The perfect business card is like the perfect bag: small, yet big enough to hold everything including the kitchen sink. Consequently, perfection never quite happens.
Luckily my motto is very very good is good enough, and I reckon it's usually worth making something better than it was.
The first Contented business card was minimalist, with just our logo, name and contact details. Elegant, with plenty of white space for notes. But who could remember what we did?
At the next printing we added a tag line: High impact web and business writing courses. Better than nothing, but it doesn't say a lot. So yesterday we had a batch of new cards printed.
I use business cards in two situations: networking at conferences (difficult), and with clients and other people who know me (easy: they just want a web address or phone number).
The business card as a networking tool is essential, and it can be powerful. At conferences we briefly meet dozens of strangers in a few hours or days, and all those people are also meeting dozens of strangers. That makes most of us pretty darn forgettable!
Personally I forget faces, even when I have met people several times, so I love business cards with photos. Also, I've always admired business cards that say what the company does, not just how great it is.
On the other hand, a business card is not an advertising flyer or a work of art. It is a handy memento of our identity and contact details.
Is the latest Contented card sufficiently ladylike? Or have we crossed the line into tacky self-promotion?
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