A great way to promote your blog is to, well, tell everyone you have a blog. One way to do that? Get business cards specifically for your blog. This is one of the most important things you can do for your blog and your personal brand. You probably meet people all the time – at parties, at networking events, in the grocery store – that want to learn more about what you do…outside of your “regular job.” This is probably how the conversation goes.
You: Oh, well I’m a blogger. I blog about ___________ and ____________. You should totally read it!
Them: Cool! What’s the address so I can look it up? Do you have a card?
You: No, but you can find it at danalouiselovesart.blogspot.com.
Them: Oh, OK. I’ll try to remember that.
See how a blog business card could come in handy? Even when I was working a full-time job, I kept a stack of business cards in my purse to let people know about my blog and where to contact me outside of my 9 to 5.
Today’s assignment
Get a set of business cards for your blog. You should purchase a pack of at least 250 to start with.
Where to get them
My favorite place for business cards is Vistaprint. I’ve used them for the past 10 years because of their low cost, easy-to-use website and quick delivery. And when I say low cost, I mean low cost. New customers get 250 premium quality, color business cards free! (You just pay for shipping.) Click here to order yours. They also have a ton of professional business card templates, but I always keep mine very simple. (See what my Vistaprint business cards look like below.)
Other people swear by Moo cards. I’ve heard good things about using them, especially for blog promotion. They’re a bit too expensive for my taste (200 cards for $69.99), but the designs they have are beautiful.
What to include
- Your name
- Your title (you can use blogger, writer or consultant)
- The name of your blog, if you have one
- Your tagline, slogan or motto, if you have one
- Your blog address
- Your email address
- Your phone number (if you want to give it out)
- Your social networks (if you want to give them out)
What they look like
If you use Vistaprint, they have a ton of professional business card templates, but I always keep mine very simple. I also use the both the front and backside of the cards to share my contact information.
See what my Vistaprint business cards look like below.
Another thing: if you’re a consultant (or want to be) don’t be afraid to say it on your blog business cards! Your blog is a marketing tool for your expertise. As you can see above, the backside of my business cards say “hire me” pretty prominently. People always comment on how bold it is. But you have to remember that marketing yourself is a lot like marketing a product. You have to tell people what action you want them to take after they see what you have to offer.
If you choose to get business cards for your blog during the challenge, please share your experience in the comments section below!
Business cards is very useful in terms that you have business.
hmmmm…gud idea…will really help to pomote ou blogs….:)
As much as I would like to complete this assignment, I'm afraid that my life is too much in flux right now for me to do so. I'm in the midst of anatomy now, so right now I would be just a Medical Student / Blogger without any time for anything else. However, I'm really really hoping that after anatomy ends, I'll be able to take a part-time position at a nonprofit somewhere or start organizing volunteers or otherwise hold some other position in the community. Maybe I should just suck it up and just write something simple like “Medical Student, Blogger and Nonprofit Consultant” but I just don't feel ready to say something like that until it becomes September or October and I know what the lay of the land is a little more. Is that bad? Does that disqualify me from this course now?
Rosetta, you're speaking my language… free business cards?!? Yes, please
As I work to catch up, I am happy to see that for this assignment I was ahead of the game. I just ordered business cards from vistaprint and was happy about how they looked on screen, but, when I got them, the font was too small and the background was too light. So I will do them again and go with a basic look so that the cards are more effective.
I actually took care of this last spring. I designed my business cards so that my signature is on the front, and then my name, contact info and blog info are on the back. They're a deep magenta-pink, which I did on purpose so that they can stand out in the sea of other business cards.
I really needed some cards yesterday. I walk around thrift stores, antique shops and garage sales with a huge camera and when I'm in shops or at sales, it gives me more street cred to say “I blog about all this awesome stuff you have” and be able to hand over a card for them to at least think I'm a little more legit and, hopefully, check out what I say. I'll definitely make these within the week so that when I head east to Baltimore, I'll be able to take photos and post to my blog.
Agree that most folks don't hold on to business cards anymore and we use them in different ways now. And that might play into how much effort I put into designing them versus just ordering some up. Likely I'll design and print. Just kind of goes with the theme of having a DIY blog.
Vistaprint is great and inexpensive if you are much better at planning ahead than I am. beyond the Vistaprint branding on free cards and the crazy shipping price scale depending on “how soon you need it”…I need to plan better to be able to take advantage of great deals like that.
