Do authors need business cards?

jseay · 02-24-2010, 10:52 AM

I have come across an interesting website for creating business cards (moo.com). I made a small sample of business cards that turned out well. Now I'm wondering if authors, especially eBook authors, actually need business cards. Do any of you use business cards to help promote your writing? What are your thoughts?

J. Dean · 02-24-2010, 11:00 AM

Certainly couldn't hurt.

loveangel · 02-24-2010, 11:15 AM

NOO I GUESS

DixieGal · 02-24-2010, 11:22 AM

I think you should do it, and also do a bibliography and where to find them on the reverse side. It's nice to hand them out, because who can remember the details later?

I do the info on the reverse of my cards with the web address and a summary of the sorts of jewelry and minerals that I sell. "Fine jewelry, loose gemstones, cabochons, and rough facet and cabbing materials" with descriptions.

The front of the card is for my logo and contact information.

MaMiller · 02-24-2010, 11:47 AM

I use bookmarks as business cards. I had a whole bunch made up and now I hand them out like candy. I figured, maybe someone will actually use it, and everytime they mark their page (gasp! paperback!) they'll see my ugly mug!

lmpreston · 02-24-2010, 03:23 PM

I do. Since I do events where I meet publishers and agents. It's definately useful. Bookmarks and magnents I give out to prospective customers. Business cards I give out to other writers and people in the writing / publishing community.

llreader · 02-25-2010, 09:55 AM

Is it just me or does this post feel a little like link spam?

No offense, but the template "I tried www.X.com. It was great! [Random comment only marginally related to the forum.]" by a new user is a little dubious.

Probably just me.

jseay · 02-25-2010, 02:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by llreader

Is it just me or does this post feel a little like link spam?

No offense, but the template "I tried www.X.com. It was great! [Random comment only marginally related to the forum.]" by a new user is a little dubious.

Probably just me.

I take offense to your comment. I have no affiliation with the company I mentioned in my post. The link is not even hyperlinked. I simply mentioned the resource because I was pleased with their product. New user or not, I don't see how this could be considered spam. By the way, I think the post is very relevant to a thread intended for authors.

llreader · 02-25-2010, 03:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jseay

I take offense to your comment. I have no affiliation with the company I mentioned in my post. The link is not even hyperlinked. I simply mentioned the resource because I was pleased with their product. New user or not, I don't see how this could be considered spam. By the way, I think the post is very relevant to a thread intended for authors.

Ok, if you say so, I believe you. It just looks a little weird, that's all.

Kemp · 02-25-2010, 06:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jseay

I take offense to your comment. I have no affiliation with the company I mentioned in my post. The link is not even hyperlinked. I simply mentioned the resource because I was pleased with their product. New user or not, I don't see how this could be considered spam. By the way, I think the post is very relevant to a thread intended for authors.

If you've been around a few forums at all, you can easily understand why there's a penchant towards wariness. Plenty of people, not saying you personally of course, advertise things completely shamelessly while trying to pretend like they have no affiliation with said thing.

It creates a paranoia that can sometimes manifest as distrust; he truly did mean no offense by it.

That having been said, I've seen a lot of different places that offer business cards and the like. If you look for a bit, you can usually find a service that will provide something like 100-200 free (just costs shipping). I've got one in my wallet from a college friend of mine. "Funk Refining by Phil ******" His official title is Funk Refiner.

nelly113 · 09-30-2011, 06:27 PM

In my opinion business cards are a real necessity in any circumstance that requires promoting something. I think you should go for it, in fact here's a resource you might find useful, it's a NYC business card printing resource, it helped me when I needed it.

mr ploppy · 09-30-2011, 06:38 PM

I've got some that I hand out at music events I go to, they've got name of book and website url on one side and a short blurb on the back. I also hand them out in the street to people who look like they might be interested, and leave a few in hippy shops when I'm in any of those. For what little they cost these days I can't see any reason not to have some.

crich70 · 10-01-2011, 01:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kemp

If you've been around a few forums at all, you can easily understand why there's a penchant towards wariness. Plenty of people, not saying you personally of course, advertise things completely shamelessly while trying to pretend like they have no affiliation with said thing.

