Wednesday, June 21, 2006

ArticleBlaster The Great Two-Sided Business Card Debate


Free-Reprint Article Written by: Erin Ferree
See Terms of Reprint Below.

*****************************************************************
*
* This email is being delivered directly to members of the group:
*
* internet_marketing_articleblaster@yahoogroups.com
*
*****************************************************************

We have moved our TERMS OF REPRINT to the end of the article.
Be certain to read our TERMS OF REPRINT and honor our TERMS
OF REPRINT when you use this article. Thank you.

This article has been distributed by:
http://Article-Distribution.com

Helpful Link:
The Digital Millennium Copyright Act - Overview
http://www.gseis.ucla.edu/iclp/dmca1.htm

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Article Title:
==============

The Great Two-Sided Business Card Debate

Article Description:
====================

One of the most debated points in business card design is whether
to print information on just one side of the card or to use both
sides. There are many views on this controversy, and here are
some that we frequently hear.

Additional Article Information:
===============================

832 Words; formatted to 65 Characters per Line
Distribution Date and Time: 2006-06-21 11:36:00

Written By: Erin Ferree
Copyright: 2006, All Rights Reserved
Contact Email: mailto:elf@elf-design.com

For more free-reprint articles by Erin Ferree, please visit:
http://thePhantomWriters.com/free_content/d/index.shtml#Erin_Ferree

=============================================
Special Notice For Publishers and Webmasters:
=============================================

TEXT Copy-and-Paste and HTML Copy-and-Paste
Versions Of Article Are Available at:
http://thePhantomWriters.com/free_content/db/f/two-sided-business-card-debate.shtml#get_code

If you use this article on your website or in your ezine,
We Want To Know About It. Use the following URL to let
us know where you have used this article, and we will
include a link to your website on thePhantomWriters.com:

http://thephantomwriters.com/notify.php?id=3029&p=load

---------------------------------------------------------------------

The Great Two-Sided Business Card Debate
Copyright � 2006 elf design, All Rights Reserved
Written by: Erin Ferree
Elf Design
http://www.elf-design.com/

A business card is one of the most important marketing pieces
that you'll develop for your company, since it is typically the
first piece of your marketing materials that a new client will
see.

One of the most debated points in business card design is whether
to print information on just one side of the card or to use both
sides. There are many views on this controversy, and here are
some that we frequently hear.

The arguments for keeping the back of the card blank are that
printing on both sides has the following disadvantages:

1. Not having a space to take notes while networking: Many
business people use a system of writing notes on the backs of the
business cards they receive while networking. They do this to
remind themselves of the commitments they made or to later jog
their memories about the conversation. Too much printing on the
back can make this difficult or impossible. Glossy coatings on
the backs of cards can also prevent note writing.

2. Rolodexes, business card filing systems, and card scanners:
These are widely used in business today, and many models don't
allow for the back of the card to be viewed. For this reason, you
should not put vital information on the back, so that the card
can still be functional when only one side is visible. Also, if
your prospect uses a business card scanner to store business
cards, they might not scan both sides.

3. Greater printing expense: Printers charge more to print a
two-sided card, because of the additional work and ink involved.

4. Ink smearing: Some inks are more likely to smear or rub off on
neighboring sheets of paper than others; for example, blue
Pantone inks are especially prone to this effect. If you do
choose a two-sided card with a field of color on the back, then
it is best to also varnish or clear-coat the back of the card in
order to seal the color in and prevent this. The varnish also
adds drying time and expense to the project.

The arguments for putting information on both sides are that you
can use the back to:

1. Add more information: If you have a lot of contact
information, putting it all on to the front of the card will
often make the font too small and the text too dense to read
comfortably. Putting some of that information on the back will
free up the front of the card and make it look better.

2. Make your business card more valuable: By including
interesting information like a calendar of events, tip, or quote
on the back, you can make your card more likely to be kept. Other
things that you can put on the back include coupons, appointment
information, or directions to your store or office.

3. Enhance your brand: The back of the card is often the perfect
place for graphical treatments and pieces of your Visual
Vocabulary.

4. Maximize your message: Use the back to add more information
about your business. It might not be clear to everyone receiving
your card what you offer, so you might try listing that on the
back.

And it might not cost that much. Some printers will print a
two-sided card for as little as $20 extra per 1000 cards. In that
case, the low price for additional "real estate" really makes
it worth the cost.