Bernadette
ww.b3homedesigns.blogspot.com
One option might be to dual focus (once you get down to two sites) where side one of your card is TanyaSimpson and side two is Major Impact Consulting. Thoughts being that the Consulting is where you get the Return on Investment for your business cards (folks pay you for that work) and Tanya Simpson is the brand you really want to get out there. Definitely make sure you link up to Majorimpact.org so that folks can find it from either of those sites. But with the dual sides, you can focus one side on YOU and your work and the other side on your practice. I think these two really would play off of each other very well.
One option might be to dual focus (once you get down to two sites) where side one of your card is TanyaSimpson and side two is Major Impact Consulting. Thoughts being that the Consulting is where you get the Return on Investment for your business cards (folks pay you for that work) and Tanya Simpson is the brand you really want to get out there. Definitely make sure you link up to Majorimpact.org so that folks can find it from either of those sites. But with the dual sides, you can focus one side on YOU and your work and the other side on your practice. I think these two really would play off of each other very well.
I would just stick with one blog on your card. Unless you meet lots of people from both of your blog audiences…it could be worth it to get a card for each blog. I doubt most people will visit multiple sites if they are listed, and it does make your card look a lot cleaner. And – it shows that you have a clear focus, interest or expertise and not the impression that you're all over the place.
Thanks for checking out the challenge! Awesome idea to get cards for your web show. Was so great to meet you IRL – wish I could join you all for the Annual Meeting!
I have finally taken the time to dive into your “Brand New Blog Challenge” and I am inspired! Not only am I starting from Day 1 for my own blog, but I just ordered business cards for my social media web show for associations (Social Media Sweet Spot) and used your suggestions for the web show. I'll get them just in time for attending the ASAE Annual Meeting where I will want to share news about my web show and will look well-prepared in front of my boss.
Thanks for inspiring me and for making me look good!
I really like the 2nd one L. Michelle…something about the colors and design jump out at me. I went ahead and ordered mine…included the blog name/statement contact info i.e. email and url and also added a little spill about being available for writing and consulting projects. Thinking I should have added the twitter handle but I didn't want it to get jumbled and chaotic.
Ordered my cards today (250 premium front and back for $10.48 excl shipping). I used a 50% off code found here http://www.couponcabin.com/coupons/vistaprint/ to get a discount on the backside printing.
I'm excited as they are really pretty….lol I'm such a girl…but hey it is the candy shoppe so I had to keep up the theme. Can't wait to ge them and pass them out.
I set up a design on Vistaprint. Once I get my own domain name and start self-hosting (in about a week), I'm ordering them. Woo hoo!
Dangit Rosetta, I forgot to put my Twitter on my new card! LOL
Charron, go look at my post for today. http://www.myhairisme.com and I have an example of both of my cards (I ordered two b/c I wanted one with my logo on it once I got one) and b/c I really didn't like the first set. But VistaPrint is cheap!
They often run free specials for their premium cards. Unless you upload your own picture, you can get away with getting 250 premium cards for under $6.00 (you have to pay for shipping) and delivery is generally very quick!
Yep, I've got business cards for my blog! I got a bunch of blank printable business cards from OfficeMax and just print them up when I need them, as often my information shifts, and often I want to mix up what I can say.
Vista print, I don't like any of their designs, and you have to have their name on your cards, (boo) and Moo, it's too expensive, unless you're a photographer or advertising primarily your visual art, in which case it's the perfect leave-behind.
Mazarine
I was ahead of this post! I ordered some personal cards last night. I ordered from Kinko's (fedex). They were not free but had the graphic I liked. I can't wait to hand them out!
I have had contact cards for a while. Since my blog is so new, it is not on there yet, but I will add the address next time I order a set of cards. I think this is a great idea!!
I currently have a card promoting my blog and design services. I am in the process of redesigning because have made a few changes to the services I provided and I want to swamp out my cell number for my google voice number.
Cool! I guess I'm ready to click submit and get those Vista cards!
I'm going to go ahead and invest but I'm really at a blank as to what to put on them besides the name of the site/url/email/twitter/facebook fan page. I can't see your example either so I'm a bit nervous to move forward with designing and ordering.
