What's in a Card? ...Business Cards, that is.

The options for business cards are endless, but most Etsians can agree on one fact: Business cards are an important tool for promotion.

I've asked people in forums and gathered information on the best tricks and tips for creating business cards. With so many available avenues, it's really up to you as a seller to decide which is best for your shop. I hope you can use this as a guide for creating your next (or first) business cards!

Where you get your cards printed can determine what your card can look like, so I'll go over the most popular options for printing.


Moo

Photo courtesy of Heather King Photography

By far the most praised option, Moo prints photos of your items from Etsy. It's super simple. You tell Moo your shop name, Moo retrieves the photos, and tah-dah... stunning cards. You can then decide what information you want included on the back.

Moo isn't the cheapest option, but those who use it say they are complimented all the time on their cards. Showing your product is a major plus when promoting your shop.

Additionally, Moo MiniCards are great to use as tags on items.

If you hurry, Moo is offering 50 free business cards (just pay shipping). Click here for details. This offer ends April 30th.


VistaPrint



One of the most popular choices for its ease and cost, VistaPrint has tons of business cards templates, ready to use. You can search for the type of look you want or the type of business. For instance, I found this owl template for the card above, which was perfect for my shop.

VistaPrint is great if you are starting out and don't want to spend much.
You get a professional look without breaking the bank. If you create an account with VistaPrint, they will send you emails regularly with free offers. You can get 250 business cards, and only pay the shipping. They offer similar deals with magnets, postcards, and more.

Also, you can upload your own design to VistaPrint for a customized business card. You do have to pay for the upload (unless you get a free upload email!), but the overall cost is still quite low.


Make Your Own

Photo Courtesy of Crown Bindery

Making your own business cards is a great option. It's a sure way to make your cards one-of-a-kind, and it can be inexpensive if you are thrifty. You can see a video here of how Crown Bindery creates the cards shown above.

Be creative! Having a different shape (like circle) is a good way to stand out. Making your own is certainly a great option if you are a new shop and are not ready to commit to ordering in bulk. Making your own means you can change the design whenever, which is great if you are indecisive!


Other Options
Other sites that Etsy sellers have mentioned as favorites for printing include these:

Overnight Prints
IprintSmall Business Printing
123Print
Business Card Makers on Etsy
And local printers



Tips & Tricks

Make your business card go the extra mile. Some advice I have gathered included ...

Double the use of your business card as a thank-you card. Write a little note to customers on the back to add a personal touch.

If you have two shops, print one shop on each side of the business card.

Anytime someone asks for your email or phone number, use your business cards.

At craft shows, hand out flyers, magnets, or postcards in addition to business cards. (cr8tivity is a great site with tools to create great-looking flyers.)



Thank you to everyone who contributed to this post. I appreciate your input!