If you don’t have a job, ordering a business card may seem illogical but in this tight economy, the unemployed person with a business card has an edge over the many others competing for the same position. A personal business card conveys contact information whether you have a job or are looking for the next one.

Think calling card rather than traditional business card when designing for the job seeker. You need to provide contact details in a professional and memorable manner. The cards could be included with resumes, handed out at job fairs or used to close any business conversation. Always include a hyperlink to your online resume on your personal business card.

The unemployed job seeker’s business card is a great gimmick for standing out at job interviews. Use clean designs with simple background and stick to two or three contrasting colors. A portrait photograph will help finish your card and make you more memorable.

These days, business cards no have to be an expensive investment. 250 well cut, easy to read, nicely inked calling cards could mean the difference between getting the job and getting back in the unemployment line. Spend a little of your current free time by investing in your business image. If you want the job, the extra effort will be worth your while.

There is so much to consider when choosing business cards these days and the green factor continues to bear weight. Consumers are actively seeking out businesses and products that provide planet friendly business practices and lower carbon footprints. Sustainable materials are big right now and a sustainable business card may be the right direction for your company’s next business card.

Soy inks are a natural ink made from the soy bean plant. The name is also given to mean any vegetable based ink. The classic inks used to create business cards are petroleum based and therefore a finite planet resource. Using traditional inks does create a larger carbon footprint and introduce unnecessary chemicals into the printing process. Soy inks have no off gassing from the volatile organic compounds making them air and planet happy.

Soy inks are considered by their proponents to offer a much more vibrant pigment to your business card compared to traditional inks. Others will say there is little visual difference. The easiest way to decide is to compare them yourself. The main issue folks have with soy inks and recycled card stock (a must have compliment material) for business cards is the cost. At the moment soy ink does cost more than traditional ink. But, as any greeney will tell you, the more folks that make the switch, the quicker the price will come down.

In the current business climate being green sells. Perhaps you run a traditional company with little to contribute to the eco-friendly revolution. That’s okay. Your company doesn’t have to promote alternative energy or organic cotton to make a good green impression on your consumers. Small changes in your business branding such as using soy inks and recycled paper in your business cards can go a long way to leaving the right impression.

No matter how much time and money you may spend on your company’s business card, your professional handshake, if you hand it over in a disheveled condition all your hard work has been for nothing. Keeping your business cards in a presentable professional condition is a must if you hope for them to be effective. Business card holders have become a necessity in the modern business world and there are plenty of options to choose from.

For many the metal business card holder is an economical and classy way to protect your business cards. A thin sleek design and the coolness of the metal are a great combination for protecting business cards. Metal holders help prevent air and humidity from hitting your business cards. This could prevent softening of the card stock (which makes your cards seem old) and help avoid curling edges. Metal business card holders are very affordable.

Leather business card holders are more expensive than metal options but they do provide a great deal of personality and make for great gifts. A small monogrammed metal plate adds a touch of creativity. Leather holders are also comfortable in your pocket and hold the same amount of cards as a metal holder. They are not leather wallets and are not much thicker than any other business card holder.

Whether its a trade show or the reception desk, the open free standing business card holder is a great finishing touch. Most come in a simple clear plastic design but the utilitarian quality usually suits the environment. You wouldn’t carry a plastic card holder on your person. They are meant for ease of display and the ‘help yourself’ approach. Plastic business card holders are very affordable and a good idea even if you pick up a couple of metal holders for your pocket.

Business card holders are available wherever you buy or print business card so its worth a few minutes of your time to browse the selection. Often holders are offered free as part of a business card printing deal so you can keep your business cards in great condition for nothing more than the price of shipping.

As traditional professions try to compete with the ever expanding digital jungle and green business outlook, the look and design of a business card tells potential clients and colleagues a lot about your corporate view of the changing business landscape. Is it right for your company to make the leap from classic business card branding to the ultra modern options now on the market?

