All told, I have literally spent hundreds of hours searching for, using, testing and ordering from business card websites.

So if there’s anyone who’s qualified to name a “best business card website,” heck, maybe it’s me.

Well let me be the first to tell you that neither I, nor anyone else, could do such a thing.

Frankly, it all depends what you’re looking for.

Embossed. Foil Stamped. Letterpress. Silk. Wood. Die-Cut. Plain Jane. Metal. Rounded. Round. Square. 3D. Edible. Ceramic. Plastic. Magnets. Need I go on?

Different sites excel at different varieties of business cards.

That’s actually my goal with AllThingsBusinessCards – to present sites that excel in each category.

That being said… if you’re not a designer and are relying on templates and an online design tool to customize your business card, then there IS a website that stands out.

Zazzle.

Designers from all over the world upload their own designs, so the selection of templates is absolutely fantastic (as in, thousands in many niches).

Their design tool is also incredible. You can edit virtually anything on the card. There are dozens upon dozens of unique fonts. You can upload and remove images from the front and back. You can choose from several varieties and colors of paper. I’ll stop there.

Best business card website? I won’t go there. But for non specialty cards, Zazzle impressed me more than any site I’ve come across in a while.

The Great Debate: Buying Affordably, Versus…

When it comes to making business cards, there are the buyers… and the do-it-yourselfers.

Personally, I’m a buyer.

That’s because the time involved in making my own business cards and the costs associated with doing so seem to far outweigh the cost of printing online.

Consider this: As I write this, you can get 500 premium quality business cards delivered, for $10.

A small investment of time and money, and you’re done.

That’s not to say everybody prefers to do it this way, but for me, the expansion of options like this has made it hard to justify the process of buying paper and ink, setting everything up, and cutting hundreds of cards into a neat little stack. I’d rather just open a box.

But, for anyone on the other side of the fence, some good news…

The answer to how to make your own business cards just got a bit easier.

Let me explain…

How to Make Your Own Business Cards…

I just came across a website that has a rather interesting concept.

In essence, it makes it possible to make your own business cards, without having to understand how to make your own business cards.

Sound confusing? Actually… it’s not. Like any other website that sells business cards, they have a business card “builder” as well as a great selection of templates, fonts, layouts and colors for customizing it into your perfect card.

And while they’re more than happy to print these cards for you when you’re done customizing (for a fee of course), they also have a free option that enables you to make your own business cards at home.

How?

Just click a button, and your design is automatically stored as a PDF file with 8 or 10 business cards to a page. You’re ready to start printing. Sure, you still have to buy the paper and the ink.

But the process of designing the card and setting up the file is taken care of for you.

Check it out, here.

My hunch is that if you’re wondering how to make your business cards, you won’t find an easier answer than this. The more technical answer involves design programs, setting up files, learning about bleeds, fonts, image uploads, and other tasks. If this sort of thing is unfamiliar to you, it may be more of an ordeal than you’re prepared for.

Conclusion – Make versus Buy

Make?

Buy?

How to decide?

• make your own business cards and you invest more time and pay for materials.
• buy online and you face a printing charge, and possible shipping.

Both are good options. Both can be affordable. It all depends on what you need, what you already have in your home or office, and the time you’re willing to invest to get the job done.

Hopefully the links above will help you decide.

A good business card is still a good marketing tool

A lot of blog posts and other commentary has surfaced about retiring the business card forever, opting instead for new technologies that make information sharing easy (generally, using a smartphone).

I object. For many reasons.

But forget my personal objections for the moment (or rather read about them here)

Here is a great NY Times blog post that summarizes some other people’s responses on this issue.

Read: O.K. I Guess We’re Not Retiring the Business Card (Yet)

What do you think?

Is it time to retire the business card? Or does this marketing tool still have some legs?

So you’ve got your business cards made up. And now you need something to hold them in.

Why not sport your old school style with this retro Pac-Man business card holder. It features two compartments: one for your cards, one for everybody else’s.

Pre-orders are being accepted now (about $31) at GeekStuff4U

Are business cards dead? Or dying?

I’m Seeing a Lot of Online, Digital, and App-Based Business Card Options of Late.

Like card.ly for example.

Or that iPhone app where you just bump phones and your contact details are magically shared.

Well, a lot of people are saying that applications like these have rendered the old fashioned business card, dead.

Or dying.

Frankly, I Couldn’t DISAGREE More.

Is there a place for these applications? Absolutely. Will a lot of people use them? Surely they will. But that doesn’t mean that business cards don’t have a long, useful life ahead of them.

In fact, from a business building standpoint (especially small local businesses) I think traditional business cards that can be seen and felt have a lot greater potential than a novel fist bump. Why? Because a good business card gets people to LOOK at it. It makes an actual impression and encourages people to pay attention to it. And not just to contact details, but more importantly to a marketing message.

In essence, a GOOD business card is like a powerful ad matched with a genuine person behind it.

While novel, someone’s contact details magically whisked away to my smartphone makes less of an impression. I may not even look at it (right now, or ever) Not so with a good, creative, business card.

Long Live the Traditional Business Card.

Business cards are also a lot easier for your fans and referrers to share with other people.

You can leave them on your retail store counter. Or in your office.

You can leave them with related, non competing businesses. You can place them in envelopes, on restaurant tables, on community posting boards, and in outgoing mail.

That’s a lot of good use.  It”s also why — in one man’s humble opinion, anyway — traditional business cards are more versatile than their electronic counterpart.

Consider This Case in Point

I was just at a DJ convention representing my wife’s company (Rock & Soul DJ Equipment for all you DJs out there — after 35 years, it’s one of the first and most famous DJ shops in the world) Well, business cards were out in FULL force and getting a lot of great use.

DJs were sharing them with other DJs as they networked. Businesses were using them to promote their stores and equipment. And they were collecting business cards to keep in touch with — and promote to — people they met at the convention.

Business cards, dead?

I don’t think so.

Not by a longshot.

If you like your digital business cards, by all means use them. I defend my choice without attacking yours. But please don’t tell that the traditional business card doesn’t have its place. They continue to be one of the most cost-effective and versatile little marketing tools on the planet. And a good card can make a great BIG impression. Period.

End of rant.

Business cards are for everyone.

Entrepreneurs… freelancers… employees… job seekers.

Heck, even pets, mommies, and little kids have business cards nowadays.

And no I’m not kidding.

So basically, if you have a dog and want to make play dates with other people who have dogs, it’s totally normal to have a business card for that.

(In certain circles anyway)

Business card variety — and creativity — is simply endless.

They’re made of paper, plastic, metal, wood, meat (again, not kidding), recycled cereal boxes, magnets, balloons, legos.

I’m barely scratching the surface here.

Some just sit there and do nothing.

Others sprout leaves.

A few of them make a perfectly delicious snack.

With variety like this, how can you not love business cards?

But really, the purpose of a business card is to make an impression. To be memorable enough that the person you hand it to will one day want to make contact with you again.

That makes them a very important little tool indeed.

So whether you’re landing a job, winning clients, or making play dates… a memorable business card is a great investment.