I will often doodle during meetings… not so much “taking notes” as just jotting down important phrases or concepts from the discussion. Sometimes a diagram, that sort of thing. This is just one of the reasons why when I redesigned my business cards, I went to to a 3×5 format with the reverse side set up for drawing, doodling, or note-taking. Seth Godin explains some of the finer points of the why and how this is a good idea.
Following my recent business card post, the redesign and printing of my new cards is now complete. Here’s what they look like, front and back:
Click to enlarge, etc. The thing to know — which explains the front of the card — is that they’re not printed on standard-sized business card stock, but on 150-lb tag, cut to 3“x5”. Index card size. The dotted line is actually a perforation, so a standard-sized business card can be detached from the index card. When I flip the card over, it’s designed to write on the back, either horizontally or vertically. Detaching the standard-sized business card leaves the knight logo aligned in the corner on the back. For good measure (and attention to detail), the heavier lines on the grid are exactly ½”.
I’m currently redesigning my business card, because I’ve always hated the one I have. During my entire career I’ve had only one or two cards that I thought were really well-executed, but I’m picky. And the next one will blow them all away to atone for past mediocre cards. I’ve been handed a lot of business cards over the years, and it’s a regular occurrence that you can size up the business right away by the card you are presented. And sometimes it’s a pass/fail test. Consider what some of the cards you’ve been handed might say:
42 Awesome Business Card Designs: when you’re handed a lightweight business card with perforation marks around the edges, you’ve already formed an opinion, right? On the other hand, a stand-out card says something else altogether.