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magic4u02 Eternal Order Philadelphia, PA 15110 Posts |
That is what I tell all the clients I design for these days. Use online digital printing. There are somany of them fighting for YOUR consumer dollar that it is by far the best way to go over traditional offset printing. You just need to ask for printed samples ahead of time to ensure quality. Once you find the quality places, you can get great volume print runs in full color both sides for very low rates.
Kyle
Kyle Peron
http://www.kylekellymagic.com Entertainers Product Site http://kpmagicproducts.com Join Our Facebook Fan Page at http://facebook.com/perondesign |
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magicbillk New user 64 Posts |
I was thinking more along the lines of making a deck of cards with my name and contact info on the back, like from http://www.kardwell.com, that way I can do a trick, and when it comes time for the business card, they've had it the entire trick, and it could be signed!
-Bill
"For those who believe, no explanation is necessary. For those who do not, none will suffice." -Dunninger
www.magicbillk.com |
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Father Photius Grammar Host El Paso, TX (Formerly Amarillo) 17161 Posts |
If ur good at graphic art, and don't use a cheap program, cheap printer, cheap ink and cheap stock you can make a nice business card on ur computer, but if you are not a graphic artist it is in ur best interest to shell out a few bucks to a pro to design one for you then have it printed. Your card should stand out from all others, and should at a glance remind the person of who you are and what you do. I probably get thousands of business cards a year, and maybe 6 or so stand out. Well worth the expense to stand out. If your idea of a home made card is a cheap publishing program using the template, cheap stock, or doing it home urself with a crayon, do yourself a favor and don't go there.
"Now here's the man with the 25 cent hands, that two bit magician..."
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Marshall Thornside Inner circle chicago 2016 Posts |
I use crayon all the time for my business cards.
I get fantastic results. Crayon all the way! even colour pencils are nice too.
you will remember my name
World's Youngest Illusionista 7th greatest pianist in the world Go Red For Women and Stroke Ambassador www.mai-ling.net |
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gardini Regular user Cornwall, Ontario, Canada 158 Posts |
Mabye things are differnt here in Canada but every sales manager that I ever had taught 80% of the time you hand someone a card its to get rid of you and you'll never hear from them again. That to business clientscorperate to try only give out your card if you can trade for one of theres, if there willing to give there card to you there much more serious. One of the things I sold was print advertising in Calgary, when you actually crunch the numbers about how effective most of it is wheather its high quailty or not dosent make much of a differance, and sometimes a high quailtiy glossy flyer/card etc can acually turn off people figuring your out of thier price range.
Hopefully people in hear don't get to mad Gardini |
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magicofCurtis Inner circle Los Angeles 2545 Posts |
Discount stores looks like doscount stores.... $10,000 dollar cars looks like $10,000 cars....
Sleek stores looks like sleek stores!!!! Cheap business cards look like cheap business cards... What image do you want to project? Your choice...... But, I would like to think that as performers we should be showy as well as entertaining..........................................................
Curtis Lovell II
http://www.CurtisLovell.com http://www.MagicofCurtis.com www.facebook.com/curtislovellii Los Angeles, California - U.S.A. |
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magic4u02 Eternal Order Philadelphia, PA 15110 Posts |
Curtis: Amen my brother. You are 100% correct. A cheap looking card will only make the prospect view you as cheap. If you do not have enough time or money to get a card professionally designed and printed, then how can the prospect feel you are going to give them a top quality show? A high quality design and printing of your business cards and other materials DOES make a difference. It really makes a huge difference.
