| Thanks to the proliferation of affordable and | | | | its signature product is the MiniCard--a |
| easy-to-use online printing services, business cards | | | | 1-by-2.75-inch calling card that can also be a |
| are popping up outside the... | | | | canvas for your digital photos or other artwork. |
| Heather Kelly, Tue, 10 Feb 2009 10:50:22 | | | | You can upload up to 100 different images or |
| -0800blogging, blogger,blogspot,make money from | | | | have Moo pull them directly from your Bebo, |
| blog | | | | Etsy, Facebook, Flickr, Fotolog, Livejournal, or Vox |
| Thanks to the proliferation of affordable and | | | | account. |
| easy-to-use online printing services, business cards | | | | If you don't have existing images you want to |
| are popping up outside the office, freed from the | | | | use, start digging through Moo's library of free |
| confines of the 9-to-5 workday. Freelancers and | | | | designs from established artists. Drag as many |
| job hunters use them stand out in a crowded | | | | images as you like to the drop box section at the |
| employment market, and networkers and social | | | | bottom of your browser window. Once you have |
| butterflies hand them out to anyone from close | | | | a good selection, click on Make MiniCards to |
| friends to potential dates. | | | | preview and edit your final product. |
| Online printing sites let you create cards that are | | | | Editing in Moo is intuitive, and limited just enough |
| fun or informational, personal or professional, | | | | to keep amateur artists from going overboard. If |
| elegant or eccentric. And they let you print in | | | | you find the font and placement options confining, |
| very small quantities. But searching the Internet | | | | you can bypass them by uploading a custom file. |
| for the right business-card printing service can be | | | | MiniCards are US$20 for 100; standard cards are |
| frustrating and confusing. Here's how to cull some | | | | $70 for 200. The paper stock is a sturdy 350 g |
| of the most-promising ones. | | | | sm and all cards have a matte laminate surface, |
| Learn the Lingoblogging, blogger,blogspot,make | | | | which is the most flattering for photographs. |
| money from blog | | | | Another source for offbeat cards is |
| Before trying to sort out which printing service is | | | | Premiumcards.net. Have you dreamed of having a |
| right for you, familiarize yourself with some | | | | calling card that can double as a coaster? |
| industry lingo. The quality of your cards will vary | | | | Premiumcards has a great selection of |
| greatly depending on the type of paper used. A | | | | nontraditional business cards. In addition to round |
| rule of thumb: the thicker or stiffer the paper, the | | | | and square coasters, you can select from playing |
| better. There are multiple ways of determining | | | | cards, bifold cards, magnetic cards, sticker cards, |
| the sturdiness of card stock, but most printing | | | | and numerous variations on the rectangle. All |
| services stick to pounds, points, or g/sm (grams | | | | premium cards require a minimum order of 1,000 |
| per square meter). Unfortunately, since no one | | | | and prices start at $55. |
| method is used by every printer, comparing | | | | Unlike Moo, Premiumcards doesn't offer |
| paper quality can be tricky. | | | | interactive online design templates; you must |
| As a general guideline, your business card should | | | | upload your own files. The site does have |
| be at least as thick as an index card. The desired | | | | downloadable Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop |
| card stock is between 60 and 100 pounds. (A | | | | templates with text, cut, and bleed boundaries to |
| pound corresponds to 500 sheets of uncut stock.) | | | | guide you. If you don't have the proper software |
| The rough equivalent in points, which is based on | | | | or skills, you can pay $30 for design assistance. |
| the paper's thickness, is 14 to 18 points. In | | | | Give the company's in-house designers your text, |
| Europe, card stock is mostly measured in g/sm. | | | | images, and instructions, and they'll create a |
| For business cards, you want paper between 200 | | | | customized layout and send you a proof via |
| and 400 g/sm (get a detailed comparison of | | | | e-mail. |
| paper measurements).blogging, | | | | Stick to a Budget |
| blogger,blogspot,make money from blog | | | | Non-standard cards can be pricey, and if you |
| If math doesn't appeal to you, try a more | | | | need them for freelancing or job hunting, spending |
| hands-on approach. Most printers will send you | | | | the extra money on a fancy design isn't the best |
| samples upon request so you can compare for | | | | use of your resources. Thankfully, another side |
| yourself. | | | | effect of digital printing is the glut of |
| Think Outside the Rectangle | | | | deep-discount printers. While many of these shops |
| The standard business card is 3.5 by 2 inches, but | | | | churn out poorly printed cards on flimsy paper, |
| if you're in a creative field or looking for a | | | | there are exceptions. |
| personal calling card, a unique shape, size, and | | | | At first glance, looks like any other bargain printer |
| texture can help reflect your personality and set | | | | site, but its interactive, online design feature is |
| you apart from the crowd. | | | | top-notch and the products it makes are |
| One of the most popular sites offering unusual | | | | surprisingly good. It offers the standard |
| business card options is hip printer Moo is cleverly | | | | 3.5-by-2-inch card printed on a quality 15-point |
| integrated with sites like Flickr and is easy and fun | | | | stock, as well as a host of other printable options |
| to use. Moo prints standard business cards, | | | | such as greeting cards, brochures, and envelopes. |
| postcards, greeting cards, and sticker books, but | | | | You pay a very reasonable $30 for 250 cards. |