Business Cards

[dangoudie]

It sounds like a stupid question as it should be obvious but without any examples I'm wondering what people put on theirs. Should it be simple and bold or arty and flash?

Pictures would be great.

[staudio]

Simple and to the point. I do a lot of different kinds of work so I chose not to specify services because it would be cluttered and ugly.

[shaneoconnor]

i picked the same color scheme as my studio. rounded corners, matte finish and very simple display of information.

i would stay away from stock images (i get the same old "microphone" background at berklee)

[Corran]

Hey, I've just been going through this debate. I'm about to make an order of 1000 cards and don't want to waste it! I'm going with a bold solid-black card with my logo I made for my website in blue and red, and then various services and my contact info on the sides. It might be a little too busy. On the other hand I think your business card, staudio, is a bit too stark. Any more examples from you guys??

[joelpatterson]

I went with the "stark" style card at first, when my services were flexible-- basically whatever anyone wanted me to do.

Now that I print them up myself, I jam-pack them with every last detail. I don't trust people to remember the rates I quote them-- and I am damn certain they are very competitive, so why not? The "barn" logo is what the place actually looks like, and the view of the mountains is what you see out the window.

The website is the somewhat clunky Studio Auditions site address.

[Corran]

Yeah that is really specific. Looks nice though. So you ever think about simplifying your website? I used to have a free website that had a clunky web address. No one ever went there. After getting real web hosting (and it's not that expensive) my traffic has like tripled or more.

I wish people around here were affluent enough to pay me $400 per concert

[RCM - Ronan]

Hey Dan,

I have no card advice for you, I just wanted to say I am really enjoying your stuff on myspace while I read these threads.

[barefoot]

Number changed to protect the innocent.

[joelpatterson]

I'm probably hopelessly old school about websites, I don't see it really making any difference, honestly. Seems like it would become a full-time job to constantly update it and add new clips and replace old clips and no matter how many clips there were, are you really luring people? After all, what do they care about other people's music?

I have my mailing list where each year I put together a CD of highlights in every style imaginable-- a'capella, classical, bands, folk singers, what have you-- and send it out. That reminds everyone I'm still here and doing cool stuff.

Yeah, $400, totally random number out of the blue... been edging up, year by year, and that's where we are. I mean... it's priceless to get an excellent recording of your show, isn't it??????

[Yankee Doodle]

Yeah, keep it simple.

I like the Alex Sterling card.

I refer a lot consultants and engineers for gigs and various situations. They differ from client to client so keeping your title and info simple should help.

Jus my two cents!

Wasserdude

[Corran]

Originally Posted by joelpatterson

I'm probably hopelessly old school about websites, I don't see it really making any difference, honestly. Seems like it would become a full-time job to constantly update it and add new clips and replace old clips and no matter how many clips there were, are you really luring people? After all, what do they care about other people's music?

I have my mailing list where each year I put together a CD of highlights in every style imaginable-- a'capella, classical, bands, folk singers, what have you-- and send it out. That reminds everyone I'm still here and doing cool stuff.

Yeah, $400, totally random number out of the blue... been edging up, year by year, and that's where we are. I mean... it's priceless to get an excellent recording of your show, isn't it??????

I don't mess with my site but every once in a while to add a clip, and I just copy and paste the coding and change the dates and mp3 titles. I find that it is hard to get people to go there, but once they go they are very impressed with the large demo page and can find something to listen to out of all the music. I don't think it brings in an amazing amount of business, but it's a lot easier for people these days to click a link than to pop in a CD, find a track, etc. etc. Check out the coding if you want to see how simple it really is.

I haven't moved my flat rates ever. I am almost certain that I would lose half of my business. Again, low-income area, blah blah...also the "good" gigs from the college, they aren't willing to pay me more than they did on the first gig. Ridiculous.

Sorry to derail...back to business cards. I love the Barefoot card, I just wish my business name was more conducive to a perfect logo like that. It must be nice to have something that just "clicks" like that. Did you figure that out yourself? Or did you hire a graphic design artist and they figure it out?

[J.S.Vega III]

I went with a simple look too, and it ties in with my website.

They're very useful to be able to hand out at gigs etc.

[barefoot]

Originally Posted by Corran

I love the Barefoot card, I just wish my business name was more conducive to a perfect logo like that. It must be nice to have something that just "clicks" like that. Did you figure that out yourself? Or did you hire a graphic design artist and they figure it out?

Thanks! Yeah, I came up with the logo. I started out with a stylized footprint beside the name. Then one day it just dawned on me that the O's in Barefoot Sound could line up like that, combining the name and graphic all in one. The only help I got was some very good advice from a graphic designer friend of mine. He said a good logo should always translate well to black and white. The message should always come across clearly even without colors or shading.

[staudio]

Originally Posted by Yankee Doodle

Yeah, keep it simple.

I like the Alex Sterling card.

I refer a lot consultants and engineers for gigs and various situations. They differ from client to client so keeping your title and info simple should help.

Jus my two cents!

Wasserdude

K.I.S.S. (Keep It Simple Stupid)

words to live by.

[dangoudie]

I went for this in the end:



back:


RCM - thanks very much! I'm glad you like my work.

[Blue Bear Sound]

[Jules]

I did a really cheezy one once but it was a gamble that paid off.

On the back of my freelance producer / engineer card I listed a bunch of well known + 'break through' bands in the UK indie rock scene that I had worked with and I put a red, hand drawn looking ova around a message Your Band Here! in the middle of the list.

The other side it had my contact details like a normal biz card would.... We had a chuckle about it in the printing shop, I was lucky to get an enthusiastic designer to help me make it up.

