Square Business Cards

[speedracersong]

Does anyone know where I can get square biz cards printed?

this site seems the most legitimate.
http://www.ooprint.com/us/dynamic/public/chooser.shtml?cat_label=EN_SQUARE-BUSINESS-CARDS_0

I'll pay more more for quality.

[FlyingPhotog]

Just an oh by the way:

My wife is a Human Resources professional and she sees all kids of "gimmicks" designed to garner attention...

- Stainless Steel cards
- Transparant Cards
- Translucent Plastic (fresnel cut) Cards
- Round Cards that double as mini CDs

According to her, the cards that make the most impact (with the least amount of "Good Grief...why this?...into the roundfile) are normal 2x3 in white with black lettering.

Simple, direct and to the point.

Who you are
Where you are
What you do

[speedracersong]

its not a "gimmick"
i would prefer to have a square business card.

thank you for your help though.

[Hikin Mike]

I'm with 'FlyingPhotog'....

[joayne]

If it does not fit in my business card wallet.. It goes in the round file.

[cdifoto]

If it does not fit in my business card wallet.. It goes in the round file.

Mine's shaped like a bedpan. Or a Jelly Belly.

[joayne]

^^:lol: :lol:

Your business card or your round file?

[cdifoto]

^^:lol: :lol:

Your business card or your round file?

Good question. My business cards are standard.

[dmitrim]

its not a "gimmick"
i would prefer to have a square business card.

thank you for your help though.

They are "gimmicks" to me as well.

Looking from a client's view, I don't think I would want a "chopped off" business card.

[dmitrim]

Just an oh by the way:

My wife is a Human Resources professional and she sees all kids of "gimmicks" designed to garner attention...

- Stainless Steel cards
- Transparant Cards
- Translucent Plastic (fresnel cut) Cards
- Round Cards that double as mini CDs

According to her, the cards that make the most impact (with the least amount of "Good Grief...why this?...into the roundfile) are normal 2x3 in white with black lettering.

Simple, direct and to the point.

Who you are
Where you are
What you do

Because your wife sees BUSINESS cards.. As a photographer, I am bound to show some creativity. White card with black letters is not creative,no matter how you put it. They're fine for lawyers or other "non creative" individuals :)

[FlyingPhotog]

Because your wife sees BUSINESS cards.. As a photographer, I am bound to show some creativity. White card with black letters is not creative,no matter how you put it. They're fine for lawyers or other "non creative" individuals :)

Actually, she works at an ad agency and is surrounded by "creative individuals" all day long (and when she comes home as well for that matter... thankyouverymuch) :p

FWIW, according to what I've read in this section of POTN, a photo business is roughly 80% business and 20% art. You should be fully able to let your photos speak to your creativity...

As for the creativity of lawyers, that tells me you've never been divorced or sued or audited. You wanna see creativity? Stick a lawyer in any of these situations... :lol::lol::lol:

[MeanGreeny]

Same for me, if they don't fit into my standard sized business card wallet they get binned - no matter how 'creative' they are.

[Phil Light]

If it does not fit in my business card wallet.. It goes in the round file.

+1. I think it's important to keep the end user in mind. If your card is inconvenient, it will be tossed.

[sandpiper]

+1. I think it's important to keep the end user in mind. If your card is inconvenient, it will be tossed.

+ another 1.

I have been handed a number of 'creative' business cards over the years (including a triangular one and a circular one). I have no idea who gave me them however, they didn't fit in my card file so got tossed in the bin.

Any work I may have going, ends up being given to someone who managed to be creative within the standard card format, and so managed to be filed for future reference.

Odd shaped cards may have a certain impact when you hand them over, but they aren't much use for actually getting you remembered if they get thrown away.

[sevillafox]

figmented (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/member.php?u=27721), another member of the forum here has square cards and he prints his own. He has his own print shop. He's offered to print things for members here before so maybe if you PM he can give you some details.

[SlowBlink]

If I want to keep the information, I'll keep the card no matter what the shape. i usually transfer the info to the puter anyway.

Now I want a carbon fibre business card :)

Sorry Speed, no idea where you can get them done. Send me one when you get them though, I'll keep it.

[bwolford]

its not a "gimmick"
i would prefer to have a square business card.

thank you for your help though.

It may not be to you, but to your customers it might be. I think he was trying to give you serious advice and not insult your idea. Personally, I don't have one odd sized or "special" card in my stack of cards for any business I work with. They just don't appeal to me and don't send the message that the money for the business is being spent in the right place - the fundamentals of the business.

