Don't underestimate your business cards

[Scott Shepherd]

First, let me say that I'm so embarrassed by my business card, that I won't post a photo of it. It lacks any hint of creative thought. I can usually figure out most things, but creating graphics from scratch is not my thing (and probably never will be).

So I bought some Rowmark Flexibrass Brushed Aluminum (#602-354) and cut my cards from it. I've been doing them for about a year now in variations of the Flexibrass.

My targeted efforts this year to meet a lot more people and start networking has given me the opportunity to hand out probably 50 cards in the last month. The one thing that people will not stop commenting about is my business card. Almost every single person reacts the same way when I hand them one "Cool!". They all do the same thing, they feel it, they flip it over, they rub the card and they stare at it. I've had the chance to follow up with a lot of these people and several things seem to always happen. One- they have my card on their desk, or two, they start by telling me about my "cool" card.

I've even had several people tell me that it's perfect for my business because it shows what I do on the actual card (laser engraving).

I know I didn't invent this idea or concept, but I did want to pass on the real power and branding that making your own cards on something other than paper has. I haven't met anyone yet who's thrown one away. I've even had people ask me to quote making them cards as well.

If you're overlooking making your cards on plastic, wood, or whatever else you can think of, you might be missing a good opportunity to brand yourself, even in some small way. Granted, it ain't cheap to do, but it works good as fill work.

One more thing- I met a guy that is a "branding expert" recently and he gave me a card. He bragged that his card "stuck out" among all other cards. I thought he was arrogant until I stuck it in my pile and found his card was about 1/4" longer than a normal business card. It had some catch phrase in that extra area. What did I do? I took the sissors and cut the 1/4" off so it would fit with the rest of them :) Point being that people store business cards in business card holders and anything outside those dimensions may not go over as well. Make it fit in those books!

Just my two cents.

[Brian Robison]

And put a magnet on a few of them!

[Dan Hintz]

I've seen the larger size card trick done before and it's a major annoyance for the reason you mentioned... the solution usually ends up the same. What that marketing genius has obviously not figured out is while it's true his card "sticks out", it also leads to an annoyance-type view of his/her persona. There's a reason things are standardized... for organizational purposes. Ever tried to include Chinese documents in with A4/8.5"x11" paper? It's about 1/4" larger per margin, so I end up having to trim it down, which annoys the you know what out of me... thankfully I don't have to trim many documents.

My main business is LEDs, but while other manufacturers are using full-color cards showing cars with lighting under them, I went with a more simple approach. My cards are made of a dark smoked translucent plastic with silver foil typeface... I typically get "cool" comments on it, with people often holding it up to the light. I don't think many intentionally throw my card away, either.

[Joe Pelonio]

I've been given cards that were cut, glued and folded like those kids "popup" books. Cute gimmicks but a pain for the person filing it. I'm doing all of mine with wood veneer now.

[Frank Corker]

er... I'd keep magnets away from credit cards if I were you

[Dee Gallo]

What an excellent thread for those of us who are pretty new to selling laser made products, thanks Scott. Do you have to trim the corners round to keep them from cutting someone?

Joe, I'm interested to know if the veneer cards break easily? Or maybe how thick is the wood you use? And if you have tried several types of wood, which works best?

- dee

[Joe Pelonio]

er... I'd keep magnets away from credit cards if I were you
Frank,

One of my favorite TV shows is "Mythbusters" on the discovery Channel.
They did a whole segment on that, from Eelskin wallets to Magnets, and the only thing that would mess up the credit cards was a huge electromagnet. They determined that refrigerator magnets and many more powerful ones did not affect it.

[Joe Pelonio]

Joe, I'm interested to know if the veneer cards break easily? Or maybe how thick is the wood you use? And if you have tried several types of wood, which works best?

What I use is a fairly grain free light maple, 1/42". It will break, yes, though there are ways around it like applying vinyl to the back which I do for people that are more interested in signs than laser work. I'm also considering buying some of the bamboo veneer, also 1/42 that has a fiber fabric laminate on the back side for strength.

[Scott Shepherd]

Do you have to trim the corners round to keep them from cutting someone?

- dee

I just put a small radius on the corners, so it comes off as a sheet of completed cards with rounded corners. You get about 30 cards to a 12" x 24" sheet.

I only posted this because I keep getting people actually mentioning my card and thought it was interesting to listen to them talk about it. I've even been around when people didn't know it was my card and they were talking amongst themselves, and they were talking about my card. Strange thing, I thought, but heck, I think there are books written on the power of business cards and how you need to make them unique, so I thought I would listen.

