Archive for the ‘business card printing’ Category

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What information should I put on my business card?

Wednesday, March 3rd, 2010

There are many things that you should ensure are included on your professional business cards and with such a small space to work on it is vital to keep your card simple and clear, whilst ensuring you get your message across. Here are a list of things people put on their business card. Some of them are necessary like contact details others are more unusual and just add a bit of character. You can pick and choose those which are right for you. You may decide to leave your postal address off if you are a web company, for example. If you are always out and about you may only have a mobile number and not a fixed land line.

Information you can put on your business card

  1. Your name
  2. Business Name
  3. Address
  4. Main office telephone number
  5. Direct line office number
  6. Mobile phone number
  7. Fax
  8. Email
  9. Website address
  10. Twitter username
  11. Facebook URL
  12. Linkedin URL
  13. Other social networking URLs
  14. Brief summary of services
  15. Logo
  16. Map
  17. Company slogan
  18. Discount code or coupon
  19. Wise saying
  20. Your picture

Premium business cards can be made from a matte finish, a glossy look, traditional shape and size or a more unusual shape.  Some people choose to create business cards in the shape of something that represents their business such as a dog for a dog grooming service or a dumbbell for a gymnasium. Once you have included the basic information you can be as creative as you like. There is so much competition, staying out of the bin and in someone’s wallet is tricky.

For the ultimate in premium business cards you can include a variety of extras with some choosing to include gimmicks that represent the company such as a balloon inside a flap of the business card if you promote children’s parties or a packet of seeds if you run a garden centre. As well as gimmicks, some also choose to use colour, large or small text, double sided cards or unusual shapes to give their professional business cards an edge. You can play with the design as long as you have the basic contact information you can add what you like to make your business card stand out.

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A small offering, a big commodity; the business card!

Thursday, February 18th, 2010

Professional business cards can make a business sink or swim and are a massive commodity in the world of business where everyone is competing with everyone else for clients and sales. A big part or running a successful enterprise is being able to generate new business and the most basic and arguably the most productive way to do this is to invest in some professional business cards.

Designs comes in a variety of tastes and styles with small, large, double and single sided, colourful, black and white, traditional, innovative, funky, bright, unique, simple, creative and the list goes on. Using such a small object as such as huge promotional tool is sometimes overlooked by businesses yet high quality business cards may just be the most powerful two inches you will ever hold!

Don’t be fooled by their size, the sheer power of the business card has been proven around the world and it is surprising the impact that such a small thing can have on a business of any size. It is vital however to do it right as creating a bad business card can actually have a negative effect on business. Almost 90% of business cards will endure the fate of the bin and to stay out of the black hole of the black bag you have to get the deign spot on as there is no room for second best.

Don’t assume that because your name, business and contact details are included on your cards that they are considered to be ‘high quality business cards’ as they are not. It takes more than just the basics. Think about making them stand out from the rest as you do in other parts of your business and create the ultimate in unique and memorable that makes your business cards wallet-worthy.

To stand out try a splash of colour. Black and white busines cards can look good but for a professional business card use colour that matches your branding. You can also try interesting fonts which will give your card the edge. If you are not sure how to make an impact you can always use the Print Republic design service where you can rest assured you will get a quality business card.

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Branding your business card

Wednesday, February 10th, 2010

Being consistent with professional business cards in their design and appearance is hugely important; including your branding throughout is just as essential and too often overlooked. Many people understand the advertising skills of the business card but knowing how important it is and actually creating a decent design are two totally different things. Customising everything that you use for advertising is the basic rule of thumb and if you follow this as a guideline for all of your marketing then you are likely to succeed; unless of course you are branding a chocolate teapot as the next best thing.

Your brand should always appear on everything. Letter headed paper, professional business cards, flyers, leaflets, the signature in an email; they should all include your company logo and ideally in the same place. i.e. top right hand corner. Being consistent in business with something as small, easy and as seemingly obvious as branding and customising speaks volumes about your professionalism and it almost works as a subconscious advertising tool as your customers will not necessarily notice the consistency of your branding but they will notice if it is not consistent.

A personalised appearance of quality business cards is effective but it is important to avoid overcrowding on a business card. Simple and clean designs give a professional air and make sure that your cards are readable and concise as well as including the basic information. i.e. name, contact details, business type. It is easy to use your own graphics and a preview of your design, if completed online through a professional company, can be viewed before it goes to print. You can also tweak them and play with the design until you are happy with it and as long as you include your company logo and name throughout all of your marketing techniques; you should be able to create an unbeatable advertising campaign.

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Need new business cards?

Friday, February 5th, 2010

If you are looking for new luxury business cards then ensuring your design will be effective is crucial to getting it right. The most important element of your visual business identity is a business card as it is the primary thing that people see about your business when they first meet you. Having something unique about your design will ensure that people remember you and your business offerings and using a twist on a traditional design can be hugely effective. When you arrive to a social event or a conference all of the veteran business people attending will understand the importance of networking as a means of advertising and great business cards are good but different business cards are even better.

Having a design that stands out is the key to owning the best business cards so be witty if your business allows you to be. If your business has a serious theme to it then try a dry sense of humour with your slogan or create a design that is made from a different material than card. You can make your business cards stand out with funky lettering, colourful backgrounds, a funny slogan and using both sides of the cards is also the best way to get all the information on that might be needed.

