Tag Archives: graphic

Artistic Business Cards

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I like to blog when I can about interesting business cards I see and interesting people I meet.  A few weeks ago my wife and I enjoyed an very nice gallery event at the art gallery of Nancie King Mertz  at 2036 N. Clark Street in Chicago. While there I picked up a few business cards of Nancie and her husband Ron. What I love is that they feature examples of Nancie’s beautiful artwork on one side of the card and utilize the back side of the card to share a good amount of information about her work and their gallery and frame service Art De Triumph.

For those of you who have read through my blog or my book “Turn Your Business Card Into Business” you know that I favor cards that use the space available as a kind of advertisement. I believe in the case of most entrpreneurs that you should consider your business card no different then you would a small magazine ad.  Additonally when your business involves a product or when your message can benefit from a graphic representation of what you do, you should include a photo or high quality graphic.

In the case of Nancie and Ron’s card the beautiful examples of her work depicting iconic Chicago scenes is a perfect souvenir of my visit to their gallery and perfect reminder of her work and what they offer.  So enjoy the cards but more importantly if you’re in the area stop by and see the work in person. According to the business card they open seven days a week. Now that’s handy information!

Letterpress and Eco Friendly Printing

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Handmade PaperBy Nina Interlandi Bell – Guest Blogger

As a graphic and web designer, I think a lot about presentation. I believe that first impressions are important, and that little things can provide clues to potential contacts about your personality and how you do business. Little things like business cards can say a lot about your attention to detail, your ability to recognize the value of good design, and even how “plugged in” you are to current trends. I’m not saying that your precious 2″ x 3.5″s are the end all be all of your networking skills, but I absolutely believe that a well designed card can make you stand out from the pack.

 

Important as the design itself is, textural paper and print quality are perhaps even more interesting. Human fingertips are the second most sensitive parts of the body (after the tongue, but I don’t think you want people licking your cards), so why not give people a little something extra to lodge in their sense memories? I specialize in letterpress printing, so I must admit I’m somewhat biased when it comes to texture. The first time I felt my letterpress printed wedding invitations several years ago, the words deliciously sunken into the paper, I was sold. I have actually watched people stand at a networking event for a half an hour as we chatted, running their hands over and over my cards in sort of a trance. My cards immediately present a discussion topic, even to people who wouldn’t normally take any notice of print material. Things get even more interesting when I tell them that some of the paper is recycled from my junk mail or made from post-consumer cotton fabric, the inks are vegetable based, and my printing process is eco-friendly. I’ve had people tell me they like to keep my cards around because they’re like miniature works of art.

Nina On Letter PressLetterpress printing has been around since about 1400, and was the primary method for the print industry until it was replaced by offset in the early 20th century. The presses themselves, giant behemoths made of cast iron and gears, aren’t even made anymore. It’s a matter of will and determination to find them, restore them, learn to print with them, and maintain them. The results, however, are definitely worth the effort. For each print I do, a plate is inked with rollers, the paper is placed by hand into the press, cranked to imprint against the image, and then trimmed to size. If a print requires more than one color, the press is cleaned, re-inked, and another pass is done using the same piece of paper. The result is a much more tactile experience. When you hold a letterpress business card in your hand, you can feel the impression the artwork has made into the paper. It feels like something special. Not just any paper receives a deep impression well, so letterpress pieces are frequently printed on exceptionally thick, soft stocks.

Tweedle CardThe bottom line is, if you’ve found a way to get people looking at your business card and remembering you more than the other guy, you should take advantage of it. I’m not talking about a funny shaped card that can be awkward, a cheeseburger scented card, or giant neon popout print. A subtle texture, impressive use of negative space, and a sensuous cotton paper are sometimes all it takes to get someone’s attention. Letterpress printing isn’t the only option, but a good design and proper print choices are essential. I find that the people I enjoy doing business with the most are the ones who are really good at what they do, and can also recognize when it’s time to pay someone else for their expertise in another area. I’d never try to give myself brain surgery just to save a couple bucks, so don’t try and kludge together a clip art design on perforated cards from your office laser printer instead of consulting a professional. Good design is worth every penny, and you shouldn’t leave home without it.

