talkmagic.co.uk

It was recommended to me last night that I'm now at a stage where I could do with my own business cards, as I'm now looking at taking my routine to a wider audience and am going to try and get some regular table hopping gigs.

Can anybody recommend a decent designer/printer?

Thanks

I got mine from www.vistaprint.co.uk if you sign up put a few things in your basket but don't actually buy anything, wait a few days and you'll get an email from them offering some really silly sale prices.

Lady of Mystery wrote:I got mine from www.vistaprint.co.uk if you sign up put a few things in your basket but don't actually buy anything, wait a few days and you'll get an email from them offering some really silly sale prices.

Thanks Lady of Mystery

I'd looked at that website before but wasn't sure what layout/design to go for? Have you gone for a plain design or do they do one with cards etc on it?

Design = far more than visuals...

Think about the following, some which us old skool designers call 'sacred cows'... meaning 'The things which MUST be there and respected, before considering anything else'. i.e. work out the BARE MINIMUM in terms of communication/wording BEFORE getting fancy and creative with the design. That way, your card is communicative BEFORE it's aesthetically pleasing.

1: Character... choose a typeface which conveys a sense of character and personality. Something classy and businesslike wouldn't, for instance, look good in a hand-script font—but a kids' magician's card would work well like that.

2: Details... keep the details to the bare minimum. Name, selling point, contact. That's really all you need. Don't clutter the card.

3: Colours... just because you are allowed full-colour, doesn't mean you have to take advantage of a full paintbox. This will leave you looking unprofessional.

4: Learn by mistakes, not by emulation... Look at other business cards you have, or design in general. Don't try to EMULATE the styles you like, but DO try and AVOID the things you DON'T like or which don't work. i.e. if you have a card where the name is in huge print and the contact number/website address is in 5pt type, it's inefficient.

5: Don't overcomplicate... For most purposes, one single and solid method of contact usually wins. I.e. ONE telephone number, and an internet address.
If your website already has your email address, don't put it on your card as well! Keep the card uncluttered.

6: BEFORE you get the card printed, show a few people the design and ask them to check it over. It is so easy to transpose a digit or 3 in a phone number... you KNOW what the number should be, and a mistake isn't always easy to spot. Also ask people's opinion on the design before you go to print. You may have missed something obvious.

7: NEVER be fooled into thinking that you need to list everything you do! By nature, a business card is something you hand out... and because of that, you have usually already confirmed or demonstrated what you do, so why re-iterate on the card and clutter it up? Save complex mission statements etc. for your leaflets or website, where you have room to deliver them

I went for the premium cards and did my own design, for the slightly higher price I thought it was worth it to get something more personal looking.

Follow Seige's tips, they're good ones.

seige wrote:Design = far more than visuals...

Think about the following, some which us old skool designers call 'sacred cows'... meaning 'The things which MUST be there and respected, before considering anything else'. i.e. work out the BARE MINIMUM in terms of communication/wording BEFORE getting fancy and creative with the design. That way, your card is communicative BEFORE it's aesthetically pleasing.

1: Character... choose a typeface which conveys a sense of character and personality. Something classy and businesslike wouldn't, for instance, look good in a hand-script font—but a kids' magician's card would work well like that.

2: Details... keep the details to the bare minimum. Name, selling point, contact. That's really all you need. Don't clutter the card.

3: Colours... just because you are allowed full-colour, doesn't mean you have to take advantage of a full paintbox. This will leave you looking unprofessional.

4: Learn by mistakes, not by emulation... Look at other business cards you have, or design in general. Don't try to EMULATE the styles you like, but DO try and AVOID the things you DON'T like or which don't work. i.e. if you have a card where the name is in huge print and the contact number/website address is in 5pt type, it's inefficient.

5: Don't overcomplicate... For most purposes, one single and solid method of contact usually wins. I.e. ONE telephone number, and an internet address.
If your website already has your email address, don't put it on your card as well! Keep the card uncluttered.

6: BEFORE you get the card printed, show a few people the design and ask them to check it over. It is so easy to transpose a digit or 3 in a phone number... you KNOW what the number should be, and a mistake isn't always easy to spot. Also ask people's opinion on the design before you go to print. You may have missed something obvious.

7: NEVER be fooled into thinking that you need to list everything you do! By nature, a business card is something you hand out... and because of that, you have usually already confirmed or demonstrated what you do, so why re-iterate on the card and clutter it up? Save complex mission statements etc. for your leaflets or website, where you have room to deliver them

Top tips! Cheers Seige!

I've got an idea in my head.. just need to get it onto card now!

I did my own and am happy with them.

I signed up with Vistaprint and now get spammed every day from them which is a pain.

seige wrote:6: BEFORE you get the card printed, show a few people the design and ask them to check it over. It is so easy to transpose a digit or 3 in a phone number... you KNOW what the number should be, and a mistake isn't always easy to spot. Also ask people's opinion on the design before you go to print. You may have missed something obvious.

Extremely good point Seige, I got ten thousand cards printed, spent four months designing and redesigning them only to put the wrong phone number on the very last sample before sending off. It actually worked out cheaper and less hassle to change my phone number

The only thing I've noticed with vista print is that they tend to print a little dark, so make your design slightly lighter that you want it to be.

I'm currently having problems finding a business card to print. I've looked into hiring a design service to get nice business cards but it is pretty damn pricey. Cheapest I've found so far is £100 for the design and then printing on top of this.


On the websites that have templates I've been unable to find a suitable graphic that suits me. The business cards I have at the moment are the vista print ones which are now have incorrect information and look cheap..... well they were the free ones

Edit: I forgot to add that I have little to no artistic flair in the drawing / design side of things. I dont even know which colours go together or not. I know more about quantum mechanics and I know bu**er all about that

Lady of Mystery wrote:The only thing I've noticed with vista print is that they tend to print a little dark, so make your design slightly lighter that you want it to be.

often designs are sent to print in rgb colour which are then converted to cmyk at pre-press. this can result in darker colours than expected, as can having gamma settings or brightness too high on your monitor. Then again, it could just be them.

Also Vistaprints business cards are undersized which I dont like but what can you expect for free. Other than that I think there quite good.

greedoniz wrote:I'm currently having problems finding a business card to print.

Email me some info, and I'll do you a bespoke design for free, press-ready artwork.

I'm designing 24/7 these days, so this is nothing really in the grand scale of things. £100 is a violent jolt to the system!

That's Great seige Thanks!

I will PM you with all the details I can muster.

Thanks for the tips everyone. I've gone with vistaprint, but from their 'premium' range. I've paid £12.99 for 250 in this style
http://www.vistaprint.co.uk/vp/ns/easypath/studio.aspx?pf_id=192&cfs=-1&gallery_id=10&search_track_id=34070154&icparts=yes&ref=1&category_id=2472&combo1=2304.113.1.8280%7c8280%7c137%7c17121

(if the link works)

and have kept it very simple with just my name, email address and mobile number on it.

I wish I'd listened to Lady of Mystery though. They've emailed me today offering the same package for £2.49.

bu**er.