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Location: Fort Worth, TX | http://i1154.photobucket.com/albums/p538/davekell1/Biz%20Cards/bizc...
Those VistaPrint commercials for 250 business cards for $10 intrigued me so I uploaded a design and gave them a try. The offer includes free shipping and I received my cards in a week. I couldn't be more pleased. BTW, this card looks off center because of the scanner I used, the cards I received were perfect. If you represent yourself for music with cards I can't recommend this company highly enough. If ya ask nice, I'll do you a layout for yours for free. 40 years experience in professional layout design. |
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Location: The Great Pacific Northwest | I must admit... VistaPrint is like going back to a restaurant that that re-opened after it was closed for a health violation. Probably the cleanest and best food in town. I was part of a class-action against them several years ago when they were known for shady marketing techniques. It wasn't really their fault, it was tricks their marketing company was playing. That being said... I have done business with them since. Their prices and quality are hard to beat. They made lemonade from the lemons and those who use them are reaping the rewards of them getting forced to clean up their house.
A lot of musicians don't think of business cards for some reason. But if you gigging, remember the people you are courting to hire you are NOT likely musicians. They understand business. Flyers, portfolios, websites, written notes... are all nice.. but if you want a business to remember you, you still need to give them a business card. Business cards rarely actually get throws away. They may get left, and likely someone else might pick it up, but business cards can do a lot for you. |
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Location: Campbell River, British Columbia | Wow! They'll even do your own camera ready design for that price now?
My wife & I have used Vista Print for several different projects and personal cards over the years.
Pretty darn good for what it is.
And as Miles says, yes, musicians need business cards, ....and a good promo poster.
What the heck, get an email address too, they're free.
eg: sockeyeband@gmail.com
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Location: Jet City | I went to an open mic last night, they kept me on stage for 2 hours, then the owner asked me for a business card...
I think I'd better get some. |
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Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | nice Damon....you need to get a Zoom Q3HD and start recording all your shows. |
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Location: Campbell River, British Columbia | damon67 - 2012-08-27 12:22 PM I went to an open mic last night, they kept me on stage for 2 hours. Yeah, doncha' just hate it when they do that?  |
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Location: Flahdaw | Really. If they make you play for 2 hours, they need to pay you. |
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Location: Connersville, Indiana | Ref: Business cards, I have some left from when I was performing out an about. But as long as you don't do the dumbest thing I have ever seen with them they are great. We were at my Dad's 70th birthday party. My brother is a country artist. He took out his Tak and played for a long time, relatives wanted us both to play together but I don't know his songs, so I said, no it's his gig let him have fun. After he played for a couple hours all the grand kids went to him with paper and pens in hand asking for his autograph. My Brother said " I don't do autographs" then handed each one a business card. I was in such a shock I had to go outside to calm down.
So that is the evil downside of the business cards when not used properly. 
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Location: sitting at my computer | When I had my business cards done I did a bit of comparison shopping, both online and locally (Staples, Office Depot, etc..). I went with UPrinting.com and they did an excellent job for a great price (imho). 250 cards printed two sides, using my own submitted designs, $27.15 delivered. I forget if that was a special deal or regular price. I also considered Vistaprint, but was put off by the (less-than-complimentary) comments I saw. Glad to hear they cleaned up their act / marketing tactics. |
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Location: Fort Worth, TX | DaveKell - 2012-08-27 8:11 AM If ya ask nice, I'll do you a layout for yours for free. 40 years experience in professional layout design.
I wasn't kidding about this. During my almost 40 years of running my own sign company I designed countless logos for my customers and did flyer and business card layouts. I retired at age 58 and my income is covered adequately. What I do now is for personal enjoyment with respect to layout design. Only thing I charge for anymore is pinstriping and hand lettered signs. I guarantee ya I can do you a more effective layout than the generic cookie cutter one the printer will do just like the last musician's card they did. I'll provide you with a few different ideas and give you a file ready for production by VistaPrint, and do whatever revisions you want to see. BTW... this is a $150 value based on my fee structure before I closed up shop. |
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Location: Campbell River, British Columbia | Well Dave,..... if it keeps your hands busy and out of trouble
(idle hands<->devils workshop, eh? :-)
My current band Sockeye could use a good logo.
I've been wondering if something could be done with a stylized fish skeleton where the gill cover was S shaped and the bones spelled out the rest of the name.
http://cdn.graphicsfactory.com/clip-art/image_files/image/5/1353965...
also wondering if elements of First Nation art could be woven into the idea.
http://slowmuse.files.wordpress.com/2009/10/salmon-art.jpg%3Fw%3D49...
Hope these links work....
Only if it spins your wheels, of course. |
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Location: Flahdaw | What about a picture of a guy with a sock coming out of his eye? |
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Location: Boise, Idaho | Those Florida guys must not know that a Sockeye is a fish. |
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Location: Campbell River, British Columbia | darkbarguitar - 2012-08-29 9:48 AM What about a picture of a guy with a sock coming out of his eye? Too literal for this band. We're more literary..... Though I did try to get everyone to pose for a promo pic with one eye each blacked out. "What do you tell a band with 4 black eyes? Nothing, they've been told already." |
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Location: Tennessee | Randy Travis is looking for a new band.
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Location: sitting at my computer | Mark in Boise - 2012-08-29 1:30 PM Those Florida guys must not know that a Sockeye is a fish. aw shucks, of course we do. Caught a pair of 'em last season. 
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Location: Campbell River, British Columbia | Mmmmm
Edited by fillhixx 2012-09-26 2:28 PM
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Location: Campbell River, British Columbia | Just got a cool layout in three colours (yeah colours, that's how it's supposed to be spelled) from Dave. As he's said, you're helping keep a retired mind active and out of the bell tower...... Well, maybe that's now what he said, but it's what I heard... So get yer logo/design from Dave! I'll post the final when I'm back at the computer....wait, maybe I CAN do this here... Nope. PS: Bobbo, we auditioned Randy last week! As it turns out, he can't drink enough to qualify for this unit. (......and he's really not that cute with his cloths off)
Edited by fillhixx 2012-09-26 2:27 PM
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Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | I see you Canucks spell "clothes" funny also.
Edited by stephent28 2012-09-26 5:02 PM
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Location: Flahdaw | Maybe Randy only wears cloths |
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Location: Fort Worth, TX | 
I'll save Phil the trouble and post his new band logo for him. I had a challenge in twisting a pepper just the right amount that it formed an "S" shape but remained identifiable as a pepper! Although I offered to do these designs for free to have something to do in retirement, Phil is sending me a package of smoked salmon for it. I'm getting the best end of the deal. My next step is to design the layout for a banner for his band and business cards. My offer to design logos or business card layouts for free still stands. I had more fun with this than I did when I was getting $150 to do this work! |
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Location: Flahdaw | Hey....what's he doing with his right hand???
Edited by BobG 2012-09-26 5:37 PM
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Location: Sunshine State, Australia | stephent28 - 2012-09-27 8:01 AM I see you Canucks spell "clothes" funny also. It's called 'English' Stephen! I knew there were many subtle differences between the two 'dialects', but when an American takes the word 'Sockeye' and writes it as 'SoulPepper' - that's just taking it to another level...
Edited by muzza 2012-09-26 5:51 PM
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Location: Texas | Nice job Dave |
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Location: closely held secret |
I've known more than one dyslexic sign painter.
Edited by Waskel 2012-09-26 6:31 PM
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Location: Campbell River, British Columbia | darkbarguitar - 2012-09-26 3:36 PM Hey....what's he doing with his right hand??? Air Guitar! |
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Location: Fort Worth, TX | amosmoses - 2012-09-26 6:24 PM
Nice job Dave
Thanks Jay... much appreciated. |
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Location: Fort Worth, TX | Waskel@Work - 2012-09-26 6:30 PM
I've known more than one dyslexic sign painter.
Wow! It's getting harder and harder to come across people who even know sign painters used to exist. We've had one full generation of college business graduates who only know about computer generated signs. I was trained by a master sign painter who, of all things, was ambidextrous. He used to demonstrate it by painting two letters at once on a sign with a brush in both hands. Amazing to watch. I'm getting a surprising amount of requests for hand painted signs since so many vinyl letters fail down here in the Texas sun. |
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Location: Flahdaw | They used to airbrush vehicles and fancy boats...now it seems like it's all vehicle wraps. End of an era. |
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Location: Fort Worth, TX | darkbarguitar - 2012-09-27 7:52 AM
They used to airbrush vehicles and fancy boats...now it seems like it's all vehicle wraps. End of an era.
Tell me about it. I got $12,000 apiece for airbrushing rodeo scenes on 3 trailers in 1980's money for Skoal Pro Rodeo. Now, they can get identical jobs on them for $5,000 each in 2012 money. I was a pinstriper for 4 years at a major motorcycle manufacturer. We airbrushed custom order cycles every day and had 6 airbrush artists employed full time. Some idiot who owned a printing company came in with some sample wraps for us to try. They were installed and clear coated in less than a tenth of the time as the airbrushed jobs. Problem was customers rejected the look of them outright. Fortunately, some purists still exist who want the look of hand done artwork. It increases the desirability and uniqueness of the job exponentially for them. Problem is nobody is learning the craft anymore thanks to technology. I imagine the same thing happened with guitar construction with CNC machines. |
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Location: Flahdaw | But (arguably) cnc machines didn't sacrifice overall quality....just sped up the process and improved consistency. Wrapping with a sheet of vinyl is just fake b.s....a computer created applique. It's not REAL. It's like silicone breasts on Marilyn Monroe. |
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Location: Texas | "It's like silicone breasts on Marilyn Monroe."
" The headstock design reminds me of a large vulva"
Before long, we should have our masterpiece painted. |
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Location: Campbell River, British Columbia | I painted my masterpiece years ago.
Then she showered. |
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Location: Fort Worth, TX | Now that you've seen an example of a design I've done for a member here after offering to do these for free, I'd like to make a special offer. For an unlimited time, I'm offering designs More Free Than Free!!! You will owe me even more less of nothing for a band logo or business card layout. This was a welcome diversion from my fingerstyle study that has gotten bogged down in old, public domain antique songs offered on most Stefan Grossman instructional DVD's. Taking a break from guitar studies recharged my batteries to go at it with even more dedication. Help a fellow picker get better at his craft by commissioning a layout design from a guy with 40 years experience doing it... especially while it's Even More Free Than Free. How can you pass up a total money saver like that? I used to charge $150 for these layouts and sold 5 or 6 a month for over three decades. Hurry while supplies last! |
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Location: Flahdaw | "More Free Than Free" It almost sounds like you'll pay US for the privilege of designing our cards and logo! Now THAT'S a deal.
Seriously, it's a nice offer and you do good work. Have fun with it. |
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Location: Fort Worth, TX | darkbarguitar - 2012-09-30 9:51 AM
Seriously, it's a nice offer and you do good work. Have fun with it.
Thanks Bob. I posted this same offer on AGF and the only reply I got was a guy telling me the printer he preferred to use for his cards. Looks like Phil's layout is the only one I'm gonna get to do. Possibly my FREE offer backfired, as in people assume they are gonna get what they pay for. I really did see it as a way to alleviate some of the boredom of being retired already at age 58. Also, possibly people feel they would be obligated to someone who gives them $150 worth of work for free. I really thought it would go over better than it has. |
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Location: Sunshine State, Australia | If I was a working musician I'd throw some work at ya. |
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Location: Flahdaw | I think working musicians already HAVE cards, and non-working hackers don't see much reason for a card. Doesn't mean it wasn't a great deal. I think the working musicians should consider your help if their present card is boring, old school, or just sucks. |
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Location: Campbell River, British Columbia | I have business cards just for social contacts with my name, email, home phone under the headline The Hat Guy. (I'm known locally for wearing fedoras before and after they are/were in style) Back in the day (When Jane Austin and the Brontes were writing for a living) everyone had a Social Card. .....and how much cooler to give to girls than writing your name on a napkin. (what? that never happened to you? it's much less wear-and-tear on the face than asking 100 girls to sleep with you in order to get one.....)
Edited by fillhixx 2012-10-10 12:06 PM
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Biz CARDS