Not only the type of business you own but the type of businesses and clients you come into contact with are important considerations when designing a business card. If you have a very traditional business with well established clients and partnerships with other traditional professions change in business card design should be gradual. No-one wants to be drug kicking and screaming into a modern perspective but no-one wants to be left behind either. Consider implementing a few changes with each new business card order.

If on the other hand if you are a start up company, operating mainly online and appealing to a younger audience, keeping up with modern business card techniques is practically a requirement. Newer companies are expected to come out cutting edge and the branding of the company still revolves around the business card no matter how cyber savvy the company may be.

Keeping on top of business trends is essential for every aspect of your business and your business card is a reflection of your knowledge. A well branded business card shares the story of the company and reflects their outlook of the economic and creative business climate.

No matter your business, advertising, self promotion and a good reputation are essential. The right business card can do this for any business no matter your product or service. The professional tattoo parlor caters to a wide clientele with different levels of specialty. The tattoo shop’s business card should be artistic, eye catching and sleek.

Like any business, the tattoo parlor must use their business card as a medium for communication meaning all forms of contact must be clear, correct and central to the design. Do not forget e-mail addresses and websites. Most importantly physical location of your store is most important for the tattoo artist’s business card. Consider adding a map as well as driving directions from the main highway.

The fold over style business card is ideal for the tattoo shop business card. There is additional room for images of your best work as well as your facilities. A picture of your storefront provides a visual reference and images of the interior let potential customers rate the cleanliness and layout of your operation. Always use a professional photographer to create images for your business card. Be sure you have copyright to all the photographs.

Use the additional space of your business card to provide details of your services, years of experience and any specialties. Additional services such as piercing should be noted on your business card. Always include any certification or national accreditation to add a level of confidence to your potential customers.

Consider metallic foiling for the tattoo store’s business card. Metallic foiling, when used in moderation, can add an eye catching element to your business card and cause people to take a second glance at your information. Every time someone reads about your tattoo parlor the more likely they are to recognize other forms of branding and you will be the first place they think of when they decide to take the plunge into permanent body art.

Most working professionals spend a large part of their time social networking in person and online handing out business cards as often as possible. For the day to day act of working and networking a 1,000 business cards a year would more than suffice for most people. But what about the big events in your company’s calender? On what occasions will you need a lot more cards that you planned for?

Meet and greets. These types of get togethers come in a number of different formats but are usually after business hours, hosted by the chamber of commerce or other local business group and can be just the place to find your next lead. Place indulging out of town clients under this heading.

Trade shows. Great for promoting your business but hard on your business card stash. If you run out of cards when trying to spread the word something is wrong. Trade shows have a lot of foot traffic. Estimate your additional business card needs in the thousands.

Conferences and workshops. Whether its to discuss business or learn a little more about your trade, conferences can be lucrative places to make new contacts. A minimum of 250 additional business cards per day is a good starting point.

Buying business card in bulk saves a lot of money on shipping and reducing the cost per piece. Next time you order your cards be sure to review your company’s calender for the coming year and adjust your order accordingly. There’s nothing worse than running out of business cards in the middle of an event. Be prepared, be professional and reorder cards now.

The world of fashion is a size zero zoo and standing out from all the wannabees takes hard work and constant self promotion. Fashion designers need to brand themselves and the right business card can set the tone for an entire branding strategy. The clothes designer’s business card should reflect their style, offer a sense of quality but not give too much away.

Of course, like any business card the fashion designer must make communication a priority. Be sure to include telephone numbers, e-mail addresses and mailing addresses. Depending on your business you may want to include directions to your location. Always double check contact information several times before sending the business card to print.

A good fashion designer has a very distinctive style, preferable color palette and specific design aesthetic. All this information should factor into the design and template choices of the business card. If your clothes are known for flashy decoration and over the top colors, you may want to tone things down a little when incorporating them into your business card design. Flashy is great on the catwalk but may be too distracting on the business card.