Give it a shot, and report back! Sounds like several others have experienced the same thing, so it must mean something.

[Mike Null]

Scott

You're dead right. I put a card with every invoice.

Along that line is a label I put on every product. Believe it or not a simple label on a name tag led to developing my largest account with 5 digit volume.

[Barbara Buhse]

I make my cards from 3/32" alder, a little expensive, but no one ever throws them away. Not only that, but its basically a sample of my work, since most of what I do is wood. So, when people are collecting all kinds of cards at a craft show for things they liked (but didn't buy!), they come across mine and actually remember what I had in my booth. I have paper cards too, but I estimated this past holiday season that I got 12 calls (orders) for every 30 cards I gave out... and since they don't ever throw them away, I'll get more calls later in the year (based on last year, I'll get another 2 calls for every 30 cards). My cards are simple... front has contact info, back has a list of things I do.

I wouldn't mind using something less expensive, if anyone has any suggestions about where I can get sheets of something that looks just as nice.

Barbara

[Joe Pelonio]

I

I wouldn't mind using something less expensive, if anyone has any suggestions about where I can get sheets of something that looks just as nice.

Barbara
Make friends with a cabinetmaker, and get the veneer scraps.

Is $19.56 for a 17"x96" roll reasonable (natural horizontal grain bamboo)?

http://www.higuerahardwoods.com/bamboo_accessories.cfm?subcategoryid=188

Also, watch for sales at places like Rockler.

[Brian Conklin]

with your photo on it........engraves nice, cuts nice and sticks to the fridge.

[Dan Hintz]

er... I'd keep magnets away from credit cards if I were you
The sheer # of Gauss units it would take to kill a magnetic strip is higher than what you'll ever find in your average home.

[Bill Cunningham]

There used to be some amazing materials for hot stamping business cards.. I used to do some interesting combinations that until you seen them they would be hard to imagine.. Pink pearl coated paper cards foil printed in red or green metallic was very popular with craft women, Gold on Gloss black, and even metallic foils on double laminate wood card that was called 'maple walnut' was popular. For trade shows in the 70's, we used to do our cards on metalphoto (it was brand new then) and we started getting the corners rounded right after some customers told us they remembered us by the torn shirtpocket they came home with..Nice cards though:eek:

[Lee DeRaud]

Joe, I'm interested to know if the veneer cards break easily? Or maybe how thick is the wood you use? And if you have tried several types of wood, which works best?The 1/64" baltic birch plywood holds up pretty well, or if you really want "bulletproof", use 1/32". (The 1/32" is also excellent if you want to engrave both sides.)

[Joe Pelonio]

with your photo on it........engraves nice, cuts nice and sticks to the fridge.
:eek:Yikes, not me, don't want to scare them off!

[Nancy Laird]

The 1/64" baltic birch plywood holds up pretty well, or if you really want "bulletproof", use 1/32". (The 1/32" is also excellent if you want to engrave both sides.)

Amen, Lee. We are using the 1/32" Finland birch ply (3 plies) and the business cards go like hotcakes. We'll hand one to someone, and three people around will want one. They are sturdy and take some real effort to break. We run 12x24" sheets of 30 cards. They will engrave both sides. We also make bookmarks from the same material (44 to a sheet at 1" x 5-15/16). And yes, round the corners a tad-those square corners are sharp!

We also put labels on the small stuff that we engrave, and on larger things, like plaques, we will engrave a 3-line identifier on the back so it doesn't come off like a label.

Nancy

[James Jaragosky]

IS this a good deal in your opinion?
I don't know if I can buy the stock and cut them myself this cheap?

[Paul Brinkmeyer]

Seems high to me. for you, we would sell 15 month calendars that include the magnet bus. card holer for $.32.

Just magnets for bus cards we would sell for $.19 Min quanity 500.

[Eric Fuller]

I'm a little confused. I thought the lower powered lasers wouldn't cut metal. What did you use to cut the cards?

EDIT: Nevermind; just googled Flexibrass and answered my own question :)

[Brian Robison]

jAMES,
I get the magnets from Lowes, probably pay too much but it is convenient. They are supposed to be the right size but I cut a little off. My cards are a tiny bit smaller to make up for the thickness and still fit in a card holder. I also radius the corners and the magnets are sharp cornered.