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When I arrived at college back in the last century, I found that our dorm had working fireplaces(!) in each suite.But no firewood.So as soon as I brought my bags in from the car, I looked in the Yellow Pages (an early, paper-based form of Google’s Shopping tab) to find a company that supplied wood. I ordered up a cord of pre-cut firewood and a carton of fire starters, which arrived a couple of hours later. I had them unload the wood onto the sidewalk in front of the dorm and charged it to my credit card.I went to the local copy shop (this was before anyone had printers…or computers) and quickly produced a stack of flyers offering a special “Firewood Welcome Bundle” for $5, including a fireplace-size bundle of wood and a firestarter.I went through the dorm sticking the flyers under every door, and by dinner time on my first day of college I had sold out my cord, made a profit, met all of my dormmates…and stacked away a month’s worth of firewood in my room.

First impressions last. You’ve got seconds to ensure that first and lasting impression is positive. A well designed, unique business card is a fantastic way to make a strong impression. It’s also your emergency way to connect since real life means unexpectedly meeting a woman in spin class who produces the exact kind of widgets your product needs to be perfect.Get the perfect card to represent your business, your mission and yourself by adhering to these best practices and business card design tips.1. Decide on your conceptTurn your brand values into a business card design. Do this by thinking about the customer you’re trying to impress, and deciding what would tell the story of your business for that customer. Your images (if you use any), colors and textures should all be consistent with your existing marketing materials, and all of those should be right in line with the brand values that distinguish your business from everyone else.If your company is all business, your cards should be too; stick to classic designs with minimalist looks and elegant fonts and colors. If your brand is more creative, artistic or playful, you’ve got the liberty to use bold images, arresting colors, unusual shapes or humor to get your message across.2. Figure out your specificationsYou can’t get started without knowing the basic parameters of your project, so settle on these first. Or at least be aware of what your options are so you know what’s important to you and your budget.SizeThe most common business card size is 84 mm by 55 mm, or 3.5 inches by 2 inches. You can go bigger, but if you do your cards are less likely to be kept. If you go smaller, you have a better shot, as long as they still fit in a typical card folio.Any non-traditional size is going to cost you more money.OrientationLandscapeLandscape format is more traditional and still the most common orientation. It is easy to read, works well in card holders and can be handled by any printer. However, it is very common, and not as unique as other options.PortraitThis is a clean and elegant look that’s become more common in recent years (but still stands out). It can be printed by any printer. On the down side, it is hard to read in a card holder.Square and custom cutsBusiness card with a custom cut that is unique yet professional looking. Business card by FishingArtz.These tend to be unique, but they are also more expensive. They also have the potential to be too gimmicky for your business. When one of these is right for your business, though, it is a powerful choice.MaterialMost cards are paper, although there are lots of other options, from plastic and wood to metal and slate. Assuming you go with paper, you need to choose thickness, coating, color and weight. All of these can affect the price.3. Select you business card design basicsNow we’re getting into the fun part! Once you’re ready to get down to details, these are the design elements you want to pay attention to in order to get the best card for your business.ColorFull color vs. 1 or 2 color printingFor large orders with small budgets, you can skip CMYK full-color mode and print in just 1 or 2 colors for less money—although this is only likely to help you on orders of over 500 pieces. Since business cards are typically printed digitally these days, multiple colors are not the expense they once were.FontChoosing the right type is critical to giving your card the right feel. Remember these guidelines as you go:Make sure you use at least 8 point font so the type is readable.Serif fonts tend to give a more classic feel and sans serifs a more modern vibe.Use decorative or script fonts sparingly and only as emphasis; you don’t want to compromise readability for cool typography.A designer should embed the fonts in the file, rather than creating outlines of the text. This way your design produces higher quality prints and is editable in the future when aspects of your business change, or you add employees.You should confirm with your designer what