Business Card Design

Neophyte Joined : 29 Mar 2008 Posts : 17

Hi All, I wondered if I could ask some advice of the minds on this forum..
I am in the process of redesigning my business card.
I remember reading somewhere on another general magic forum a while ago that it was not a good idea to include a photograph of yourself on your business card.
My instinct is the opposite of this as I feel a photograph personalises the card more.
I would like to add that my main bread-and-butter work is Readings, although I would like the card to attract and welcome possible mental magic/mentalism work as I feel I am ready for this.
Cool

Admin Joined : 17 Mar 2008 Posts : 196

For what its worth, Chris offers a business card template with his An Experiment in Time routine that includes your mug on it. If your interested that is. You can see a sample of what it looks like on many of our Avatars. I have it on mine. Of course the card in the hand doesn't blow up into a royal flush. Its a 3 of spades. Very unique since it can play as a routine itself.

I have handed mine out once or twice when the situation presented itself. I like the smiles that come across the faces or the "hey that REALLY is you" after the routine. The photo on the cards seem very unique. Obviously, others may disagree with putting your photo on it.

AT

Subject: Re: Business Card Design Sat Jun 07, 2008 4:53 pm

The problem with business advice is that there is so much of it, and most of it is contradictory!
I remember being told by someone that business cards with your picture on them are less likely to be thrown away so I have always stuck my ugly mug on them!
Think about the last time you cleared out your wallet. When you are going through all the business cards you have accumulated over the months/years, you will remember some of the people who gave them to you and forget others, and most of the time you cannot picture the magician who gave you the card because ithe card is so nondescript!
If your face is on the card they will be able to remember you better.
Also the less written information you can get away with putting on a business card the more effective it will be. Limit information to your name, what you do and how to contact you. Any more than that will be lost on the client. Most of the time they would have got the card directly from you anyway so they will know how good you are!
So picture this, I'm wanting to book a magician who I worked with a few years ago, I can remember what he did and how strong it was, I can also remember what he looked like, I just dont remember his name. So how am I going to find him in the huge stack of business cards I have in my wallet? If only they had put their picture on it... Wink

Neophyte Age : 33 Joined : 25 Apr 2008 Posts : 13

My target prospects are corporate decision makers and my experience is that elegant, minimalist business cards without photographs work best in that environment. But in the end, I don't think it really matters what my card looks like, provided it looks professional. Hear me out....

I'm not a big believer in 'marketing by business cards' - to me, they are not the key lead generator that a lot of magicians seem to obsess over.

What gets me bookings is receiving THEIR business card. I just give out my own as a courtesy when they hand me theirs. I want my card to exude a certain style and atmosphere, but nothing more... I never expect it to generate a lead on its own.

Lupine's comment about sorting through several months' worth of collected business cards in his wallet made me smile - that would never happen to me; whenever I get a card, I transfer the contact details to a database ASAP. Then I put them in a folder and never look at the paper versions again. By keeping in regular touch with the people in the database and gently reminding them that I exist, I get 90% of my business.

Expecting them to nurture my card for a few months and get back to me when a spot opens up is just wishful thinking IMHO. Not saying it won't happen, but it's too much of a gamble to base my business on.

Subject: Re: Business Card Design Sat Jun 07, 2008 6:38 pm

Some while ago Loren Tindall issued a clever "Pathogorian" numerology reading that works rather well on the back of a business card. Can be used for reading one person or a two person relationship easily.

I recently also added a "business card" roller cutter to my arsenal. Print my own cards 10 up on various card stock (front and back) then cut them aparet. Much cheaper than pre-die-cut cards and an exceptional range of papers available. I am currently partial to Astro-parch book weight cover stock, Cards come out at about 2 cents or so US.

Subject: Re: Business Card Design Sun Jul 20, 2008 12:33 am

I also use card with a photo. I found a printer who ships anywhere in the U.S. - has full color cards, both sides, matte or glossy finish, very thick card stock and they only charge about $60/1000. Nice stuff.