I have been in the grahic design and marketing industry ever since I got out of school and we constantly do studies on marketing effectiveness. It has been seen time and again that your materials you hand or send out is a direct relation on the impression the prospect gets of you. If this is the first thing they ever see of you, then they are drawing all kinds of perceived impressions from what they are receiving. I do not know about you, but I spend a lot of time making sure my show is the best high quaklity show it can be. Why would I want to damage all that work by habding out a bsuiness card that looks like I just did not care enough? Online printing (as I stated above) is so cost effective these days that is just does not make any sense to do it yourself at home. And, when it comes to designing your card, if you are not a designer or do not have a friend who is a designer, do yourself a favor and get it professionally designed. A poor design job will still look poor no matter what paper or printing process is used. Kyle
Kyle Peron
http://www.kylekellymagic.com Entertainers Product Site http://kpmagicproducts.com Join Our Facebook Fan Page at http://facebook.com/perondesign |
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gardini Regular user Cornwall, Ontario, Canada 158 Posts |
Talking about business cards it all comes down to how you present yourself to your prospect, if you made a grade "A" impression on a client no matter what your trying to sell you can write your name on the back of a grocier list or a piece of paper and thier going to call. Its how you handle yourself not your business card, that will make or break you. From selling all sorts of differnt products/services to diffrent companies/clientel and the only market I found a differance on a high quaility card makes is a high corperate accounts, but even with them if you know how to get passed the gatekeeper and present yourself properly to the decision maker, it doesn't matter if its homemade or not. As long as its neat, has enough white space for your name and contact info stand out. Don't forget your prospect has already made up thier mind weather to call you or not BEFORE you gave him the card.
Gardini |
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mrunge Inner circle Charleston, SC 3716 Posts |
Professionally printed cards all the way. Why look like an amateur?
Mark. |
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magic4u02 Eternal Order Philadelphia, PA 15110 Posts |
Hi gardini: I do respect you and your thoughts highly so what I am about to say is only a personal opinion and not an attack on you at all my friend. =)
With that said, prospects usually have NOT made up their mind whether to call or hire you or not before you gave them a card. We are assuming here only that your card is handed to them. In most cases, business cards are mailed out as part of a promotional kit of sorts. We can not assume that a card is always handed to someone. In this way, your card is a direct representation of you and the services you provide. If they are seeing your card for the first time before seeing you or knowing what you do, it has to say quality and professional. Also, even if you did hand your card to them and talk to them ahead of time, I would still insist that my card look and be as professional as it can be. Why? So that it backs up the impression that I have already created with the prospect. Just my thoughts is all. We actually do agree on a lot of the same things my friend. I am just adding a bit of the differences that I feel others might want or need to know. You are right in that making a good impression will always carry great weight for you. That you also need to be a professional long before the curtain opens. I am just saying that your card should also carry and extend this message and perception. Hope this helps. Kyle
Kyle Peron
http://www.kylekellymagic.com Entertainers Product Site http://kpmagicproducts.com Join Our Facebook Fan Page at http://facebook.com/perondesign |
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magicofCurtis Inner circle Los Angeles 2545 Posts |
We are living in a time of design....
Corprations are spending millions on their offices, events are spending more money to create a WOW factor then ever before.... Why would you want to save 10 bucks on a homemade card while you can be part of the design and WOW factor...... WOW all the way for me ....!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! P.s. Please keep printing your cards at home and making black and white copies.... It makes it easier for me to get 10 times the amount you are asking for when we compete for the same client !!!!! ehehehehhe
Curtis Lovell II
http://www.CurtisLovell.com http://www.MagicofCurtis.com www.facebook.com/curtislovellii Los Angeles, California - U.S.A. |
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gardini Regular user Cornwall, Ontario, Canada 158 Posts |
I guess I've just meet too many new small business owners buy into the fact of getting top noch sales materials, business cards and they don't understand how to use them properly, and they can't figure out why thier going out of business, and 10 chances to one its thier personal presentation skills of over reliance on thier marketing materials, where the guy down the street with some homemade stuff and a telephone is busy.
Just food for thought I guess everyone is going to have thier own thoughts on this, I always told sales trainees of mine the right way is the way that works for you. |
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magicofCurtis Inner circle Los Angeles 2545 Posts |
Gardini,
A great product, the know how to sell it, and following though is part of the process as well... But we are talkign about b-cards...... :)
Curtis Lovell II
http://www.CurtisLovell.com http://www.MagicofCurtis.com www.facebook.com/curtislovellii Los Angeles, California - U.S.A. |
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magic4u02 Eternal Order Philadelphia, PA 15110 Posts |
A good designer will always be one that WORKS with the client or company to really underatand them . their products and services they offer. A good deisgner will spend a lot of time up front with a client to really understand all of this and then understand wht makes them different and set apart from the competition.