the font licenses are. Some fonts are free to use, but purchased ones often come with restrictions, so checking the license is important.4. Include the right information in the right placeMost people take a business card and—after admiring your awesome design—put it in a folio or rolodex. For this reason, most designers will recommend that include vital information on the front of your card, and use the back to give it the flavor.What to put on the front of your business cardThe name you want contacts to useThe organization or business you’re attached to if anyWhat you do (i.e. job title)Your contact information—any that people might want. We suggest e-mail and phone number at a minimum, social media profiles and website unless you really have no presence at all, and a work address if that seems relevant.Your logoThis design highlights contact information and brand style.This card really showcases the brand’s logo.This design is very simple and makes good use of negative space.What to put on the back of your business cardThis is where you can let your brand shine! The sophisticated imagery in the form of original artwork or photography is one of the best ways to get a totally unique result, especially for less traditional businesses. This is also a great place to put a large version of your logo.This gorgeous, colorful image communicates volumes about the singer. Business card by Daria V. for Mama J.This business card design is almost completely about the photos—and for a fashion photographer that’s where all the attention belongs.5. Break away from the usualFor many businesses, one of the biggest challenges of designing cards is coming up with something truly original. Fortunately, there are plenty of great ways to break away from the norm and create something truly striking.Special treatments are like shiny objects (sometimes literally): they can be very exciting and appealing. But don’t let your original excitement make you go overboard. Choosing one two unique elements will let you stand out without being gaudy.Of course, like many things that sparkle, these treatments are likely going to make your card more expensive.Special finishesSpecial finishes can make your cards stand out. Metallic ink, foil blocking, and spot-UV are special finishes that are perfect for helping your cards stand out in a crowd. These details can maintain a simple, classic look but add a level of elegance and memorability to your business cards.This design highlights how effective a spot UV effect can be even standing alone.This card showcases a foil effect, a square cut, and debossing.This card highlights how much presses can add to a simple design.This fun card makes strategic use of die cuts for a run result.Cut outs, presses, emboss/deboss, folded cardsLaser cuts die cuts and presses can leave a striking void in or pattern on your card. This kind of design can make your card memorable because it looks and feels one-of-a-kind—just like your business.Folds give your cards a sophisticated look and also allow you more room for information and design elements.Folded cards can be used to make a point.Folded cards can also add drama to your design.This card in plastic makes the most of the material by using a matte finish everywhere except where a gloss finish adds emphasis.This metal business card makes a strong and memorable statement.Special materialsStandard business cards are printed on cardstock, but you can opt for wood, slate, plastic or metal. This is another fantastic way to create a business card that will be kept and remembered.Not every printer offers plastic, wood, or metal business card prints, so if you’re interested in this treatment make sure to source your printer before designing your cards. If you’re using plastic, consider whether you want frosted, opaque or transparent and design accordingly.Creative conceptsIf it makes sense for your business you can choose a really unusual design for your cards. Here are some fun and funky examples.This card for a unicorn trainer is fearlessly fun.This design turns embossing/debossing into a modern looking circuit board.This super cool business card turns into a paper plane.This card looks like a smartphone loaded up with apps bearing the brand’s logo.6. Prepare your business card for printBefore printing, double check each and every element of the design and written detail. One typo or oversight turns into 1,000 mistakes when the cards are printed. And this is totally preventable. Here are the things you want to check on before you send the card to the printer:Check your file settingsThe file for your cards should be saved correctly—not just for today, but for when you might need reprints later on. Make sure your designer has the file just right:File size, type, and resolutionThe most common card size of 3.5 inches by 2 inches—84 mm x 55 mm in Europe— requires a document size of 1039 x 697 pixels. Any images must be at least 300dpi to have a high enough resolution to look crisp and clean.For best quality and a