Business cards what do you put on the back?
- Thread starter Benchtech
- Start date
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- East Coast, NC (USA)
I've done a number of things in the past.
Namely a lists of main services I offer, so as not to cloud up the front of the card with them.
I've also tried coupons (never worked for me.)
The most inventive I saw someone else mention was a keyboard shortcut reference - you know the basics CTRL+C, etc. I tried that once too, had a list of maybe a dozen - but most of my clients don't find that useful because keyboard shortcuts just baffle them. I think I still have a TON of those sitting around somewhere.
My current design has a few services on the front and nothing on the back. (My next design I'm going to leave services off of it entirely - In fact I'll probably leave company name off even - but I plan on multiple card designs next time and the reasons are a subject for another time.) In my current design I decided to leave the backside blank / white for writing things on. If for some reason I want to give a certain client my cell# (very rare) or write down a scheduled appointment (also rare) I figure maybe the customer will want to write something on it at some point - I sometimes find myself in a pinch without paper and will write something on the back of someone else's biz card in my wallet... and it aggravates me if I pull a card with the backside colored or otherwise full of existing stuff and there's no room to write on it.
Plus I also still get those biz card sized magnets both with and without calendars, and it's convenient to use the exact same design as my actual biz card.
Namely a lists of main services I offer, so as not to cloud up the front of the card with them.
I've also tried coupons (never worked for me.)
The most inventive I saw someone else mention was a keyboard shortcut reference - you know the basics CTRL+C, etc. I tried that once too, had a list of maybe a dozen - but most of my clients don't find that useful because keyboard shortcuts just baffle them. I think I still have a TON of those sitting around somewhere.
My current design has a few services on the front and nothing on the back. (My next design I'm going to leave services off of it entirely - In fact I'll probably leave company name off even - but I plan on multiple card designs next time and the reasons are a subject for another time.) In my current design I decided to leave the backside blank / white for writing things on. If for some reason I want to give a certain client my cell# (very rare) or write down a scheduled appointment (also rare) I figure maybe the customer will want to write something on it at some point - I sometimes find myself in a pinch without paper and will write something on the back of someone else's biz card in my wallet... and it aggravates me if I pull a card with the backside colored or otherwise full of existing stuff and there's no room to write on it.
Plus I also still get those biz card sized magnets both with and without calendars, and it's convenient to use the exact same design as my actual biz card.
Last edited:
Martyn
Well-Known Member
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- Bedfordshire UK
I have a double column of services on the back. When I opiginally got my business cards printed I made them single sided as I was handing them out and had the opportunity to convey nmy services. What happened then was I had 3 offers to take plastic stands and put my cards in various shops hence the need for the reverse side printing.
Xander
Banned
- Reaction score
- 66
- Location
- Niagara region, Ontario
A spot for the PCRT work order # and a link to the site where they can look up the progress.
I rarely use it, though, as I get their email in the check-in and email the claim ticket with all that info.
I rarely use it, though, as I get their email in the check-in and email the claim ticket with all that info.
ComputerPro
Active Member
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- 113
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- Saginaw Michigan
Business cards
Your image seems similar to ours in a way. You have your logo across the bottom of your posts etc. I would take that 'logo/branding' part of your cards and make that the front alone. As big as possible. If you think about it, people don't read cards from a distance. They pick them up and read them. So to get them to pickup your card you need the largest logo or 'attention grabber' that makes your card stand out from the rest. Other text on the front of the card just competes with the main logo if they are both on there. This only holds true for 2 sided cards of course
I'd prob do something similar to this: ( I didn't have your source files so excuse the cheesy'ness lol )
Then I'd have all the other stuff on the back, similar to the old front.
We do this and it works out well for us:
If you look at a bunch of cards posted on a wall the larger front usually stands out. The exact opposite is when the front of the card is filled to the brim with little text. This is how they would see them from a distance to compare:
In the top one you can't see your logo or branding at all really. You can see 'computer repair' which is ok, but the branding suffers.
FWIW
Terry
Your image seems similar to ours in a way. You have your logo across the bottom of your posts etc. I would take that 'logo/branding' part of your cards and make that the front alone. As big as possible. If you think about it, people don't read cards from a distance. They pick them up and read them. So to get them to pickup your card you need the largest logo or 'attention grabber' that makes your card stand out from the rest. Other text on the front of the card just competes with the main logo if they are both on there. This only holds true for 2 sided cards of course
I'd prob do something similar to this: ( I didn't have your source files so excuse the cheesy'ness lol )
Then I'd have all the other stuff on the back, similar to the old front.
We do this and it works out well for us:
If you look at a bunch of cards posted on a wall the larger front usually stands out. The exact opposite is when the front of the card is filled to the brim with little text. This is how they would see them from a distance to compare:
In the top one you can't see your logo or branding at all really. You can see 'computer repair' which is ok, but the branding suffers.
FWIW
Terry
Last edited:
ComputerPro
Active Member
- Reaction score
- 113
- Location
- Saginaw Michigan
Michigan
Man... I didn't know you were from Michigan. Your our competition, scratch what I said in the above post.
