Whether you're a published author, a writer thinking about publishing, or a small business (even the smallest of businesses), a business card is a way to tell people they can get in touch with you. Yes, probably 9 out of 10 times mine get tossed in the garbage, but I like to think that they're at least looked at for a bit before they're tossed. I got the idea of a 'bookmark' business card from author friend Jennifer DeVries, who writes under the pseudonym Brenda Lyne.
The Benefits of a Business Card
When you're doing a craft show or even a pop-up market, you want people to leave with your product in their hands along with a way to get in touch with you if they want more. You want me to leave you with a way to get in touch with you, especially if they don't leave with your product in hand. You don't have to have a website, which can be costly for a small business, but you should at least have a Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, or any combination of these social media presences for people to follow or subscribe to besides an email address. A google email address is free, as are social media pages. The last thing you want is for people to forget you exist. Leave a lasting impression!
How to Design a Business Card
You can leave a lasting impression by having a decent business card. Get a logo, free to design through Adobe Express or Canva. Both will constantly bug you for a free trial and they have locked designs, requiring a subscription, but I've designed three decent logos (one for myself, and two for others) without having to do either. True enough, I could do a lot more paying for a subscription. I wouldn't do both, and I'm not to where I feel the need for a subscription. With either of them, I could design flyers, invitations, business cards, even my book covers (if I want to design my own, which I don't). Another perk to Adobe Express, free QR codes. You can get a QR code linked to anything URL you want. Make sure you put that on your business card when you design it. When you design your business card, you will want to create your 'brand', which means color and font will matter. Consistency will matter, and I preach even though none of the fonts and colors match on my three book colors and that is because my book covers are pre-made. If I hired an artist, I'd have more consistency. Also, not ready for that yet. I'm doing find as is, but will probably want to consider a redesign in the future. Make sure your business card contains your logo, business name, contact information (unnecessary to include a phone number, although you can link a FREE google phone number to your actual phone number, as well), and I would strongly recommend at least one QR code for people to capture a picture to lead them to something whether it be your website or a social media page. Whatever else you have on it, especially if you've paid for back and front, MAKE AN IMPACT. I have covers of my books, hoping that it sparks memory for someone who purchased, or maybe didn't purchase, one of my books. Maybe a quote might be good, if I could come up with a good one.
Where To Get Business Cards
There are many places to get business cards for a decent price from. I started with Vistaprint, who had a good price for a bulk order of business cards. But after several reorders in which they changed how they looked without me changing the design, I switched to Texas-based Print Place. My husband still gets his business cards through Vistaprint and has had no issues. No matter who you could go through, do a price comparison. While I go through Print Place for my business cards, or bookmarks, they are more costly for other things I would otherwise get from Vistaprint. And that could likely be because they are of better quality, but I've since cut down my marketing costs considerably.
My bookmarks will be a marketing cost that follows me for a while, regardless if people throw them away. If they don't, I have a better chance of them remembering that they should look me up to see if I have a new book or maybe someone swiping a card from my table and remembered when they got home to follow me on Instagram or Facebook, or subscribe to my newsletter. Business cards give you a better chance of someone remembering that they met you and what your product was. Easy marketing, I like to think.
Jodie