It was a worthwhile gamble. I would give give the card to band members or friends of the band after gigs and I could almost set a stopwatch to the reaction.. After accepting the card in a 'yeah, whatever...." manner.. about 2 minutes later, one or two of the band would come back and ask me, pointing to the back of the card with the band list - "Did you actually produce all these bands"? (to which the answer was - 'yes') It worked well,

But that band list became outdated and I never re did the card, but I have to say, it was my most successful new 'client' getting card I ever had made.

The absolute WORST business card I saw was from a wannabe manager. He had a photo taken of himself putting his arm around Richard Branson (at some charity dinner, they were both wearing tuxedoes) Richard Branson was sitting at a circular dinner table like they have at awards functions, and he was looking up at the manager with a startled 'who are you? And what the hell are you doing taking a photo with me? Someone call security! ' expression. The caption above the photo was "(Managers Name) signs the right deal for you!"

[burke111]

Make sure the back of your card is white . People always need to write on them.

[mfedderman]

Here is mine:

[-Noodles-]

, inverted also available.

[mrlouie]

I think the worst cards are the ones that list everything in the world ..

Producer, Engineer, Mixer, Drummer, Vocal Coach, Actor, Modeling, Live Sound, Car Audio Installation ...



louie

[James Meeker]

I'm getting new biz cards made up. Very minimal. Pretty much my name, website (in the works now), and phone number.

[James Krumhansl]

www.vista-print.com

Check this place out you can get free business cards made you just have a limited choice in design. It gets the job done for me.

[jimcroisdale]

Speaking as a graphic designer I would agree that simplest is usually best. I also agree with having the reverse side in white so that people can write on it.

I once saw an experiment where a guy laid out 100 business cards on a table. When he did this, it was plain which stood out and caught the eye. The thing that these 'standouts' had in common was that they all had red in the design. Could be worth a try?

As far as VistaPrint goes, well. I get lots of clients who have had things 'designed' on Vista Print, usually business cards. If I'm doing vehicle graphics or brochures or whatever, they'll normally point to the cards and say "I want the design to match these." Problem is, when you get stuff done on VistaPrint you don't get the artwork in usable digital form - you get a crap lowres jpeg, not the .ai, .eps or .pdf that you really need. This leads to expensive design time to recreate artwork. Free busines cards my ass!

If you go to a design or print shop, sure, you have to pay. We do 1000 business cards (single sided) for £75. I'd normally do you a free design with that and would be happy to change it a bit until you are happy (as long as I don't think you're taking the piss). So, for the money you get proper business cards (Vista's are thin) and you get a design that can then be then used for ANYTHING else you might need, from a truck side to a 100ft banner.

My 2c (1.1p)

[jimcroisdale]

Oh, if anyone is struggling for a design PM me or better still email me at urbantigerdesign@hotmail.com and I'll have a go for you while I eat my dinner! I can provide files for your local printshop to use.

All I ask is that you visit my thread here:

Rate my recording setup!

Tell me what you think of my proposed rig! I just want to know whether it will work - people keep clouding the waters by suggesting different things, usually at much greater expense.....

Cheers,

Jim

[Daft]

Avoid gloss finish. Rubbish for roaches.

[jimcroisdale]

Also avoid lots of solid black. Short runs (less than 2000) are digitally printed. This method will usually give a washed-out 'grey' black, like faded jeans, and may also have slight banding lines running across.

If you must have solid black, get them Litho printed - it will cost a bit more but will look great.

Jim

[You_Father_Sky]

Just got mine done finally;

Credits:
Andy Thibodeau @ Broken Coast Designs
brokencoast.com
nayles@brokencoast.com

Does fantastic work, and a stand up guy. Give him a shout if you'd like some work done.

[stacey]

Until now, I couldn't figure out why studio after studio had such poorly executed web sites across the board. I personally would never consider using any company for anything that didn't have a current website AND absolutely all bets are off if I see any animated gifs.

We've built our business entirely by word of mouth and social media, I have yet to spend one dollar on paid advertising.
Even I'm even too busy to even properly finish our site(redesign coming this summer.) For the most part, it compliments our social media efforts, which is where I focus any time spent of marketing/promotions. Honestly, If I spend around 8 hours between twitter, facebook, and primarily 5 other websites - I don't have to make any prospecting calls for at least a week and we've never had to make any cold calls, ever.

Also, I'm not taking your comments as anything particularly negative. The statement "I don't see it really making a difference" - is just truly fascinating to hear. The internet is so integrated into my everyday life and everyone else I associate with - that if you aren't giving me a good impression when I find you in google or check out your site b/c a friend recommended you, I'm 99% likely to not consider you at all. I'm trying to even think of what my perception would be if a studio sent me physical CD in the mail too - CDs and Mail are two other things that I've tried to rid my life of. I guess it's a generational thing or something..but those methods are just so foreign to me. Do you get a good response from the mailing?

Anyway, Sorry for hi-jacking the Business Card thread with my response that turned out to be significantly longer than i intended!!

Originally Posted by joelpatterson

I'm probably hopelessly old school about websites, I don't see it really making any difference, honestly. Seems like it would become a full-time job to constantly update it and add new clips and replace old clips and no matter how many clips there were, are you really luring people? After all, what do they care about other people's music?

I have my mailing list where each year I put together a CD of highlights in every style imaginable-- a'capella, classical, bands, folk singers, what have you-- and send it out. That reminds everyone I'm still here and doing cool stuff.

Yeah, $400, totally random number out of the blue... been edging up, year by year, and that's where we are. I mean... it's priceless to get an excellent recording of your show, isn't it??????

[Rick Sutton]

Used to have all kinds of printed material but now I'm down to just a business card. No web site, although I probably should. I feel a lot like Joel and would even say that although someone might feel they wouldn't work with a studio that doesn't have a web site I feel that I wouldn't want to work with someone that chose me based on a web site. Probably a generational thing.