Lol, just kidding.
Hello from the middle of the state.
Terry
Man... I didn't know you were from Michigan. Your our competition, scratch what I said in the above post.
Lol, just kidding.
Hello from the middle of the state.
Terry
Xander
Banned
- Reaction score
- 66
- Location
- Niagara region, Ontario
I don't know how ordinary I am but I will always assume that, even if you hand me the logo-side first, the side with the actual contact info is the front. I'll just figure you handed it to me backwards.
ComputerPro
Active Member
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- 113
- Location
- Saginaw Michigan
its just you...
Its just you man. Lol.
It could be considered the back I guess?? But the more important thing is one side for 'huge logo/branding' and one for all the information. Calling the logo side the front or back doesn't really matter. I think its just for the visual punch compared to other cards nearby. Just sticks out more is all.
I did a quick search for best business card designs and a noticed a few of the top designed cards do the exact same thing:
I just think they stand out WAY more if for example pinned up with the LOGO side facing out.
If you google 'bad business card designs', you will usually see the opposite.
Its just you man. Lol.
It could be considered the back I guess?? But the more important thing is one side for 'huge logo/branding' and one for all the information. Calling the logo side the front or back doesn't really matter. I think its just for the visual punch compared to other cards nearby. Just sticks out more is all.
I did a quick search for best business card designs and a noticed a few of the top designed cards do the exact same thing:
I just think they stand out WAY more if for example pinned up with the LOGO side facing out.
If you google 'bad business card designs', you will usually see the opposite.
MikeLierman
Active Member
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- 64
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- Salt Lake City, UT
You could leave your design as is and put another smaller logo and phone number on the back bottom middle and then fill it with useful computer tips or information, certifications your staff has, or quotes from local businesses you did work for.
I have my business cards personalized, so I have the company on the front and on the back I have my personal name and my personal business email (mike@Invise). And then near the bottom I offer discounts for customers who refer other customers.
I have my business cards personalized, so I have the company on the front and on the back I have my personal name and my personal business email (mike@Invise). And then near the bottom I offer discounts for customers who refer other customers.
emsbronco
Member
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- 12
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- Wayland, NY
I keep the back plain and also non-glossy. The reason being that if you are at a trade show or some other event and the person you are handing your card to wants to make a note about your meeting, it leaves an area where they can write.
Techmate
New Member
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- 0
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- Pittsburgh, PA
I would have to agree with emsbronco. It is nice to have a spot on the card to write notes on. I have considered generating a QR Code to my website. Has anyone else done this?
ComputerRepairTech
Well-Known Member
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- Columbia, SC
mine is black background with logo and what not, then the back is color inverted so its white and i suppose technically theres space to write on.....i didnt have a better idea at the time.
uprighttech
Active Member
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- Kentucky
Some great advice from the very wise Karl Palachuk...
http://blog.smallbizthoughts.com/2012/11/sop-friday-business-cards-all-details.html
http://blog.smallbizthoughts.com/2012/11/sop-friday-business-cards-all-details.html
ComputerPro
Active Member
- Reaction score
- 113
- Location
- Saginaw Michigan
cards
Wow. I guess are cards are horrible then lol.
They actually do work for us though. Clients love them too
As for printing on the back....... I had an eye-opening experience with that once at a trade show so now I'm forever scarred lol.
We were at a trade show years ago and I had well...pretty much the same style cards as we have now for the most part. Front/back done up in an eye-catching style. Clients remarked how they looked good and grabbed attention etc. The guy next to me looked like a 50 yr old tech worker who lost his job and is struggling to start a new thing. It was pathetic. I felt sorry for him and talked to him quite a bit as no one really visited his table.
He told me that he spent a lot on this trade show in pens and business cards and hoped it would pay off. The sad thing is he was a regular VAR with NO GOOD marketing stuff at all. Bad logo, couldn't talk like a salesman etc. I really did feel bad for him. Large groups of people were walking around and constantly exchanging names, bus cards, taking pens etc. Our cards were taken, looked at and put in pockets. Seemed legit. But the poor guy next to me. People would be talking to nearby people and seemed to always reach for his cards to write on lol. Probably because they were plain white with not much on them. Backs were plain white and blank. They used A TON of his cards lol. And didn't even pretend to be interested in his services. He might as well have put post it notes on his table. It was pathetic.
After experiencing that, I have this itch to always include stuff on the back of our cards.
The other school of thought is if they do use them for notes, and keep the notes around... then your info will always be there! So who knows... maybe I'll try it with the next batch lol. Or at least order some logo'd post-it pads.
Wow. I guess are cards are horrible then lol.
They actually do work for us though. Clients love them too
As for printing on the back....... I had an eye-opening experience with that once at a trade show so now I'm forever scarred lol.
We were at a trade show years ago and I had well...pretty much the same style cards as we have now for the most part. Front/back done up in an eye-catching style. Clients remarked how they looked good and grabbed attention etc. The guy next to me looked like a 50 yr old tech worker who lost his job and is struggling to start a new thing. It was pathetic. I felt sorry for him and talked to him quite a bit as no one really visited his table.