[Rubi Jane]

Interesting, the OP asked if anyone knew where they could get square biz cards printed and yet the thread immediately went to criticizing their reasoning :rolleyes:

Speedracer, I don't know the site but I'd agree they look legit. I have received a few square business cards before and they have made an impact on me, both in terms of unique dimensions and creative design. Good luck on your cards!

[FlyingPhotog]

Interesting, the OP asked if anyone knew where they could get square biz cards printed and yet the thread immediately went to criticizing their reasoning :rolleyes:

Speedracer, I don't know the site but I'd agree they look legit. I have received a few square business cards before and they have made an impact on me, both in terms of unique dimensions and creative design. Good luck on your cards!

JMO,

It's not all that different than the (frequent) posts announcing someone is buying their xD body from "Joe's House of Cameras" because it's dirt cheap and gets a slew of replies on why that's a bad idea.

I stand by my original reply. A square business card will find more trashcans than not.

But best of luck (in all sincerity) to the OP...

[figmented]

I print square biz cards, email me jon@slantphoto.com to talk more if you are interested.

I can do 1000 square cards for 65$ shipped. Great quality, and i use square cards for my own!

and about square biz cards.. EVERYONE I give them to are like OMG THESE ARE SO COOL!! and its not anything special either.. its just a fricken square card lol.. you guys are crazy about all this rap with alternative sizes/looks of business cards..

granted, most photographers here try to be graphic designers and thats where the unprofessional look comes from, not the fact that it's square.

peace.

[ryant35]

I've seen a mini CD that fit in a sleeve that was the same size of a business card. The guy's logo & contact info was printed on the CD and when you load it, his video portfolio shows up. It was pretty cool.

[photoguy6405]

Interesting, the OP asked if anyone knew where they could get square biz cards printed and yet the thread immediately went to criticizing their reasoning :rolleyes:

If someone posted asking where they could buy 110 film for a 1970s Kodak 110 pocket camera that they just picked up at a garage sale so they could get into doing weddings, would you just blindly offer them advice on where to buy the film and let them be on their way?

I would hope not. I would hope that you'd speak up and gently suggest why they might want to re-think their plan of action. Same thing here. Non-traditional business cards do have a certain "Wow, these are cool" novelty factor, but once the novelty wears off, if they don't fit neatly into people's card holders they get trashed... and the entire purpose for even having business cards to begin with becomes moot.

[Kenski]

If I want to keep the information, I'll keep the card no matter what the shape. i usually transfer the info to the puter anyway.

Now I want a carbon fibre business card :)

Sorry Speed, no idea where you can get them done. Send me one when you get them though, I'll keep it.



You want carbon fiber business cards, here ya go!

http://www.ginity.com/business_cards.htm

[SlowBlink]

Cool except they're 990 Euro's for 100 cards..ouch!

[Kenski]

yeah, $1435 for a hundred.. you can order 1 sample card for $14.50.. But it comes with a cool leather box to store them ;)

[Rubi Jane]

If someone posted asking where they could buy 110 film for a 1970s Kodak 110 pocket camera that they just picked up at a garage sale so they could get into doing weddings, would you just blindly offer them advice on where to buy the film and let them be on their way?
Your example doesn't even compare :rolleyes:

Non-traditional business cards do have a certain "Wow, these are cool" novelty factor, but once the novelty wears off, if they don't fit neatly into people's card holders they get trashed... and the entire purpose for even having business cards to begin with becomes moot.
Do you have statistics from a study?
ALL the biz cards I receive end up in the trash, with the exception of a few that I've kept thinking I might pass them along. Details get dropped onto my Mac and synced to my PDA. With your reasoning, people should only email me their contact info because I'm going to toast their regular 2x3 card anyway!

[photoguy6405]

Your example doesn't even compare :rolleyes:

Do you have statistics from a study?
ALL the biz cards I receive end up in the trash, with the exception of a few that I've kept thinking I might pass them along. Details get dropped onto my Mac and synced to my PDA. With your reasoning, people should only email me their contact info because I'm going to toast their regular 2x3 card anyway!

LOL, ok. Granted, my example was a tad more extreme, but what you really seem to be saying is that you can't effectively dispute it so you have to resort to dismissive tactics like demanding "proof" that we both know probably doesn't exist and would be impossible to satisfy. Regardless, the trend of this very thread, that non-traditonal cards aren't necessarily as good an idea as they sound, is probably a pretty good indicator.

[slappy sam]

You want carbon fiber business cards, here ya go!

http://www.ginity.com/business_cards.htm
I got so excited when I saw I could get a sample card. Then I clicked the link and saw they weren't exactly free :rolleyes:

[cosworth]

The square business cards I got from a fellow photographer were in my desk and someone came by and saw them when I was cleaning. Asked to see them.

Then matter of factly said: "Why would a photographer make coasters?"

