“Seven Reasons Writers and Illustrators Need Business Cards” by Joan Y. Edwards
1. It shows you that you believe in yourself as a writer or illustrator.
2. It shows other people that you believe in yourself as a writer or illustrator.
3. It advertises your books, illustrations, and services. Today writers and illustrators put images of books on the back.
4. It opens the door to more communication which widens your door of opportunities to make your platform bigger. It increases the number of people who could purchase your books, buy your services, and spread word about you and your services to others.
5. It gives people a way to remember you and what you can do to help them improve the quality of their lives.
6. It empowers you.
7. It fills you with pride.
Ken Erdman, founder of the Business Card Museum in Erenheim, Pa said, “The business card…is kind of an extension of yourself. It’s a little bit of giving yourself to someone else.”
In The Business Card Book Lynella Grant wrote, “Think of your business card as the handshake you leave behind.”
I’ve made my own business cards using my home computer.
I have used Vistaprint http://www.vistaprint.com. Home based in Massachusetts. They usually have a sale on their home page. Sign up for Vistaprint’s emails and they send you deals upon deals.
I have seen MOO. http://us.moo.com Home based in London; US in Rhode Island. What some illustrators might like there is a package with different images on each card. However, I know from listening to the art editors for different publishing houses that they prefer post cards. Post cards are larger. They tack them onto their bulletin board in front of their desks. When they are reading manuscripts, they’re looking at the wall and voila – there is the artist who would be good for this project.
So my advice is do it yourself, design it yourself and upload to one of the sites listed, choose one of the templates on the sites listed, or call Maggie Moe at Business Cards, Etc. Get Yourself a Business Card! It is a great gift to give yourself any time of year!
Amy Westfeldt. Free Lance Star (March 29, 1996) http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1298&dat=19960329&id=neoyAAAAIBAJ&sjid=zQcGAAAAIBAJ&pg=4940,5587199
Lynella Grant. The Business Card Book: What Your Business Card Reveals about You…and How To Fix It Off the Page Press, 1998, $17.95.
Thank you for reading my blog. I hope it inspires you to take a step towards your dream, whatever it is. Each step you take will fill you with more confidence to take the next step. Getting a business card, if you don’t have one, might be your next step. Do it. It’s fun. It’s empowering. It will fill you with pride.
Do something today to celebrate your love of writing and/or illustrating
Never Give Up
Joan Y. Edwards
Copyright © 2012 Joan Y. Edwards
I use business cards and post cards. Both have uses and help promote 4RV Publishing and me.
Dear Vivian, Thanks for stopping by. I’m glad you use business cards and post cards to promote you and 4RV Publishing. This reflects your belief in you and your company. I’m proud of you and all you have accomplished.
Do something good to celebrate you today! Never Give Up Joan Y. Edwards
Thanks for the reminder!
Dear Widdershins,
You’re very welcome. Thanks for stopping by.
Celebrate you today!
Joan Y. Edwards
Interesting blog post, Joan. Thanks for contacting Maggie Moe. What great cards. I loved the end products.
Dear Linda,
Thanks for the compliment. You’re welcome for my contacting Maggie Moe. They are great cards. She does nice work.
Do something to celebrate you.
Never Give Up
Joan Y. Edwards
Thanks for the valuable information, Joan! I love using my business cards! And my postcards! I also use bookmarks for promotion and advertising. Great post! And thanksfor contacting Maggie – that’s a wonderful offer she has provided!
Dear Ann,
You’re welcome for the information. I am so glad it’s valuable information to you. It’s indeed a great offer that Maggie is offering for my blog readers! She is a jewel to do that for us. I’m glad you enjoy using business cards, postcards, and bookmarks.
Do something fun for you today!
Joan Y. Edwards
Intersting post. Thanks for the information. Since I just received my cover for Dragon Destiny I’m getting back into design mode for things like bookmarks, postcards, and of course, business cards.
Dear Helen,
I’m glad you liked my blog post about Business Cards. It’s great that you just got your cover for Dragon Destiny. How exciting for you! Won’t it be fun to get its name and an image of it on a business card, bookmarks, and postcards. Congratulations on your forthcoming book.
Do something to celebrate you today!
Never Give Up
Joan Y. Edwards
Joan,
When I was in Singapore I ate at a restaurant with a very good/cute young Japanese manager. As I do when traveling I asked his story, How did he end up in Singapore? And I asked him for the proper pronunciation of his name. He returned to our table with very fancy business cards, heavy weight card, gold emblem and printed on both sides. English on one side, Chinese on the other (or that is what I thought. Since he handed out four cards to the four of us at the table and I didn’t need the (expensive)card, I handed it back to him. I found out that I had committed a major faux paus. By handing back his card, I had rejected him. I felt so bad. The lesson is that if someone hands you a business card, never return it–treasure it.
Dear Joy,
What an awesome story! Be nice to yourself, you didn’t realize that he would be offended if you didn’t accept his card. You were thinking you were saving him money. Being a frugal person as you are. You have made a very valid point to remember that someone might feel rejected, if you don’t accept a business card that is offered to you. it is definitely polite to accept a business card when it is offered. And it is also polite to give one of your own in return. It is wonderful of you to share your experience with us so that we can learn from it, too.
Do something fun to celebrate your sensitivity to people’s feelings!
Never Give Up
Joan Y. Edwards
I’ve made my own business cards with Microsoft Publisher printed on recycled paper. They are not glossy/fancy, but I think they are cute and get my information out there.
Business cards are great in theory, but when I attended a conference and handed some out, people looked at me like I was nuts. Nobody else was handing any out. Maybe they weren’t as business minded as me, but it made me kind of think that business cards aren’t such a great idea for everyone in every circumstance.
When you hand yours out, do you get a similar reaction?
Dear Julia,
Thank you for writing. Perhaps that look was why didn’t I think of that. At most writer conferences I’ve been at people exchange business cards. You can approach it like this. Would you like one of my business cards? Give them the right to say, “Yes,” or “No.”
Sometimes, I offer them to people I meet in case they want to look up my picture book Flip Flap Floodle online or to call me.
You can also approach it this way. After you’ve been talking to them a few minutes, say, “Do you have a business card with your email address on it? I’d like to talk with you a little more. Then you can see what their answer is. If they say, “Yes.” This opens the door for you to get their card and offer them one of your cards. If they don’t, then since you’ve said you’d like to talk with them again, you can say, “I’ll give you my business card. Please email me so we can discuss this further.”
Don’t take it personally, if people say, “No,” when you ask them if they would like a card. Some people stay in their own world. Some people are too busy. Some people think they’d be wasting your money or would save you money, if they didn’t take your card.
Perhaps you’ve done all this, and you still think those looks were weird and thought you were nuts. You know that you are very sane and business savvy. Let them do their thing. Don’t try to control their thoughts or actions. You do your thing and smile all the way to the bank and smile again because you have made new friends and connections that they missed. I hope this helps you feel better.
Thanks for writing.
Celebrate you and your gift of writing