He told me that he spent a lot on this trade show in pens and business cards and hoped it would pay off. The sad thing is he was a regular VAR with NO GOOD marketing stuff at all. Bad logo, couldn't talk like a salesman etc. I really did feel bad for him. Large groups of people were walking around and constantly exchanging names, bus cards, taking pens etc. Our cards were taken, looked at and put in pockets. Seemed legit. But the poor guy next to me. People would be talking to nearby people and seemed to always reach for his cards to write on lol. Probably because they were plain white with not much on them. Backs were plain white and blank. They used A TON of his cards lol. And didn't even pretend to be interested in his services. He might as well have put post it notes on his table. It was pathetic.
After experiencing that, I have this itch to always include stuff on the back of our cards.
The other school of thought is if they do use them for notes, and keep the notes around... then your info will always be there! So who knows... maybe I'll try it with the next batch lol. Or at least order some logo'd post-it pads.
Last edited:
Mercenary Roadie
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- Santa Paula, CA
Business cards are not for current clients, they are for prospective clients and as a mean of introduction.
I have always thought that the back should be empty and the text should be printed the normal way.
The Japanese method of presenting a business card when meeting a new client has always made sense to me. It lets you know right away who your talking to and at what level they are in the corporate chain.
DocGreen
Well-Known Member
- Reaction score
- 44
- Location
- South Bend, IN
This is a poor representation of my business cards, but like an idiot I designed them on Vistaprint instead of designing them in Photoshop and uploading the design.
I have 2 different business cards that I distribute, depending on the situation. One of them is my standard personalized card, the other is the generic card that only has the business name and contact info. If I'm giving a card to a customer or someone in person, I give them MY card... If I'm leaving a stack of cards somewhere or if someone asks for a stack of cards to give to their friends, I use the generic cards.
Both cards have the same design on the back (or front, depending on how you look at it).
We've just relocated to another town (you may have noticed the address is marked out) and I'll be redesigning the cards soon... so any suggestions are welcome!
I have 2 different business cards that I distribute, depending on the situation. One of them is my standard personalized card, the other is the generic card that only has the business name and contact info. If I'm giving a card to a customer or someone in person, I give them MY card... If I'm leaving a stack of cards somewhere or if someone asks for a stack of cards to give to their friends, I use the generic cards.
Both cards have the same design on the back (or front, depending on how you look at it).
We've just relocated to another town (you may have noticed the address is marked out) and I'll be redesigning the cards soon... so any suggestions are welcome!
This is an important point. You can also write down a quote or a discount offer on it as well.
RocklandCompRepair
Active Member
- Reaction score
- 61
- Location
- New York
Your image seems similar to ours in a way. You have your logo across the bottom of your posts etc. I would take that 'logo/branding' part of your cards and make that the front alone. As big as possible. If you think about it, people don't read cards from a distance. They pick them up and read them. So to get them to pickup your card you need the largest logo or 'attention grabber' that makes your card stand out from the rest. Other text on the front of the card just competes with the main logo if they are both on there. This only holds true for 2 sided cards of course
I'd prob do something similar to this: ( I didn't have your source files so excuse the cheesy'ness lol )
Then I'd have all the other stuff on the back, similar to the old front.
We do this and it works out well for us:
If you look at a bunch of cards posted on a wall the larger front usually stands out. The exact opposite is when the front of the card is filled to the brim with little text. This is how they would see them from a distance to compare:
In the top one you can't see your logo or branding at all really. You can see 'computer repair' which is ok, but the branding suffers.
FWIW
Terry
No offense, but shouldn't you have gone with MIcomputerpro.com as your domain instead of computerpro1? Makes more sense to me
'putertutor
Well-Known Member
- Reaction score
- 75
- Location
- Montana
I like the idea of a qr code, but I honestly don't know any of my clients that would use that. Might try it on the next batch just to see.
IMO the back of the card should be used. The 'space to write a note' idea has been around for a while, but honestly, unless you are the guy who collects so many cards from similar clients/service providers you can't remember who is who, this is a waste. Recipients writing notes on the back of a card happens a ton in conferences, and not a ton anywhere else. Guys like Karl Palachuk (who I don't find to be particularly compelling in any way whatsoever) make their living in those environments, most of us don't so we need a different strategy. Yes some people do want to make a quick not on the back of my card, but not many. For my dollar, I'd rather have a list of services on the back, or at least something memorable/useful. The hot keys idea is a good one as well.
IMO the back of the card should be used. The 'space to write a note' idea has been around for a while, but honestly, unless you are the guy who collects so many cards from similar clients/service providers you can't remember who is who, this is a waste. Recipients writing notes on the back of a card happens a ton in conferences, and not a ton anywhere else. Guys like Karl Palachuk (who I don't find to be particularly compelling in any way whatsoever) make their living in those environments, most of us don't so we need a different strategy. Yes some people do want to make a quick not on the back of my card, but not many. For my dollar, I'd rather have a list of services on the back, or at least something memorable/useful. The hot keys idea is a good one as well.
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