Ideas for Your Blogger Business Card

The other day we looked at some benefits of having a blogger business card if you’re a problogger. Today we’ll look at what to put on your card and tips for design choices.

What should you put on your blogger business card?

Honestly, it depends on who you ask. Personally I think a business card should offer some sort of useful information about you and your business, but often I see cards that are more design savvy than informative; i.e. more for looks and brand recognition then for info. Not to play favorites, but Deb has an excellent business card in my opinion. Deb’s business card, designed by Randa Clay is both design savvy and informative.

With a blogger business card you can go one of two ways:

1. Create a business card that reflects a specific blog, or series of blogs. Chile Chews has an excellent, example of a simple business card that reflects a blog rather than a blogger.
2. Create a business card that reflects you the blogger and your personal info. Deb’s card linked above reflects this design choice.

You could go a third way which is to design a card that reflects your blogs and you, but at that point your card may be getting a little crowded. Which card style you choose depends on what you want to promote. If you’re networking for gigs, obviously a card with your personal contact info is useful, but if you’re a cooking blogger and you’re at a cooking-minded event, a card designed to promote your cooking blog is a good idea. If you’re torn, you can always have two different types of cards.

Include the basics on a personal card – white space is good, but information is what scores you gigs. At bare minimum you’ll need your name and an email included on your card. Better yet include more than the bare minimum such as your name, a title, your address, phone, skype, Twitter, fax, email, and a URL of a key website you own. You don’t however have to put anything you’re uncomfortable with. For example, I don’t give out my address, although I am comfortable handing over my phone number.

Note, I’ve seen advice elsewhere that says, “ALL bloggers need on a personal business card is their blog URL and blog name!” I really don’t agree with this advice. If your goal is to score some blogging or freelance writing gigs with your personal blogger business card you should choose one piece of contact info (phone, address, or fax) that’s NOT web related. As web savvy as many people are, some aren’t. In fact many non-savvy web people might need help setting up a blog and if they can’t contact you to help them get more web savvy you’re missing out on a job.

For a blog-minded card, you should have the URL for said blog, along with an email related to that blog, and a short blurb about the blog. Your goal here is to get people to your blog so keep it simple.

Design ideas and business card practices:

What if you have a bunch of blogs you want potential clients to see? I wouldn’t put a ton of URLs on a business card; there’s simply not room and it’ll just look messy. A better choice is to place the most important URL on the card then set up an appropriate “About Me” page or “My Current Work” page there that links to your other blogs.

Double sided or single sided? I like double sided business cards best because they offer more opportunity. For example, you can show your design savvy on one side but then make sure useful information is on the other. Double sided cards can cost more though and are not always necessary. It depends on how much info you’ve got to print. If your card is looking too busy, transfer some of that text traffic to the back. 

What colors to use? Often when I’m handed business cards at an expo I’ll jot down a little note on the card that helps me remember more about who handed it to me. If a card is a dark color I can’t do this. Most people don’t carry around silver ink pens. I’d choose colors you like, colors that reflect who you are or what your blog is about but make the choice carefully. Read about how color affects your brand.  

Paper choices? Sturdy is obviously better and longer lasting. Conventional size is very important. I have a basic business card holder, as do many, and some weirdo cards I get (i.e. HUGE or oddly shaped) don’t fit in my holder, which means they usually end up in the recycling bin. Clean cut edges are also a perk because the cards seem to hold up better and look more professional. Also if you’re selling something specific make sure the paper matches up. For example, if I get a business card from a green company and I can tell it’s not printed on recycled paper it does affect my opinion of them.  

Resources and design inspiration:

• Scobleizer has a must read, excellent post on best business card practices.
• Smart ways to use your business card.
• OMG It Even Has a Watermark – excellent collection of ideas – 100% business card design.
• Design ideas at Business Cards of Bloggers.
• Fun designs to browse – nothing too serious, but fun.
• Think business cards are too boring? Just for fun see what some people have done instead.
• 18 Smokin’ Hot Business Card Designs
• Your personal blog! The first place you should start looking for business card design inspiration if you’re a blogger is at your very own blog. It’s awesome when a blog and blog business card line up design wise. If you don’t like your blog design enough to be inspired by it, maybe it’s time for a design change.

Soon we’ll look at a quick post about where to score some good business cards.

[image via stock.xchng]