crisp look, your design should be saved as a vector-based PDF, not JPEG or PNG. You should also make sure you get an editable file (usually an Illustrator, Photoshop file or editable PDF) so that you can make changes later.BleedThe bleed refers to highlighting an area 3 mm or about 1/10 of an inch thick surrounding the document with the same color as the background to prevent border strips from showing. The background color should go all the way to the edge. All text should stay within the safe area.Fonts and color settingsAll text should be embedded and you should have the correct font licenses. Use CMYK color mode for anything that will be printed, including business cards. Do not use RGB.7. Ask yourself if you really need a printed business card88 percent of business cards are thrown out within one week of receipt. So do you really need one? Or is a digital card enough?There are several arguments in favor of physical business cards. First, exchanging information digitally is convenient, but it still feels a bit impersonal. Another reason is that one of the best ways to market your business is still by networking and meeting people face to face—and when you do that a business card is a critical tool.A well-designed business card is a potent brand symbol to use, too. It can showcase your brand’s style, creativity, and get you noticed and remembered. These are all great reasons to have a card. One final reason to carry cards? Having them on hand shows people that you really do mean business and that you are always prepared to conduct it.Reference : Amazing Business Card Tips With Samples

Gather ‘round, kids. Drop your smart phones and bring your hot chocolate.Had to get to the bank before 5 PM Friday if we wanted money for the weekend.Used to hear a busy signal if we called someone who was using their phone.Gasoline cost 28-cents/gallon, and we couldn’t pump it ourselves, and Asthat’s why a bell rang ding-ding as we drove into the gas station to alert the attendant he had a customer.The TV had to warm up before we saw anything, and we had to get up and go over to it to change the channel. And there were only 4-5 channels to change to.My girlfriend could slide over right next to me in the front seat of the car.As a toddler, I used to take a nap in the car on the rear deck above and behind the backseat.My dad used to wear a hat every day, even in the car! Hell, he wore a suit unless there was some good reason not to (like going to the beach or mowing the lawn).Getting our first power lawn mower was a great move into the modern world.In the fall, we used to burn the leaves in the street. The wonderful smell of burning leaves, and the smoke, filled the neighborhood.We used to look into a neighbor’s window because they had a color TV, and it was an amazing thing to see that Bozo the Clown actually had red hair.A 10-speed bicycle was both exotic and seemingly unnecessary although I found 5-speeds a bit more useful than 3 although I got around nicely on 1-speed.Having a transistor radio with a leather case was very fancy. Having a transistor radio at all was fancy and changed life at the beach.FM radio was kind of weird and used only for broadcasting “classical” music, and nobody had an FM receiver, anyway.Adjusting the rabbit ears would improve TV reception, and sometimes adjusting the Vertical Control was necessary to stabilize the picture.Mom used to let me fill out the order form for the milkman who came in the morning and left us dairy products on the back stoop.Some guy used to come down our street pushing a wheelbarrow that rang a bell every revolution of his wheel. He sharpened knives. You ran out with your knives, and he sharpened them for some cash.I used to step in dog poop all the time since dogs ran around free.I cracked my head open a few time learning to ride a bicycle. Bicycle helmets were unheard of.I learned to hit baseballs well by hitting the hanging rope swing hung from a tree limb in our back yard. How else would I learn?The snow was dirty because of all the coal smoke settling down.There was something at the library called a card catalog. It was a little like Google. No it wasn’t. Hard to explain.The only place with air conditioning was movie theaters and perhaps the weird store or two.I remember going to this novel, new restaurant called “McDonald’s.” It was a “destination” and novelty even if not very tasty.I could only find Dr. Pepper in Texas, and Coors in Colorado.Urgent information was sent by telegram.Any telephone call to some place out of your immediate locale (your local exchange, the same first three digits of the phone number) required the intervention of The Operator and was considered “long distance.”TV Westerns were the most popular genre.How much money was in my savings account at the bank? Look in the passbook and/or go to the bank when it’s open.Want oranges and tangerines? Wait until Christmas time.The National Parks were a great escape before everyone and their cousin showed up, not to enjoy the wilderness, but