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Nina Interlandi Bell
Tweedle Press, Chicago, IL
Using earth-happy materials to create stylish, unique paper goods: a full-service design, papermaking, and letterpress print shop. Yay!

Letterpress + Paper Shop: www.tweedlepress.com
Pulp & Press Blog: www.pulpandpress.com
Sustainability Blog: www.underthewildroseasweasels.com

Connectors is About Networking

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Today I met with the Arlington Heights “Connectors” in you guessed it Arlington Heights, IL, thanks to an invitation from my Blitztime buddy and SOC distributor Bob Prehn. What I know about connectors is, it was conceived of, I believe, by a woman named Fena who greeted me warmly when I arrived, though if she has another business I am not sure what it is as I did not get her business card. Same for the fellow name John who is the coordinator of this particular Arlington Heights Connectors group. I think I heard in the introductions that he is involved in financial services. Nice people. It is possible that another person named Tom might also be involved in the structure of the group but Tom only introduced himself as Tom so I am not sure what he does either so can’t give much of a shout out to him. I did gather from the conversations that the hope is to expand their “Connectors” brand regionally and beyond. So look for a Connectors Group coming soon near you.

To that end I encountered another networking buddy, financial advisor and Charter Member of our Business Card to Business Meetup Jeffery Harris who will soon be starting a Connectors Chapter in Oak Park, IL so if you are in that area keep an eye out for that networking opportunity. I also spotted my buddy Denise Netzel of Trend also a member of the Business Card to Business Meetup but we did not get a chance to speak.  

connectorsMy new encounters included Ken Monroe of Display Signs and Designs who produces all manner of signage whether for Trade Shows, retail, indoor or outdoor signs, banners, large size, small size, one or one hundred. Whatever your sign needs Ken and Company will get ‘er done. Ken immediately invited me to call him today about the possibility of producing a short video featuring some examples of his work. After all it would be much easier if you could just take 30 seconds or a minute to look at what he does rather than trying to understand what he has to offer based on my typed narrative, after all a picture is worth a thousand words. You can quote me on that.

Speaking of the value of illustrated thought, I also met Ms. Elle Litwinetz provider of graphic design. Elle can help you with your branding package or the creation of any of your visual print or other graphic communication needs. A native of Maine she has washed ashore in the Midwest. I asked if she was familiar with Door County Wisconsin as people often equate the Peninsula’s nautical environs with that of Maine. Elle agreed that she had visited and that it was much like home. Those of you who are not familiar with this quaint get-a-way destination about 3.5 hours north of Chicago should take a look at www.doorcountynavigator.com where you can also enjoy a number of videos produced by me featuring the area and several of the area’s bed & breakfasts and resorts.

Since we are on a graphic theme today Hilary Schultz presented herself and her business card to me which features the intriguing words, Sort it – Scrap it – Click it – Slide it – Love it – Give it. Hillary represents Creative Memories which will as I understand it, arrange your visual material into a bound printed glossy paged book, that can be used to preserve memories and printed one-off as a keepsake or printed in quantity to be shared with a group such as your family, club, school, business or whatever. Nice idea!

The speaker of the day was Laurie Huspen President of  Valuable Resources, Co.  providing Human Resource Solutions for small and midsized companies who perhaps cannot afford a full time HR person of their own, or can benefit from some outside evaluation of their HR practices. Laurie who has a strong HR background tells a touching and compelling personal story in her presentation that illustrates why it is important to have a good PR strategy in your business. Not only to protect yourself, but also to actively demonstrate that you realize companies are made of real people; with real lives; and real concerns who are also, as her company name implies, Valuable Resources. Laurie is the author of Unveiled which documents her personal experiences as an employee with health issues from the perspective of a human resources professional. I will be suggesting that Laurie take a look at Engaging Speakers group that I blogged about earlier.

Thanks to those who took a moment to reach out and say hello and share a little of themselves with me today. Remember business cards are cheap. It is not about the ones that are thrown away – but about the ones that are kept. Meet someone today and seal the deal with a business card. I have met 42 new people in 23 days and blogged about them here.