It creates a paranoia that can sometimes manifest as distrust; he truly did mean no offense by it.

That having been said, I've seen a lot of different places that offer business cards and the like. If you look for a bit, you can usually find a service that will provide something like 100-200 free (just costs shipping). I've got one in my wallet from a college friend of mine. "Funk Refining by Phil ******" His official title is Funk Refiner.

Yahoo groups are another place where that is a problem. Someone starts a group about a given topic and before you know it spam links are popping up everywhere about things completely unrelated to the topic being discussed.

crich70 · 10-01-2011, 01:22 AM

I could see that as a useful resource if you are having a book signing (of pbooks) and offering ebooks as another option.

02-24-2010, 10:52 AM	#1
jseay Devotional Writer Posts: 25 Karma: 100000 Join Date: Feb 2010 Device: Motorola Droid	Do authors need business cards? I have come across an interesting website for creating business cards (moo.com). I made a small sample of business cards that turned out well. Now I'm wondering if authors, especially eBook authors, actually need business cards. Do any of you use business cards to help promote your writing? What are your thoughts?

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02-24-2010, 11:00 AM	#2
J. Dean Author: Clade Josso Posts: 80 Karma: 500474 Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Michigan Device: none	Certainly couldn't hurt.

02-24-2010, 11:15 AM	#3
loveangel Banned Posts: 137 Karma: 30 Join Date: Feb 2010 Device: kindle	NOO I GUESS

02-24-2010, 11:22 AM	#4
DixieGal Hi There! Posts: 7,473 Karma: 2930523 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Ft Lauderdale Device: iPad	I think you should do it, and also do a bibliography and where to find them on the reverse side. It's nice to hand them out, because who can remember the details later? I do the info on the reverse of my cards with the web address and a summary of the sorts of jewelry and minerals that I sell. "Fine jewelry, loose gemstones, cabochons, and rough facet and cabbing materials" with descriptions. The front of the card is for my logo and contact information.

02-24-2010, 11:47 AM	#5
MaMiller Author Posts: 179 Karma: 300002 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: North Carolina Device: none	I use bookmarks as business cards. I had a whole bunch made up and now I hand them out like candy. I figured, maybe someone will actually use it, and everytime they mark their page (gasp! paperback!) they'll see my ugly mug!

02-24-2010, 03:23 PM	#6
lmpreston YA Author Posts: 46 Karma: 501408 Join Date: Feb 2010 Device: none	I do. Since I do events where I meet publishers and agents. It's definately useful. Bookmarks and magnents I give out to prospective customers. Business cards I give out to other writers and people in the writing / publishing community.

02-25-2010, 09:55 AM	#7
llreader Mesmerist Posts: 331 Karma: 506558 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Spain Device: PRS-600 Silver. Much nicer than I expected.	Is it just me or does this post feel a little like link spam? No offense, but the template "I tried www.X.com. It was great! [Random comment only marginally related to the forum.]" by a new user is a little dubious. Probably just me.

09-30-2011, 06:27 PM	#11
nelly113 Junior Member Posts: 2 Karma: 10 Join Date: Sep 2011 Device: none	In my opinion business cards are a real necessity in any circumstance that requires promoting something. I think you should go for it, in fact here's a resource you might find useful, it's a NYC business card printing resource, it helped me when I needed it.

09-30-2011, 06:38 PM	#12
mr ploppy Feral Underclass Posts: 3,622 Karma: 26821535 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Yorkshire, tha noz Device: 2nd hand paperback	I've got some that I hand out at music events I go to, they've got name of book and website url on one side and a short blurb on the back. I also hand them out in the street to people who look like they might be interested, and leave a few in hippy shops when I'm in any of those. For what little they cost these days I can't see any reason not to have some.

10-01-2011, 01:22 AM	#14
crich70 Grand Sorcerer Posts: 11,310 Karma: 43993832 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Monroe Wisconsin Device: K3, Kindle Paperwhite, Calibre, and Mobipocket for Pc (netbook)	I could see that as a useful resource if you are having a book signing (of pbooks) and offering ebooks as another option.

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