2x3. If square is the best effort someone makes to be creative I'd chuck it too. I often give out my card and people are amazed. I'm told time and time again my cards are the nicest they've ever seen. 2x3, no rounded edges. Two sided and colour. I get my creativity across.

That being said. I think the OP is dead set on getting square and he's got every right to try it out.

Google of course:
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=square+business+cards&btnG=Google+Search

Link #2 from above:
http://www.ooprint.com/us/dynamic/public/chooser.shtml?cat_label=EN_SQUARE-BUSINESS-CARDS_0

[sandpiper]

Do you have statistics from a study?
ALL the biz cards I receive end up in the trash, with the exception of a few that I've kept thinking I might pass them along. Details get dropped onto my Mac and synced to my PDA. With your reasoning, people should only email me their contact info because I'm going to toast their regular 2x3 card anyway!

I doubt that statistics are available anywhere, but as many have posted here saying that they only keep cards that fit their card files and bin the rest (as I do myself) then it is clear that some people will file a regular card but chuck a square one.

How many, statistically, I don't know. It may only be 1 in 10 but that is still a potential loss of business of 10% compared to using regular cards, which is kind of counter-productive. A square card is unlikely to gain you extra work, but has definite potential to cost you potential clients who chuck the card out.

With your reasoning that it doesn't matter, because the details will be transferred to a computer anyway, the shape is irrelevant anyway because when they come to retrieve the data, the shape of the card will have been forgotten. The giver will now simply be another photographer's name and details. I keep the cards because they tell me so much more than just name and number, they usually include an image and creative input which may then swing the decision, or at least remind me which name I am after.

Many of my cards are for models, the image is important as a reminder of who they were. The same will be true for photographers, if trying to remember who it was that had the card with a picture of ***** on it. Typed name and number on a PC don't do it for me, hence the physical card file.

Of course, a square card won't fit that and would in all likelihood be chucked out or lost.

The OP has every right to have square cards if they want, those of us who have stated that such cards are sometimes thrown out, because they're non-standard size, are simply trying to help. We aren't going by statistics, just what we do when presented with such a card. The whole point of a business card is to get your details where they are on hand for potential clients.

[Rubi Jane]

photoguy6405 & sandpiper

I didn't say square was a good idea. It just seems there's propensity on this forum for posters to wade in with opinions (which is fine, we're all entitled) when OPs asked for information, not opinions or criticism.

I suppose my consumer marketing background gets the better of me where you use research to prove or disprove what might work. As business people and photographers we may have, and probably do have, differing opinions to the potential customers we are trying to sell services too. I don't know who the target market is the OP is trying to reach but there's a good chance they could value a square biz card totally different than someone on this forum.

For fun here's a few ideas.
A mass of unique ideas (http://www.financialhack.com/2008/01/04/10158_cool-business-cards-that-people-will-never-throw-away.html)

Ways to use the back of a biz card (http://www.businesscarddesign.com/articles/seveninches.html)

Coasters...literally! (http://www.bettermousepads.com/neatpads/coasters.html)

[haisai-ojisan]

You may have made a decision already....
Is there a local print shop in your area?
I'm sure that they will take special orders but may add to the cost.

[cosworth]

It just seems there's propensity on this forum for posters to wade in with opinions (which is fine, we're all entitled) when OPs asked for information, not opinions or criticism.

By post #29 he was offered a square printing option. Granted he could have found that himself with google, but you are correct. Many post here saying "blah blah" with opinion only and not objective data or experience to add to the conversation.

Measurebate and pontificate in moderation. :)

[Grace]

I'll go against the grain and say I'd like a square business card. At a forum meet in Albany, NY last year Lloyd, picturecrazy (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/member.php?u=48044), showed up with the 'steel' business cards and everyone went goo goo over them. His clients love them and pass them around. He has even booked weddings from the business cards...

To each their own! Maybe it's just the creative people that appreciate creative cards ;)

just kidding' don't stone me!
:)

[Phil Light]

I'll go against the grain and say I'd like a square business card. At a forum meet in Albany, NY last year Lloyd, picturecrazy (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/member.php?u=48044), showed up with the 'steel' business cards and everyone went goo goo over them. His clients love them and pass them around. He has even booked weddings from the business cards...

To each their own! Maybe it's just the creative people that appreciate creative cards ;)

just kidding' don't stone me!
:)

Were they square, or standard sized and made out of steel? Unique buisness cards are a great idea but I think most of these responses are directed toward cards that just don't fit where most people normally store them.

That being said, I plead guilty to answering a question that the OP didn't ask. A good point was made earlier that no one was asking if square was a good idea, only "where is the best place to have them done?"