Why Bloggers Need Business Cards
I will cringe forever at the memory of notorious Daily Mail journalist Liz Jones asking me if I had a card when I met her, and me saying um... no. What followed was an extremely awkward three minutes where she thrust her Blackberry at me and asked me to add my email. I had no idea how to work it, and couldn't get Liz' attention back as she was now talking to someone else. Finally she turned back to me and I saw a slight narrowing of the eyes when I confessed my further ineptitude. Then there was another awkward moment when I had to spell out my email to her, and basically this whole atrocity could have been prevented if I'd just had a card. Needless to say, I never heard from Liz. Call me, Liz!
There have been other times when I've not had a card on me and regretted it. They seem old-fashioned, especially in this techo-world we live in where you can get out your phone and swap contact info quicker than it takes to fish a card out of your bag (just me?). But there are some professional situations where a card is the best option - when you need to be more formal, but also quick about it, when you need to present all your social media channels and contact details in one go, and when you need to show someone in an instant what it is you do, who you are, and what your brand is.
Your business card is actually a mini portfolio when you think about it. Someone can use it to check out your website as well as your Instagram and Twitter before they email or call you. It's essential to include your blog logo and tagline to give people a snapshot of your blog - the essence and the quality of it. What people? I hear you ask. In the past few months I've handed my card over to shop owners, organisers at events, and brand promoters at fashion press days and told them to contact me if they'd like to work with me (I won't just ask out of the blue, it follows a conversation obvs). I've also given it to the odd passerby who has asked why I'm photographing or filming something on the street, to fellow bloggers and PRs I've met at promotional events, to senior journalists and comissioning editors I've met at networking events, and to anyone else who asked what it is I do.
When Zazzle asked if I'd like to try their business cards I told them I was already using their designs! For ages I had their yellow cassette design which was a great ice-breaker when meeting new people (and it has both A and B sides to print stuff on!). But I decided to try something new and went for the vintage camera design (above). I think it shows people that photography is an important part of what I do, but it's also still eye-catching and playful. Hopefully it invokes connotations of a talented yet carefree, prosecco-loving gal documenting London life (that's what I was aiming for). The other side is wordy, but I wanted my logo and tagline, a brief but not boring summary of what I do, and my contact info. Whilst I was at it, I also got some cards for my new Youtube channel - Twin Geeks - which I present with my sister. I went for a squarer design and put our logo on the front this time, contact info on the back. This card is so handy because I vlog everywhere and when people who have agreed to be in videos ask where they can see themselves I can just quickly hand this over, guide them to the channel, and visually explain a bit more what it's about. Zazzle will print your designs on to ANYTHING! Do you like our Twin Geeks mug? Oh my god, do we have merchandise now?!
Give Zazzle a go for a quick and effortless way to create business cards for your blog. You can add your own designs or use one of their many gorgeous templates (check out their sparkly ones!). Cards are essential tools for bloggers who want to create a good impression on people and leave them wanting more, and for networking with people that can take your blog to the next level (whatever that may be). It's a real mistake to not have cards on you. Trust me, you never know who you might meet and who might ask you for a card - I learnt the hard way.