Help with Business Card

[doby]

Hi Everyone!

I hope I am posting this is in the right place.

I have designed the attached business card for my husband's business and would greatly appreciate help in fine tuning it to look its best.

I would like input as to

• which fonts should I use?
• should it be printed on colored card stock?
• glossy?
• metalic for the logo?
• etc.

I look forward to any feedback.
Thanks
Doby

[steve.ledger]

Hi Doby,

Here's a first quick take on it.
Make the logo the main feature of the card - it's on your site and likely on your work vehicle/s. People will associate the logo with your business.

Also, try to repeat the company colours used on the site on the card (and stationary) as well. It adds consistency.

The thing I've learned over the years with business cards in particular, is that 'less is more'.. People don't want large amounts of reading material - they just need fast access to you.

Anyway - for what it's worth - here's my first edit to your idea.

[iamtheblues]

Hi Doby,
I have left your card pretty much as is except for the logo, which I have simplified. The font I used is Helvetica Bold, converted to shapes in the .xar file, so you can use it if it's not on your system. I just duplicated it to give it a more solid feel and to keep to the 2 colours you have used. I felt it gave a more wooden feel to the text in line with your husband's business. I removed the two flourishes for the sake of simplicity and centred the text above and below the RVRS (also Helvetica Bold).
Saludos,
Bob.

[steve.ledger]

Don't be shy Bob please show a screenshot of your example - don't just supply the work ready done for Doby, you know the rules

Edit: Ah - there you go Bob, you edited your post as I was responding - http://www.talkgraphics.com/image.ph...ine=1241426305.

[iamtheblues]

Steve, it occurred to me that doby is doing fine as it is. It is my considered opinion that doby is perfectly capable of doing what I have done, and it would be an insult to her intelligence to suggest otherwise.
It is merely a very slight tweak to the business card and not really even the slightest tweak to the forum rules in the same way that you are probably not even slightly tweaking the moderators' rules in this instance.
Saludos,
Bob.

[gwpriester]

Dunno, but I am going to go with what Doby has posted.

It is clean and it is effective.

The important thing with this card is that it is not talking to designers, it is talking to people who are looking for renovation service.

Answers to your specific questions:

• which fonts should I use?

Something simple and readable. San serif works fine and is more contemporary. Try to keep your text the same size.

• should it be printed on colored card stock?

White is very clean. A light tan stock will also work for this line of business.

• glossy?

I prefer a dull, non-coated stock.

• metalic for the logo?

A hot foil stamp and/or an emboss for the logo will add a quality look and feel.

I do agree with Steve that the logo could be a bit bigger. It should be the first thing people see when they look at the card. And remember that people file cards away. So when they go rummaging through their card file, you want to be sure that your card pops out among the clutter.

[haakoo]

Indeed,less is more
only provide the info needed,
here's my take on it

[ss-kalm]

I would add an address to the card. There's nothing more frustrating than not knowing where people are located.

[Albacore]

Go with Steve's design if you want and look at Gary's remarks but think foiled emboss logos are expensive. As a designer and renovator you might use colour to better effect.

When you ask this type of open question your are going to get open replies and so many different reactions. Refine your question to an area like "do you think that the colours used suit my business?" Or should I use full colour bleed to get more attention. I only give biz cards out to people that they or I have made contact with. I could think of a lot more questions that you could ask and I really want to be helpful here so have a think about your card paper, info, font, logo, colour, clients, double sided and even size. I f you go to the Xone there Gary has done so many on designs of cards and how to get them printed and here is one but there is more http://www.xaraxone.com/webxealot/workbook54/page_6.htm

[Boy]

I definitely prefer Steve's design (with some tweaking, e.g., the black on green is a bit hard to read). I agree with his point that using the same color scheme in all your marketing material increases the impact and retention of your publicity efforts. His design looks simple and suitable for such a company. I would replace the white with the background color that you use on the website, preferably using colored stock.

In principle I agree that a business card should be kept simple, but in this case I think that listing the company's many specialized renovation activities is important. A business card such as this one may very well be passed on to friends or family members and end up in a kitchen drawer for a while and then resurface. The business card is then able to tell the whole story in one flash.

I would use sturdy, heavy-weight, textured but uncoated stock that gives the card a feeling of quality and durability (commensurate with those of the company's services) and that can survive well in such places as a kitchen drawer. Perhaps that (parts of) the logo could be embossed.