By doing this, it is the only way a graphic designer can come to design materials that communicate an efective message that works for the client. As much as some folks want to believe, what I do with my graphic design work is not to just make something look pretty. My job is to create good and effective design that communicates a message to the cinsumer that my clients want to communicate. If I do not do this, then it is my fault for failing to do my job well. A good deisgner will always work with the client to educate them and learn so that the client not only has materials that work, but they also know how to best use these materials for their greatest advantage. Kyle
Kyle Peron
http://www.kylekellymagic.com Entertainers Product Site http://kpmagicproducts.com Join Our Facebook Fan Page at http://facebook.com/perondesign |
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gardini Regular user Cornwall, Ontario, Canada 158 Posts |
Magic4u02 I do have a lot of respect for what you said, unfortantly not everyone goes to a graphic designer and has things custom made to suite them or someone to walk through the why of thier metrials on how they work. I think the average guy goes to vista, office depot and gets some cards printed and then relie much to heavliy on them, and not enough on themselves. Sometimes expecially when your just starting out you have to do things a little bit differant to stand out. Myself Ive been forcing a card, then producing the mate with my contact info on it. It gets remembered. Then again I have a wife and five kids so I don't travel anymore.
Gardini |
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magic4u02 Eternal Order Philadelphia, PA 15110 Posts |
Gardini,
Thank you my friend. I also have a lot of respect for you and your views as well. It is nice to know that we can sometimes have a difference of opinion and still show respect toward each other. It is also great to know that we can share our ideas openly with each other without anger getting in the way. It is the greatest way to exchange thought and to really learn. So thank you my friend. You are so right when you said, "the average guy goes to vista, office depot and gets some cards printed". That is so right. Many folks do not even go that far. Many start up companies or small business or entertainers do this. The reason is not always because they are lazy. In most cases I find the reason is due in part from the fact that they are not educated to know any difference. What I mean is that most simply do not understand the importance good graphic design and effective marketing can have on their business and the success of it. They are not educated enough to know that establishing and building an effective brand, can make such a huge impact. For this reason, I try my best to educate as many folks as possible on the value ot graphic design and marketing. It is my hopes to open some eyes and to get people thinking differently about how they promote themselves and the services they provide. Thanks again for expressing and sharing your thoughts. It is much appreciated. Kyle
Kyle Peron
http://www.kylekellymagic.com Entertainers Product Site http://kpmagicproducts.com Join Our Facebook Fan Page at http://facebook.com/perondesign |
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JamesTong Eternal Order Malaysia 11213 Posts |
The first impression on our professional image counts. And it is very important. A little investment on this image can also mean many more returns. It may be in the form of more shows.
Investing a little more on business cards can make a big difference. Kyle can be of great help since he is not only a good designer but also a good magician. He knows your performance marketing needs. He is a great guy to work with. |
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Marshall Thornside Inner circle chicago 2016 Posts |
I find that my crayon cards to be highly rated.
when someone is thinking of me, they think of my hand drawn, hand made crayon cards. its like a rainbow!
you will remember my name
World's Youngest Illusionista 7th greatest pianist in the world Go Red For Women and Stroke Ambassador www.mai-ling.net |
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magic4u02 Eternal Order Philadelphia, PA 15110 Posts |
James,
Thank you so much my friend for your very kind words. I really appreciate that. I try my best to work with my clients to give them the best design I can and to do so while always keeping them and their services in mind. I also like to continue to educate people on the power of design and effective marketing. That is why I am enjoying this thread and the sharing we are having here. I hope it is opening some eyes and getting people to see the importance of not only your business card but your entire marketing materials. How investing a bit of time and money in the short term can yield you so much gain long term. Thanks again James. Kyle
Kyle Peron
http://www.kylekellymagic.com Entertainers Product Site http://kpmagicproducts.com Join Our Facebook Fan Page at http://facebook.com/perondesign |
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JamesTong Eternal Order Malaysia 11213 Posts |
You are welcome, my good friend.
Unfortunately many do not view the investment of having a good professional image in a business card is important. But then those who do see their importance are rewarded in their business many fold. I would highly recommend your service, Kyle. Posted: Jun 16, 2007 6:51pm Quote: On 2007-06-16 18:02, Marshall Thornside wrote: I find that my crayon cards to be highly rated. when someone is thinking of me, they think of my hand drawn, hand made crayon cards. it's like a rainbow! Marshall, I would be interested to take a look at your crayon cards. Paper crafting such as scrapbooking art is also part of my hobby. Do you have any sample we can see? I believe you may have a work of art that people may not realize. |
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