to transplant their noisy urban experience and social norms to the pleasant places it had not yet demolished.I fully expected that, in my lifetime, we’d 1) have at least a functioning Moon base and regular travel to there if not further, 2) have our energy requirements fully supplied by atomic power, 3) have functioning and ambulatory robots in every home, 4) and be one cohesive and perhaps world-wide society.By cracky young person, I was 26 before I saw an ATM, and it was really cool! Only a bit earlier were there things like drive-thru fast-food windows. Used to have to plan things back in the prehistoric days.To buy shoes, I had to endure some guy measuring my feet (incorrectly, always) and dragging out boxes of possibles for me to try on.By golly, every fall my dad had to take down the screens from all the windows and put on storm windows. Every spring, he’d reverse the process. Never fell off the ladder!For air conditioning, we used window fans in all or most of the windows, either blowing air into or out of the rooms — never sure which worked best. Since neither worked well, we’d just go to a movie to cool off in the AC at the theaters. Or literally jump in the lake, Lake Michigan being only about a 20-minute walk from home.Wall-to-wall carpeting was the height of luxury, young sprout. Now, bare wooden floors are all the rage.Likewise, a kitchen appliance clad in stainless steel was ugly and fit only for commercial use; now, if the appliances are colored, they are “so retro, man!”Hey, kid, when I was a kid, no luggage had rollers or wheels. Nice invention, I’ll say, but back then, men were men and women were women, which meant men hauled the women’s luggage except for the makeup case (which was about the size of a small carry-on today).We dressed for travel, youngster, on the plane, the train, or even driving. By gosh, we’d not go get on a plane unless we had on some nice clothes. Look at old pictures of plane passengers! It was really like that.And on that note, it was fun to fly. People looked nice and were on good behavior, the stewardesses were pretty, the food was pretty good (to me) with meals even on short hops, the cockpit often open so kids like me could go up and see the stuff up there., and there was no security checkpoints — you just parked your car and walked onto the plane, pretty much.Trains were fun, shorty. To get from Chicago to Austin, we’d take the B&O railroad to St. Louis, then transfer to the Texas Eagle to Dallas, then transfer to the Santa Fe to Austin . . . or the other way around, or something like that . . . all of us dressed up in wool and not peeing while stopped at a station since the pee (and worse) was just discharged down onto the tracks when you flushed the toilet. Which is why some stations had a peculiar smell of oil, grease, and other.Hey, kid. Ever seen an Elm tree? Too bad.In the fireplace, we’d not only burn wood, but also chunks of cannel coal. It’s coal, or shale. Stunk up the room nicely and dirtied the chimney something fierce, but it made great crackling sounds as it burned.Kid, I don’t see it today, but we’d regularly have two kinds of people come by fairly often:1. At the front door, a door-to-door salesman selling encyclopedias, vacuums, jewelry, brushes, or belt buckles.2. At the back door, “bums” or “tramps” looking for some food or a bit of cash or other handouts.Mom was gracious to both. It wasn’t all that long after the War (WWII, kid, look it up), and she remembered.Junior, listen up. I hitchhiked (look it up) from Chicago to Kingsville, TX when I was 16, in the winter, and with $30 in my pocket. Took about two weeks, sleeping by the road or in someone’s house who had picked me up for a few miles. Really interesting experiences, none bad.Hell, Junior, lots of folks were hitchhiking back in those days. My dad would always pick up a man in uniform (he remembered), but we kids tended to get around that way before we could drive, and it was quite a thing for older kids to travel the country that way. Now try it out, sprout! Good luck.Kid, I figure lots of vets from The War had PTSD, but nobody talked about it or knew it to be a thing. My dad didn’t talk about The War because, as he put it, “Nobody asked, and if they did, they didn’t stick around long enough to hear the answer.” Lots of tales were left untold in when it mattered, but they can be found. If anyone is interested.On the same subject, my dad got a Bronze Star. It was seemingly not important to him: “They gave out Bronze Stars to anyone who showed up,” as he put it. Maybe yes, maybe no, but it was common in his generation to be modest. Today, kid, people brag about waking up in the morning or eating being gluten intolerant. Sorry, kid, but there are perspectives.More to come, for the list is endless . . . isn’t it?There were telegrams. (There still are, actually, but it’s not common at all).We used to cut off the tops of our cereal boxes (like Corn Flakes) and send them in for rewards of some kind. Send in your box tops, kids!