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Do Not Disturb Door Hangers

April 26, 2012 in corporate id, labels and tags, printing, the business card blog

Do Not Disturb door hangers can be designed to suit your unique brand identity.

Include logos, phone numbers, text and images; or choose our basic design in any colour combination.

Order do not disturb door hangers online, or request a no-obligation Quote for more options, including deluxe cards and finishes, or durable plastic door hangers.

Team them with custom printed card-key holders, coasters and housekeeping cards to bring your brand to life.

High quality business cards are worth the effort

November 23, 2011 in business card design, business card printing, business cards, corporate id, the business card blog

High quality business cards do make a difference to your business image. Think about this…what’s your impression of a person when they hand over a business card on flimsy card stock with amateur-looking artwork?

High quality business cards give the impression that your products or services are quality products or services; it really is that simple.

So how do I get one?

There are a few things to consider when researching business card suppliers:

Design

A high quality business card is well designed, to suit your audience. Working with a graphic designer who understands your business and target market will give you the best results.

Information

Think carefully about which information you’d like to include on your business card. You don’t want to overload it with information, so be concise. Include any relevant contact information your clients may need, and if apprpriate, some marketing copy or list of services on the back.

Printing

Even the best design will be lost on a poorly printed business card. Choose a high quality card stock like 420gsm artboard, and consider additional finishes which could really make your business card pop, like matt celloglaze or custom die-cutting. Offset printing, rather than digital, will give a far higher quality result.

Business cards for fun

November 15, 2011 in business card design, business cards, corporate id, the business card blog

Business cards don’t always need to be business-like. I recently designed a card for a tradesperson who wanted his card to be a bit of fun, with a cartoon character and lots of colour. His quality of work will speak for itself, so the business card only needed to be memorable. We’re all guilty of taking things too seriously at times, so to celebrate the lighter side of life, tell us about a fun or quirky business card you’ve seen.

What should you leave OFF your business card?

November 14, 2011 in business card design, business cards, corporate id, the business card blog

As a print designer, I’m often asked how much detail should be included on a business card. A while ago, a work-from-home friend complained about the volume of telemarketing calls she’d been receiving, since listing her phone number on her website contact page. Eventually, she deleted the phone number and her home address, leaving only her business name, ABN and a php contact form. The phone calls didn’t stop, but over time they’re dropping off. Her concern was whether the lack of detail would turn off potential customers. I advise clients to leave their home number off their business card, unless they’re offering an after hours service. But what about the address? The marketing advice floating around the web tends to be ‘include a physical address - not just a PO box – to gain trust’…But what if you work from home? Should you make your home address public? Let me know what you think here.

Business cards to keep

November 12, 2011 in business card design, business card printing, business cards, corporate id, the business card blog

Most business cards end up in the bin, let’s face it. So what can you do to give your business card a better chance of survival?

It’s not about gimmicks. Wooden business cards, metal business cards, etc. may be a conversation piece, but it may be the card itself people remember, not you or your business.

A great business card will simply be well designed, well printed on a quality card stock, and show the reader just three things:

  1. Your logo / business name
  2. What you do / sell
  3. How to contact you

Anything else is just over-kill. Well, mostly.

For a networking card, include a great photo of yourself so people can put a face to the name. If your online presence is important, include your social media profiles with icons for Twitter, LinkedIn, etc.

Just remember, when it comes to business cards…”less is more”. Our wallets are already full of clutter, so keep it clean, to-the-point and nice to look at.

The importance of quality printing

October 7, 2009 in brochures, business card printing, business cards, corporate id, flyers and such, postcards and dl cards, the business card blog

When shopping around to order printing online, your decision may come down to the simple matter of quality vs price. Remember any printed item you distribute is a direct reflection of your business standards, and of course yourself.

Quality printing doesn’t necessarily mean expensive printing. There are many cheap printing offers around, so it’s just a matter of checking samples to ensure you really are getting a high standard for that discount price.

Check the specifications for paper weight, shown in ‘gsm’ or grams per square inch. For a brochure or flyer, 150gsm is the most popular paper stock.

If you need a lot of flyer printing done cheap for a letterbox drop, a lighter paper may be suitable and save a few dollars. Of course you can also go the other way. Flyers and brochures can be printed on heavier stock and finished in matt cello, for example, to give it a classy appearance and feel.

Business cards should be printed on 420gsm card with a choice of finishes. There are hoards of printers and designers offering cheap business cards printed on 310gsm or even lighter. 

Many of these will be printed digitally, reducing the quality of the finished card somewhat. This is fine is you’d like a quick and cheap way to get your message out, but for your main business card, it may be important to convey professionalism with a higher quality card, printed on a press with premium card stock.

Also, don’t assume the advertised price is final. Check for extra costs that may not be included, like freight, GST or artwork setup. A custom printing quote should include all these elements clearly, with a final total.

Finally, know what you want your printing to do for your business. The level of quality required will depend on the desired results.

What constitutes a good logo design?

May 5, 2009 in corporate id, logos and branding

Hmmmm!Could you draw the Commonwealth Bank logo? How about the MacDonalds ‘golden arches’?

These logos are simple, streamlined and instantly recogniseable. So simple, in fact, that anyone could draw them roughly by hand and others would instantly know what they are. Your business may not be a major bank or international fast food chain, but you can still benefit from a clean, unique logo and branding identity. Complex or illustraive logos do have their place, however as a general rule, a simple icon with clear text works best. Ask your designer to keep the colours to a minimum and fonts easy to read, with an overall shape that will work well in both print and web. And don’t forget the logo should appeal to your target market, and this won’t necessarily appeal to your own personal taste. Finally, ensure your logo designer can supply you with various file types for print, web, signage and your own everyday use, helping you retain consistency across your communications.

Go to www.alexandradesign.com.au and check our articles section for ideas to help you turn a simple business card into a great little promotional tool.

Leisa Dent,
Alexandra Design: the Print Specialists
www.alexandradesign.com.au

Are your discount business cards making You look cheap?

February 18, 2009 in business card design, business card printing, business cards, corporate id

Your cheap business cards may come at a price.

Many online printing services offer cheap business card printing at prices so low, they may be hard to resist. But remember discount business cards may be of poor quality, printed on flimsy card stock with amateur-looking artwork.

Some cheap business card offers look like a great deal, until you check the specifications. The card stock may be a flimsy 310gsm, or even lower! Using cheaper and/or lighter card stock will reduce the quality of your finished card.

Handing over a business card with a cheaper look and feel may impact negatively on the image you portray to clients…and potential clients.

Discount printing services may also offer free artwork with “unlimited revisions”, but that doesn’t mean the finished design will be clean and pleasant to look at, or accurately portray your branding identity.

So how do you sort through the pile of cheap business card offers to find a true bargain, that won’t cheapen your image?

  • Check the card stock, 420gsm is the premium weight for a business card;
  • Ask what’s included in the price, you may find the discount doesn’t include GST or delivery;
  • View samples of artwork to see if the quality is sufficient for your own needs; and
  • Request some business card samples to truly guage the quality of the cheap cards on offer.

So when shopping for goods or services online, check the fine print and ensure you’re really getting the quality and service you need for the discount price.