By Nina Interlandi Bell – Guest Blogger

As a graphic and web designer, I think a lot about presentation. I believe that first impressions are important, and that little things can provide clues to potential contacts about your personality and how you do business. Little things like business cards can say a lot about your attention to detail, your ability to recognize the value of good design, and even how “plugged in” you are to current trends. I’m not saying that your precious 2″ x 3.5″s are the end all be all of your networking skills, but I absolutely believe that a well designed card can make you stand out from the pack.

Important as the design itself is, textural paper and print quality are perhaps even more interesting. Human fingertips are the second most sensitive parts of the body (after the tongue, but I don’t think you want people licking your cards), so why not give people a little something extra to lodge in their sense memories? I specialize in letterpress printing, so I must admit I’m somewhat biased when it comes to texture. The first time I felt my letterpress printed wedding invitations several years ago, the words deliciously sunken into the paper, I was sold. I have actually watched people stand at a networking event for a half an hour as we chatted, running their hands over and over my cards in sort of a trance. My cards immediately present a discussion topic, even to people who wouldn’t normally take any notice of print material. Things get even more interesting when I tell them that some of the paper is recycled from my junk mail or made from post-consumer cotton fabric, the inks are vegetable based, and my printing process is eco-friendly. I’ve had people tell me they like to keep my cards around because they’re like miniature works of art.

Letterpress printing has been around since about 1400, and was the primary method for the print industry until it was replaced by offset in the early 20th century. The presses themselves, giant behemoths made of cast iron and gears, aren’t even made anymore. It’s a matter of will and determination to find them, restore them, learn to print with them, and maintain them. The results, however, are definitely worth the effort. For each print I do, a plate is inked with rollers, the paper is placed by hand into the press, cranked to imprint against the image, and then trimmed to size. If a print requires more than one color, the press is cleaned, re-inked, and another pass is done using the same piece of paper. The result is a much more tactile experience. When you hold a letterpress business card in your hand, you can feel the impression the artwork has made into the paper. It feels like something special. Not just any paper receives a deep impression well, so letterpress pieces are frequently printed on exceptionally thick, soft stocks.

The bottom line is, if you’ve found a way to get people looking at your business card and remembering you more than the other guy, you should take advantage of it. I’m not talking about a funny shaped card that can be awkward, a cheeseburger scented card, or giant neon popout print. A subtle texture, impressive use of negative space, and a sensuous cotton paper are sometimes all it takes to get someone’s attention. Letterpress printing isn’t the only option, but a good design and proper print choices are essential. I find that the people I enjoy doing business with the most are the ones who are really good at what they do, and can also recognize when it’s time to pay someone else for their expertise in another area. I’d never try to give myself brain surgery just to save a couple bucks, so don’t try and kludge together a clip art design on perforated cards from your office laser printer instead of consulting a professional. Good design is worth every penny, and you shouldn’t leave home without it.

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Nina Interlandi Bell
Tweedle Press, Chicago, IL
Using earth-happy materials to create stylish, unique paper goods: a full-service design, papermaking, and letterpress print shop. Yay!

Letterpress + Paper Shop: www.tweedlepress.com
Pulp & Press Blog: www.pulpandpress.com
Sustainability Blog: www.underthewildroseasweasels.com

Bob Schecter has the business card of a fool but his card is not foolish. I met Bob Shechter “The Networking Fool” at LinkedIn. Bob sent me a few of his business cards for review. After my initial consultation Bob went back to the drawing board and revised his business card layout.  I believe these examples illustrate that you can have a number of good ideas and at some point there is no right or wrong choice as to your ultimate design. It may simply be a matter of personal asthetics. Take a look at the following designs then go to the bottom of this post to see which card was chosen.

With the exception of #4 I do not think Bob could go wrong with any of these layouts. They are all well balanced designs. Some are better than others for various reasons. I will freely admit that I liked #2, though vertical cards can present other issues since they are somewhat unusual. However there are times when it is the best choice and can work very well particularly when you have a lot of information to get on a card in an orderly fashion. That was not the case here so #5 was my final pick. I think I liked it because I prefer asymmetry and like the angle created by the copy, and the way it reinforces the image. Also the tagline creates a strong baseline at the bottom of the card.

But Bob diplomatically put it up for a vote and found that #3 was the favorite. My guess is that most people react favorably to copy that is centered as opposed to copy that is asymmetrical. This could pose the question, is the intent of good design to simply please the observer or should it challenge their preconceived notions? I’ll let you ponder that for yourselves. In the end, the most important thing is for Bob to have a card that he feels good about giving away to people and that the card communicates his message in a succinct and coherent fashion. There is no question that Bob has achieved his objective. He has a good descriptive tagline, an image that reinforces his message and necessary contact information.

WTG Bob. Great job! No foolin’.

The Networking Fool

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