LOL I just had this experience today where it seemed like I got asked for my card at every turn. Sadly, I had forgotten them at home. I don't think business cards are outdated, just the way we use them have changed. People will toss your card, but not before they look you up online and either bookmark your site (if they like it) or find you on Twitter or Facebook so they can keep in touch. I think it's worth the couple bucks to make sure people have some way of getting to you…who cares if they toss the card after they follow you on Twitter? The point is that you're connected.
I would just put tanyasimpson.com – dunno how many people would take the time to go to multiple websites anyway. I like to make it simple for folks and lead them to my main space so they don't have to guess. Just make sure you link to majorimpact.org somewhere on your main site so they can go there if they want.
Congrats on getting your business cards! Now I'm sure you'll be consulting sooner than you think
I've been hearing you (Rosetta) recommend personal business cards for awhile, now, and yes, I finally took the leap (its an assignment, so I can't not do it… right?) And they're purdy. I wanted them to match my blog, but since Vistaprint and Blogger are not really connected, I just went for a color similarity. And the cards say I do consulting, which would be awesome one day, but I figured, why not?
Ack! My crappy connection won't let me view the image of your card. Help!
YAY! Like, L. Michelle, I'm glad I'm ahead of the game! At the suggestion of one of my friends and fellow blogger, OriginalNajeema, I ordered business cards approximately 2 months ago. I too ordered from Vistaprint, and received 500 glossy print cards for about $7 total, including shipping! (Don't ask me how I pulled it off; I'm a hustler so I kept playing with the site until I got what I wanted for a really low price). I have my (real) name, blog name, blog address, phone, and e-mail. I also included that I'm a freelance writer, since I started this blog to show off my writing skills. If I had been thinking I would have put my Twitter handle, but it's the same as the blog address, so it's easy to remember. I'm glad I got the cards, because I pass them out every time I go somewhere, and in DC, everybody has a card. I even passed some out last night at the happy hour I went to!
And this is where my branding identity crisis begins.
1) I just started a consulting practice for community based nonprofits. Its name: Major Impact Consulting.
2)I am also starting a new blog that offers my clients and others more information about my consulting work and other perspectives. The name of the blog: http://www.tanyasimpson.com.
3)AND THEN there is Work In Progress, which I've worked on for 7 months and plan on folding into a separate webpage focused on volunteerism, purpose fulfilment, and goal setting. That page: http://www.majorimpact.org
I am all set to work on my business cards but am not sure what the heck to include. I agree with the double-sided approach and will use it to highlight tanyasimpson.com and majorimpact.org, but is that too much?
To tackle this issue, I did a matrix on all 3 sites, their strengths, weaknesses and possible strategies moving forward. I am all set to consolidate onto only two but want to make sure I am not confusing my audience about how to reach me and for what purpose.
Long winded way of saying: “I'm working on it!”
I've been thinking about getting business cards for my blogs for a while, but wasn't really sure about it. Now my question is whether I promote multiple blogs on one card, or just have one blog on the card and let people follow the links once they visit? I think the latter may be better (just because I like simple, unclutter designs) but I'd really like some other opinions.
I really thought that business cards were out dated…have heard more than once that people just toss them. Or they get put away with like a million other cards that the person won't ever look at again. Just wondering if it is really worth the money and the trees??
I love love love being slightly ahead of the curve!! I have two sets of business cards, both from VistaPrint and yes they rock!!! It is great to be able to pull them out when folks stop to ask me about my hair, and since my blog is a natural hair blog, I don't hesistate to stop people with natural hair and share my blog with them and leave them with a card!
I love love love being slightly ahead of the curve!! I have two sets of business cards, both from VistaPrint and yes they rock!!! It is great to be able to pull them out when folks stop to ask me about my hair, and since my blog is a natural hair blog, I don't hesistate to stop people with natural hair and share my blog with them and leave them with a card!
I love love love being slightly ahead of the curve!! I have two sets of business cards, both from VistaPrint and yes they rock!!! It is great to be able to pull them out when folks stop to ask me about my hair, and since my blog is a natural hair blog, I don't hesistate to stop people with natural hair and share my blog with them and leave them with a card!
I love love love being slightly ahead of the curve!! I have two sets of business cards, both from VistaPrint and yes they rock!!! It is great to be able to pull them out when folks stop to ask me about my hair, and since my blog is a natural hair blog, I don't hesistate to stop people with natural hair and share my blog with them and leave them with a card!