Business Card Inspiration

[Adam Randall]

I just got my business cards back from the printer.
Snap Printing in Flinders St (they are very good) Adelaide

Anyway, I dont want to give any away, they are too good, I find myself staring at them amazed that I came up with something that good. They match the colour of my web site and brochures too.

For anyone that wants some inspiration on creating a good business card, the following is a slide show of about 500 of the best business cards I have ever seen.

There is one in there (my favourite) that is for a dentist and it has the imprint of a perfect bite in the card, it looks so good.

[MissieK]

hehehe - had a little giggle at you not wanting to give any cards out!

Melissa

[BlackMax]

Now there's some inspiration.

I also wander over to 99Designs for business card and logo inspiration. I've used some of the logo designers there and have been very impressed with the standard.

It's a great site for small budgets!

[Astrid]

Hi BlackMax

Great that you found something good for you on 99designs. I mean that honestly.

But I have to admit that these websites are a bit of a worry for a lot of professional designers, because the people who offer their services on these websites sometimes undercut the usual fees very heavily. Which will damage the market in the long run.

I understand that it's important for start ups with small budgets not to spend too much money on business cards or even a logo. And I know that some designs look good there (but looking good is not the only factor when it comes to a logo or a card).
But you'll find them in real life as well. ;-)

A lot of us offer start-up specials or are happy to negotiate. Advantage for you: you deal with someone you know, you can visit, where you can build up a relationship and where you know that you get an end product tailored to your solutions.

We all run a business and it's sometimes hard to compete against artist from countries where 200 dollars for a design are a lot of money but here hardly cover any costs.

Cheers
Astrid

[BlackMax]

Hi Astrad,

I do agree it does undervalue the industry, and I think that's a really important point. It's a tough call to convince a client to spend more money to keep the work in the country, and I think next year will be even tougher.

Have you experienced much price comparison from clients on this? Is it difficult to get them to see the value?

[kathiemt]

Ivan Misner has a good book out called "It's in the Cards" which is worth getting (Amazon has it).

I find that people try to cram too much onto their cards and the writing is so small it's impossible to read for those who have eyesight challenges. And if a client tries to fax them to me to enter into a database they're impossible to read then too.

Colour is important too - to make them easy to read.

Too many just starting out try to shortcut the process and get cheap cards. There's two ways of thinking here - one, they might still be trying to work out what they want on them before spending money, or two they need to get out and about now!

I know I started with just plain b&w cards back in 1994 from one of those 'My Card' machines - come a long way from there!

[Astrid]

Hi again

It depends – some contacts don't want to see the value in a personal relationship with their designer. It's then hard to convince them, and I have to say, I don't try it anymore after one try. From experience I know that none of us would be happy.

And others realise that it's a good investment in the long run. To get a tailored logo, where the designer has done some research, checks that there aren't any competitors with similar logos around, helps with trade marking, etc.

I get most of my logo design orders through word of mouth - so people who contact me, often know from the referring person how much I charge.

Some people who contact me through the net, ask for a quote and those who think I'm too expensive don't get back to me after seeing the estimate. I have then to decide if it's worth ringing them up. If it's a start-up I do, if I see that it's just trying to get the cheapest price, I don't.

The bad thing behind it is not just the driving the jobs out of the country, but also a decline in quality after a while. That's not just something that happens in the design industry but also with photographers, copywriters, etc. People get used to see standardised and probably trendy designs, but the unique part is slowly going to disappear.

Don't get me wrong, I know that to keep the costs low is a very important thing for start ups and small businesses.

Cheers
Astrid

[KarenC]

Astrid - I agree about the decline in quality and the problems with logos and design in general. Most people just ask me for a quote as they are shopping for the best price, not for the best quality. No-one seems to take into account that there is so much time in evaluating the client and their business, their needs, their colours, what would suit them etc. Our expenses are high as we keep our good software up-to-date and many of the overseas companies are using pre-set logos and just changing names and colours. I aim for quality with everything I do - just like you. And I do empathise with what you are saying as I have been a designer for over 34 years now and seen constant and vast changes in the industry both pre and post computers.

One logo job I did recently included more than 180 styles and variations of logo over a number of weeks - it was worth far more than the $2650 I charged for it which is currently my top fee for logos which commence from $480. I have one colleague who refuses to charge less than $5500 for a logo because of the amount of time the studio spends on it with limitless changes. Something I have also noticed is that people who get a 'cheap logo' come to me to get it redrawn as a quality vector logo - something I am very good at replicating.

It is a problem that is indeed exasperated by the influx of cheap overseas manufactured designs and I worry about the future for young people going into the design fields now. I even have regular emails and phone calls from overseas companies telling me not to bother doing any design work but to sub contract to them at prices that are less per hour than McDonalds pay their employees. Sometimes I feel like despairing, but we must just keep on keeping on and keep on doing quality work and finding that niche that we fit into.

Robert Gerrish used to tell me to keep aiming high, believe in myself and my work and not to lower my standards, so I'll have to refer to him!

[Ric Willmot]

Excellent thoughts, Astrid.

Quality trumps price in the long run.
I have been using the same graphic designer for over 4 years now.
We have a trusting relationship.
And as the years have gone by, she reads my mind.

I don't care if others try to find fault with her work, I like it. And, I'm the one who pays the bills. And, I pay hers the day I get them to show her how much I value and appreciate the professional service she affords me.

Plenty have contacted me offering cheap prices, yada yada. None have gotten even to first base.

Build your relationships with your customers, so that they like, trust and respect you. And, you will always receive their "benefit of the doubt".

Rgds,
Ric

[Astrid]

Hi Ric - that's it. Exactly. Professional graphic designers do not just put together nice images but provide the best solution and also work out new ways to solve a problem for their customers. As your designer does. Thanks for your comment.

Hi Karen
[ I think your website was one of the first I checked out when I came to Australia in 2000, I remember the Unicorn ]

You are so right, thanks for highlighting it again and in much better words .. I'm still practising

I don't want to come across whingeing, I think we have to adjust a tiny little bit but not when it comes to quality.

I started with graphic design in 1983, without computer of course (not that I do miss letraset). First apprenticeship, then University.
Our teachers always told us not to charge less than 2000 Deutschmark(approx 1000 Euro/2000 Dollars today) for a logo. And charge extra for the copyrights.
This is something a lot of designers forget nowadays - that they give away their intellectual property for free. We should charge for it - but with most of my clients that wouldn't work. I also start with $500 for a logo, with limited changes.

Something I have also noticed is that people who get a 'cheap logo' come to me to get it redrawn as a quality vector logo - something I am very good at replicating.

Oh yes, that sounds familiar. That's because a lot of young designers prefer photoshop ;-)

Ok, but now enough complaining Have a good night or day, whenever you read this.