional looking style, you will find a lot of choice on Vistaprint

HTH!

 

[gigglegirl]

Hmmm but Cobi to me brings up a good point. Real Estate agents put their pics on their cards. To me I would prefer that (maybe on the front though like a real estate agent would). I think the battle would be with perhaps older clients who think that's not the way it "should" be done. LOL I do things I prob shouldn't with my resume and I seem to get interviews just fine!

So I'd either go the route of Vistaprint and have a great colourful background or something like that with your info, to make it stand out.

OR if you wanted your pic, do it on a plain card with your pic, and contact info.

Mixing the two (as you can imagine) both background and pic may be too busy.

 

[Evey]

Quote:

Originally Posted by gigglegirl Hmmm but Cobi to me brings up a good point. Real Estate agents put their pics on their cards. To me I would prefer that (maybe on the front though like a real estate agent would). I think the battle would be with perhaps older clients who think that's not the way it "should" be done. LOL I do things I prob shouldn't with my resume and I seem to get interviews just fine! So I'd either go the route of Vistaprint and have a great colourful background or something like that with your info, to make it stand out. OR if you wanted your pic, do it on a plain card with your pic, and contact info. Mixing the two (as you can imagine) both background and pic may be too busy.

Yeah I agree...one or the other...not both. I wish I had a copy of my friends business cards. She's a cosmetologist and she has a picture of herself on the card but it's not an actual picture...it kind of looks like its raised up from the card and the card is in black and white....i can't explain it...lol

 

[AmberLilith]

Not sure about the picture, i've no idea what cards are like for anyone other than solicitors/estate agents/general company employees.

But i'd agree with trying Vistaprint, i just ordered 250 cards from them for free. It's extra to get a glossy finish or to put a picture on the back. They seem to have deals on all the time, i've had several emails from them in the last 2 weeks.

 

[amoona]

Well the idea behind the smaller cards is because it's much more modern. I've gotten a lot of business cards lately like that so I thought it would be nice. Especially being that these cards would be for personal networking use so all it will have is my name, phone number and e-mail address. I just wanted it simple, all black on both sides with maybe a bright simple font and then possibly the picture in black & white.

I don't really have a logo or anything and I'm no graphic designer to come up with something haha. I was going to use moo.com unless I found something else. I don't really like Vista Print, I used them for my work related business cards and I think they looked really cheap and tacky. I of course used the premade designs because like I said, I'm not graphic designer or anything.

 

[Divinity]

I vote no on your picture on the back of your card. Seems kind of unecessary and kind of tacky. Like Cobi said, most cards do get thrown out and people don't like to fish around all the pictures and colors to find your information. Simple and elegant makes the best statement.

 

[lara]

I wouldn't use double-sided black simply because if you're using them as a networking tool, chances are good that people are going to want to write on them. The same reason applies for not getting a gloss card stock as well, you can't write effectively on a gloss finish.

And no, no personal images. It's not professional. I'd also skip the bog standard MUA-card clichés of kiss prints, make-up brushes, an artfully scattered array of eyeshadows, etc etc etc. No one takes you seriously with that junk, or at least no one worth worrying about will take you seriously.

My cards are slate grey silk finish heavy stock, just under standard size (mostly so they'll fit directly into people's wallets and card holders), with my name, title and email address written in a crisp Helvetica font in the lower right hand corner. There are also some discreet lines, only about two shades darker than the background slate colour, printed on the back so I can write down quotes for people. They were pretty cheap because I used to work for a design and image group and I know the lingo for bartering down printers.

I get them tacked onto the end of another production run, take 500 units each time and pay a reduced rate because I'm happy to wait out a longer turnaround time.

 

[amoona]

Thanks everyone for your opnions. Anyone know of any good websites for nice professional business cards? Like I said I don't like Vista Print - I used them for my MUA cards and think they're kinda cheap looking. If anyone knows of any sites with nice card designs please let me know.

Thanks again everyone!