Finishing a business card is even more important to the fashion designer than the traditional business professional. Its all about the visual. Consider a thick cut card stock with a weight of 65 pounds or more. Engraved printing is a must. A textured card stock or perhaps a little metallic foiling on your logo will go a long way.

A fashion designer’s business card should be distributed discreetly but prolifically. Hand cards over to industry professionals for referral work and to established clients wanting to show their friends your website. The fashion designer’s business card is your professional and creative handshake so be sure to design it as well as you do your clothes line.

If you shop for a business card these days you’ll notice all the larger printing companies offer different alignments for your card. The classic horizontally printed business card still holds sway but for some folks the vertically printed card holds appeal. Which is right for you?

Horizontally printed cards are expected by a vast majority of the traditional corporate world. Gimmicks and eye catching design are not necessary when simple exchanging contact information. Traditional services such as lawyers, doctors and dentists favor the horizontal card as due well established companies and large corporations.

Vertical cards offer a different perspective on contact information. If you hand a vertically printed card over to someone not expecting it they will try to read horizontally then turn the card to read the vertical text. This works for some folks and can be a nice gimmick but for others it can be annoying and time wasting. Think seriously about the type of business you have and the type of client you are trying to attract.

The vertical business card provides a sense of additional height and can work great for those who are in the business of perspective such as architects, engineers, artists, photographers and up and coming businesses such as green technology. Vertical cards suggest change and may be a good idea for your upcoming business card order if you are looking to re-brand your product in the coming year.

Whatever printing alignment you choose for your business card, whether horizontal or vertical, be sure the information scans well, is spelled correctly and stands out for all the right reasons.

These days business professionals, corporations and small locally owned companies have a great amount of choice when it comes to the look and design of their business card and company branding. The range of business card styles seem to suit certain types of businesses and industries. So what is the right kind of business card for you?

Traditional one sided business card. This is a great card for the smaller business, the personal card or mommy card and as an employee business card for a larger company. These cards do well when paired with good ink, engraved printing and thick card stock.

Two-sided business card. The two sided business card is a good option for the company or small business that needs to list additional information about their company on their card. For instance directions, policies and types of services are all better on the back of a business card.

Fold over business card. This is a great card for the larger company or a creative company. Fold over cards provide more room for information and make the contact information for the larger company look less crowded. Fold over cards allow for additional images and creative background designs making them ideal for the art gallery, artist or small craft company.

Nontraditional shape business card. These are the cards you see that are square or circular or some other non rectangular shape. These are certainly attention getting cards but may not be suitable for a large number of businesses. If you are a professional business person you need a business card that fits easily into the company Rolodex. Shaped cards are fun for new businesses starting out trying to make a lasting impression, artistic companies or as promotional cards.

Whatever type of business card you go with be sure to proofread your text carefully, use bold not offense color schemes and highlight the best aspects of your business or service.

Business Cards may be your corporate handshake but alone its not enough to make a firm lasting impression. Ordering business cards is easy but what about ordering additional printed items for your company? Is that a hassle? In most cases designing your business cards as part of a branding package is the best way to go. So what does a branding package include?

Letterhead. High quality paper watermarked and printed with the company details may seem a little old school but it remains an essential of the business client relationship. A letterhead sent through the traditional mail service still carries more weight than something sent by e-mail. A medium sized company should consider 500 sheets of letterhead as mandatory.

Address Labels or printed envelopes. Envelopes with custom printing will always look more professional than stick on address labels but both get the job done. Printed return address on envelopes is a must for the larger business. Smaller businesses should consider an address stamp rather than address labels.

Custom binders or folders. Promotional literature should always be presented to clients in a custom printed folder. A plain folder always makes the company look cheap and your branding look scattered. Smaller businesses should consider custom oversized labels to personalize the plain folders their budget affords.

Promotional literature. For some companies this is brochures for others its fliers and posters. Whatever additional printed material your company uses in the running and promotion of the business it should all match the business card design.

Branding is all about repetition and cohesiveness. If all of your printed materials are cohesive your company logo, colors or slogan will be easier for clients and potential customers to remember.