Business Card Makeover – The Final Winner!
The business card makeover contest has been a lot of fun. We have seen a number of cards which really needed a makeover. Along the way, we have been able to help several business owners.
This month, our intern Dan took the lead on the redesign. Here is what he had to say about the process.
Although it may be popular, a business card doesn’t need to be a bright color or have a flashy gradient to stand out.
Sometimes, just a strong images can really catch someone’s eyes and portray something about the business at the same time. I’m not endorsing the use of stock photos on business cards, but select graphics, used correctly, can add a nice touch.
While experimenting with the design, for this month’s winner Wire2U, I made a graphic of the AC plug (of which I was kind of proud). I liked it so much, I started looking at other cables to include. Each of the cables which appear on the card is was created from an actual cablet I found laying around my house or at the office.
These cables make the business card more noticeable and interesting, while appealing to people, such as myself, who live with cluttered rooms with countless confusing cables. As for the color scheme, I used yellow to attract attention, but added navy to keep a professional and trustworthy image. Be sure to ask the winner, Pat Seal, for his business card to see it in person the next time you run into him at a Rainmaker Event.
Unfortunately, there is some bad news in this post too. As much as we have enjoyed ridding the world of ugly business cards this will be the last business card makeover .
But, a good brand is constantly evolving, so stay tuned to here and on our facebook fanpage, because there are new things are just around the corner.
Vote for Your Favorite
Entries are now closed, but you can still vote for your favorite by selecting the link below. Be sure to pick the card you believe most deserves to win!
Biz Card Makeover: Inspiration
We’ve been talking a lot lately about what makes a bad business card: hard to read, printed on computer paper, and just plain ugly. So it’s about time we show you some examples of good design. Draw inspiration from these examples, but remember your card should ultimately reflect who you are, not just look cool and flashy.
All photos are drawn from this great article. Check it out for dozens of more examples of great cards, as well as some tips on designing your own card.
Simple Business Card Designs Can Be Beautiful
A good business card doesn’t have to be crazy and avant garde: classy and elegant work well, too.
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Unusual Shapes Can Create a Striking Design for Your Card
When you have a bit more in your business card budget, try playing around with shapes for a slightly different feel.
You can keep the standard business card size, but bring a whole new sensibility to your card. These designs are memorable, but remember your production cost will be much higher.
Want a New Design for Your Business Card?
If any of these beautiful business cards have inspired you to make a change give us a call. We would love to help!
Last call for business cards!
As you know, we’ve spent the last two months on a personal crusade to put an end to ugly business cards. We’ve had a great time collecting aesthetically challenged cards and making over one lucky card each month, but this is the last call.
If you’ve been holding onto your ugly business card, afraid to turn it in, this is your last chance. Check out the work that we’ve done for our past winners, and enter your own card for its own Extreme Makeover: Business Card Edition.
We Have a Winner!
Humans are very receptive to color. For instance, red makes us think of heat, fire, and passion. But it can also make us think of danger and blood. Blue is a calming color, associated with wisdom and trustworthiness. It’s also strongly connected with masculinity and is highly favored by men.
So take a look at your logo and your business card. Are you using the right colors to attract the audience that you want? For instance, if you’re an accountant who uses purple in your logo, you’ve chosen a color that’s most attractive to children, who may not be in the market for book keeping services. Instead, you may want to choose a deep green, which subconsciously makes people think of money.
Taylor’s redesign of Andrew Carson’s card for our June Makeover makes great use of color theory. He moved from Andrew’s monochromatic and slightly dull design to a gunmetal blue. This color pays homage to Andrew’s military background, but also ties in with his etiquette consulting business: blue is trustworthy, peacefully, and appeals to the mind rather than emotions.
We’ll be continuing our Business Card Makeover for one more month, so there’s still time to breathe some new life into your card. Just fill out the form below, and you could be a winner.
Pick the Winner for the June Business Card Makeover
As we continue our crusade to rid the world of ugly business cards–one card at a time, we are ready to pick and June winner. As you are considering which oneto vote for, let’s talk about professionalism. Your business card is a selling tool. Is it projecting an accurate image of who you are and what you do?
Take a minute and view your card through the eyes of a prospective client or more importantly a referral partner. Are they going to be comfortable passing on your card to their best client?
If you’re a lawyer, for instance, your card should probably not be using Comic Sans MS font (Actually, no one should be using it). But conversely, if you’re a wedding planner, you might want to shy away from the traditional, and extremely common Times New Roman.
Your branding is more than just the font selection. All the elements of your card including the colors, images ( please avoid any of the clip art available from Microsoft), the size and shape of the card, and the weight of the paper all contribute to the image your brand conveys.
Here’s the latest batch of cards vying for your votes. Pick the one you believe deserves this month’s free business card makeover!
May Business Card Makeover – Winner!
Business cards take a lot of abuse. They are shoved into pockets, purses, and business card cases, crumpled in sweaty palms, and otherwise mutilated. So ask yourself: is your card up to the abuse? Is it too big to fit in a standard card case? Or is it so small that it’ll easily got lost in the shuffle?
And I am making a desperate plea to everyone: Please, please, please do not use regular printer paper for your card. It makes us all a little embarrassed for you. Please pay the few dollars to get a sheet printed on cardstock at Kinkos. You’ll thank us in the long run.
We think the business card is so important, we created a Monthly Business Card Makeover Contest to build awareness of the differences between good and bad design. Here is the winner of the May Business Card Makeover.
I think Taylor has done a terrific job with the redesign. The final cards are being printed on 14 PT Cover Stock, with a UV Coating to make the color side pop. They will be strong enough to handle the abuse, attractive enough to be memorable, and functional, because you can write a note on the white side when Christian gives you one at a Rainmaker event.
Did you miss the May contest? Do you have an ugly business card or know someone who does? We will be running the contest again in June and July, so it is not too late to apply now. Simply fill out the form below and send us a copy of your business card!
