talkmagic.co.uk

I'm mindful of all the advice available here on where to get things printed, but I'm wondering if anyone would like to reveal strongly held but hitherto unsaid opinions on what to put on a business card.

I'm thinking Name, strapline, phone, email and website is the minimum - but what more do you folks have?

Blank back for tricks or list of services? Business address or not? QR codes? Playing card reveals?

What's too much? What's not enough?

Is the best graphic for the layman to spot the card from a distance still "rabbit in hat"?

Thank you!

I would argue against the 'rabbit in the hat' image as it has an association with the stereotypical cheesy unbearable magician, same with magic wands and stars.

Why would you want people to be able to spot your business cards from a distance?

Also what kind of magic do you do? What's your target clientele?

Sorry, yes - I should specify: children / family parties.

And visibility is for when on noticeboards.

Alright I Really don't have enough knowledge on this subject to advise anyone but the daily deception had a two part article on designing business cards

But ignore the guy in the video at the beginning he's a lunatic

The only thing I can say is for billboards you might want to make an A5 - A6 flyer and have catchy pictures on that instead of on your business card.

Also I may be wrong here, and having a trick on your business card is fine (I have one), but I don't believe using tricks on business cards to make them take the business cards are a good idea.

By which I mean, you entertain someone with an effect, afterwards they ask for your business card or you offer them your business card, they'll take it. You meet someone at a party, you're not working there it's just a friends party (and he didn't hire you to entertain, the swine). Someone asks you what you do, you say 'I'm a magician, here's my card', they'll take your business card, no questions asked, no trick required.

If on the other hand you ask them to pick any card from a deck and then revel the card they picked is printed on your business card, then tell them 'You can keep that as a souvenir', to me at least that comes across as manipulative, you clearly have an agenda with that trick and it might put people off.

Think of the business cards as something you always have on you, so have a small trick you'll always have on you that's a good trick in and of itself.

Finally this is some very good advice I got from a long time street performer. It's not entirely relevant to this thread but it is good advice. If someone asks you for your business card because they want to hire you, give them your business card but also try to get their contact information, preferably their email, then send them an email in the next few days.

Because what happens a lot is someone sees you perform, wants to hire you for a party, get's your business card, and then forgets all about it or looses the card, if you have their contact details you can send them an email reminding them of their desire to hire you and linking them to your website.

In regardes to putting a trick on the card, it is all about intent. If you read your wording there, you will see what I mean.

Kenton Knepper has a surprisingly large amount of material for incorporating tricks into a business card. Including routines where you seemingly induce trance in people just by looking at your card. (I say seemingly, because with training in hypnosis you would be really doing it.) I don't do kids parties. But I would imagine that having a good set of "adult" tricks that incorporate your business card wouldn't be a bad thing. It would be good to mingle with the adults at the party and show them stuff that would leave them with your card.

Personally, my business cards have traditionally been designed to be perfect for billet work. I usually don't want them to keep the card afterwards depending on which peek I use so I will often crumple it up and then state, "Sorry, I ruined that one. If you would like one to keep here is a clean one!" The leg up I had here though, you won't. I was a hypnotherapist for a while and my business cards were for that. So it was much easier to do a neat little demonstration using the card and create a "magic moment" that was highly memorable without it coming off as me just doing the trick to spread my name. But again, this is all about intent. Be genuin with everyone you meet and it isn't an issue. The exchange of business cards is a natural process in the human species.

I strongly echo not using any clip art or graphics you typically find on free sites. Probe your friends, see if you have any that do graphic design and would be willing to help you out and design a personal logo. Even if they ask for a little bit of cash, it will pay off. The more unique yet clean looking the business card is, the more people will remember it. Worst case, going to a graphic designer would probably set you back a few hundred. But it is a one time expense. Having a logo would be a great idea for your website anyway. Two birds one flash pan.

Good luck!

Jean wrote:Alright I Really don't have enough knowledge on this subject to advise anyone but the daily deception had a two part article on designing business cards

But ignore the guy in the video at the beginning he's a lunatic

The only thing I can say is for billboards you might want to make an A5 - A6 flyer and have catchy pictures on that instead of on your business card.

Also I may be wrong here, and having a trick on your business card is fine (I have one), but I don't believe using tricks on business cards to make them take the business cards are a good idea.

By which I mean, you entertain someone with an effect, afterwards they ask for your business card or you offer them your business card, they'll take it. You meet someone at a party, you're not working there it's just a friends party (and he didn't hire you to entertain, the swine). Someone asks you what you do, you say 'I'm a magician, here's my card', they'll take your business card, no questions asked, no trick required.

If on the other hand you ask them to pick any card from a deck and then revel the card they picked is printed on your business card, then tell them 'You can keep that as a souvenir', to me at least that comes across as manipulative, you clearly have an agenda with that trick and it might put people off.

Think of the business cards as something you always have on you, so have a small trick you'll always have on you that's a good trick in and of itself.

Finally this is some very good advice I got from a long time street performer. It's not entirely relevant to this thread but it is good advice. If someone asks you for your business card because they want to hire you, give them your business card but also try to get their contact information, preferably their email, then send them an email in the next few days.

Because what happens a lot is someone sees you perform, wants to hire you for a party, get's your business card, and then forgets all about it or looses the card, if you have their contact details you can send them an email reminding them of their desire to hire you and linking them to your website.

I can't stress enough that if somebody asks for your business card, try and get their contact info as well. It is all about networking. Even if they are not looking for a magician at that moment, obviously they have something in the back of their mind about magic and magicians otherwise why else ask for a business card. If you follow up it will just cement things rather than your business card just getting lost with all the others. It also helps if, when you get the contact info jote down a note for yourself. Where did you see this person that way you can remind them in the conversation as to why you are calling and who you are. Otherwise they may forget as well.