A map on the reverse side is common so if you want to include a map why not have it fold out from the side? The best business cards are innovative so link the theme of your business with an unusual idea. It is simple to make the most uninteresting products or services seem more inviting with luxury business cards. If you run a small garden centre create a business card in the shape of a seed packet and pace some free seed samples inside.

Luxury business cards come in all sorts of shapes and sizes so branch out from the traditional business cards for the most success!

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The best busines cards

Tuesday, January 26th, 2010

Whatever your business is and whatever service or product you are advertising; only the very best business cards will do! The internet is a wondrous invention and we all know how vital a part it often plays in so many people’s everyday lives now that it is hard to remember a time when we weren’t Googling everything! How did we used to find out things without Wikipedia and how on earth did we used to book holidays without completing a Google search first?

Googlecentric is a term that refers to people who think in terms of Google. For example, you ask someone a question and they reply more often than not with: “Hold on, let me Google that!” or “I don’t know but I know a search engine that does…..” The best business cards can be found by being Googlecentric as the internet is a visual way to view other designs that look great as well as those that you want to avoid. Sketching a rough design and actually seeing designs printed in colour on the web are two totally different things and looking through previous success and failure examples is an ideal way to create an unbeatable design.

There are numerous ways to create high quality business cards and Google can work as your own personal assistant when it comes to creating a design. Search for designs that are essentially your competition by looking at business cards in the same sector as yourself and see what they are missing. Get into some online forums and ask people what they would want to see from your business cards and create a folder full of potential ideas that you can pull off the Google images pages. High quality business cards can be created through a little creativity and by acting a little Googlecentric!

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A brief history of the etiquette of business cards

Wednesday, January 13th, 2010

History shows that the earliest records of professional business cards used to promote one’s business were used in 15th century China and they often included a map so customers would know how to get to a business. As well as a map they would also include the same basic information that one would expect to find on professional business cards today i.e. name and business type.

During the 19th century, anyone in Europe or the US who wished to be taken seriously in business would own a stack of high quality business cards to hand out to potential customers. There was a lot of specialised etiquette surrounding the use of business cards in these days and if you were to hand one out there were certain hushed rules that one must follow. For example, if you were visiting a client’s house you would be greeted at the door by a servant who would likely hold out a silver tray to place your card in. The card will be taken to the head of the house and if your card is returned you would simply leave without receiving an explanation.

Men had to carry them loose in their pockets while women were allowed to use a card case. However, women were only allowed to own high quality business cards if they had been part of society for at least a year. Men must have enough cards ready to give one to every female member of a family rather than just one and only middle to upper class people would be able to afford such a luxury. Oh, how times have changed! Men, women, old, young, poor, rich; anyone running their own business now owns a set of high quality business cards and you are free to hand out as many as you want to whoever you want, whoever you are!

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Business cards online

Monday, December 7th, 2009

Online is the way to go in the current era of the technology crazed and if you are hunting for professional business cards then search the internet for a printing service that costs you less money and saves you more time. The internet allows you to search for anything, from hotel bookings to movie downloads, and an online printing service is so simple to find that it takes only a few seconds to create a shortlist of printing companies in the UK.

High quality business cards play an undeniably vital role in marketing and advertising a business and the better they look and feel; the more impressed your potential clients will be. Think of your cards as being like a customer magnet for your business and the stronger they are the more you will pull in and by strength I am talking about the appearance, durability and design. Online companies provide services around the world and the internet is unmatched in its ability to unite people and businesses across the globe.

You can even create online versions of your business card simply by scanning them into an email and circulating them to your list of clients. As everything is done online, there is no harm in joining the rest of the world and plugging your professional business cards to a wider circle of people than was possible before the introduction of the internet.

Quality business cards can be found through online companies and what makes them ooze quality is how well they are designed and the quality card which they are printed on. Make people want to contact you simply through how classy your cards are and above all make sure the design is memorable and appropriate to your target audience. Use Print Republic to create quality business cards online.

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Design business cards

Thursday, December 3rd, 2009

Well designed business cards are the only way to ensure quality business cards! Good quality is not all about an impressive finish or fancy text; it is also about how successful they are in regards to how many avoid getting thrown straight into the bin! Good designs mean taking the time to do some research into what works and what doesn’t in the world of business cards.

Firstly it is essential that you think about some of the basics before moving onto the more in-depth parts. Professional business cards must include the following points:

  1. The perfect size – Choosing a size that suits most wallets and purses makes your cards appealing to the majority. Something that all business owners will understand the importance of.
  2. The right background colour – Make sure the colour you choose is neither too dull nor too flashy unless of course it is relevant to your business type. i.e. There is no need for a funeral director to have a bright orange card but a private nanny can use rainbow colours. It is all about thinking about your target audience and designing business card that portrays the correct image.
  3. What information to include – Make sure the essentials are all on there. i.e. Business name, description, your name, business address, website, telephone number and email address.
  4. Simplicity reaps success – Quality business cards are simple and easy to understand and read so it is obvious what your business is from reading just a few words. Busy people want to find contact details ASAP so keep them clear and concise.

If you wish to include further details about your business then you should think about designing some flyers or leaflets to further promote your business. Print Republic is happy to provide you with all the help you may need for any of your marketing needs so please feel free to get in contact with us to find out more about professional business cards and our other printing services.

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