With all of these points in mind, the most effective card for
small businesses is often a two-sided card. The next question to
address is what to put on the back of the card. We recommend:

1. Not putting vital information on the back of the card: Since
the back of the card might get hidden or ignored in a filing
system, it's best to put all of the most important
information�like your name, logo, phone number, email, and
website�on the front of the card. If you have a physical office,
you should also make sure that your address is on the front of
your card.

So what's left to put on the back? You could put your tagline, a
couple of lines that explain your offerings, a list of your
services, or a short testimonial. Or try one of the suggestions
from "Make your business card more valuable," above.

2. Try graphics: You can print a field of color, small graphic,
or a simple pattern on the back. A card with graphics on the back
looks more sophisticated and high-end, and is more memorable as
well. If you don't print in a color that is too dark and you use
a solid color field, people will still be able to take notes on
the back of the card. Just don't forget the varnish!

If you use these tips, you'll be able to maximize the
effectiveness of your business card. Your card will go from being
just a thing to hand out when you meet someone to being a strong
marketing tool.

---------------------------------------------------------------------
Erin Ferree is the owner and lead designer of elf design, a
Brand Identity Design and Management Company that specializes
in helping small businesses and entrepreneurs create a powerful
and unique brand identity that differentiates them from their
competition and helps them to connect with their target market.
Our work is bold, clean and effective, and our processes are
proven to get your materials completed quickly, so you can use
them to get new clients right away. We create designs that are
effective and contribute to your business's bottom line by
getting you noticed, reflecting your values, increasing your
credibility, and ultimately, helping you to make more sales.
Learn more about business card design at:
http://www.elf-design.com

--- END ARTICLE ---

Get TEXT or HTML Copy-and-Paste Versions Of This Article at:
http://thePhantomWriters.com/free_content/db/f/two-sided-business-card-debate.shtml#get_code

.....................................

TERMS OF REPRINT - Publication Rules
(Last Updated: May 11, 2006)

Our TERMS OF REPRINT are fully enforcable under the terms of:

The Digital Millennium Copyright Act
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c105:H.R.2281.ENR:

.....................................

*** Digital Reprint Rights ***

* If you publish this article in a website/forum/blog,
You Must Set All URL's or Mailto Addresses in the body
of the article AND in the Author's Resource Box as
Hyperlinks (clickable links).

* Links must remain in the form that we published them.
Clean links should point to the Author's links without
redirects having been inserted into the copy.

* You are not allowed to Change or Delete any Words or
Links in the Article or Resource Box. Paragraph breaks
must be retained with articles. You can change where
the paragraph breaks fall, but you cannot eliminate all
paragraph breaks as some have chosen to do.

* Email Distribution of this article Must be done through
Opt-in Email Only. No Unsolicited Commercial Email.

* You Are Allowed to format the layout of the article for
proper display of the article in your website or in your
ezine, so long as you can maintain the author's interests
within the article.

* You may not use sentences from this article as an input
for any software that steals sentences from others in
order to build an article with software. The copyright on
this article applies to the "WHOLE" article.

*** Author Notification ***

We ask that you notify the author of publication of his
or her work. Erin Ferree can be reached at:
elf@elf-design.com

*** Print Publication Reprint Rights ***

If you desire to publish this article in a PRINT
publication, you must contact the author directly
for Print Permission at:
mailto:elf@elf-design.com

.....................................

If you need help converting this text article for proper
hyperlinked placement in your webpage, please use this
free tool: http://thephantomwriters.com/link-builder.pl

=====================================================================

ABOUT THIS ARTICLE SUBMISSION

http://thePhantomWriters.com is a paid article distribution
service. thePhantomWriters.com and Article-Distribution.com
are owned and operated by Bill Platt of Stillwater, Oklahoma USA.

The content of this article is solely the property
and opinion of its author, Erin Ferree
http://www.elf-design.com/

---------------------------------------------------------------------
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
---------------------------------------------------------------------

------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~-->
See what's inside the new Yahoo! Groups email.
http://us.click.yahoo.com/2pRQfA/bOaOAA/yQLSAA/7VpplB/TM
--------------------------------------------------------------------~->


Yahoo! Groups Links

<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/internet_marketing_articleblaster/

<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
internet_marketing_articleblaster-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com

<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/

No comments: