Written by Dan Milnor, photographer and Creative Evangelist for Blurb.
One thing is for certain, 2020 has been a challenging year. But things are starting to look up and many of us are looking at 2021 as a year to return to the creative world with vigor. Regardless of current circumstances, there is a lot of wonderful work being produced but making work is only half of the story. The other half is getting that work out into the world and delivering it in a way that gains the attention it deserves. One way to do this is to turn the expected into the unexpected.
I do this by using a very atypical “business card.” Sure, we live in the Digital Age, but print is still my preferred delivery mechanism for getting my work in front of clients. I work full-time for Blurb so my days of doing nothing but photography are over, but I do still meet people and brands I want to work with. And when I do, I utilize my “business card” to get their attention.
What is my “business card”? Good question. Currently, my card is a 50-page MagCloud Digest that highlights the range of my skills but also the range of work that I like doing. This is more than my contact information. This printed piece is a testament to who I am as a creative person. My MagCloud Digest has a section about documentary photography, another about portraiture, and even a section about some of the writing I’ve done. There is enough content on these pages for someone to truly begin to understand who I am, not just what I do.
Why did I choose Digest? Well, there are several reasons. First, the size. The Digest is a 5.25” by 8.25” publication that can printed in either portrait or landscape aspect ratio. I used landscape because many of my images were made in landscape format. I also love the fact this format isn’t super formal. Digest is approachable and feels like something you want to pick up. MagCloud makes it simple by offering one paper choice and one cover choice so the only decision I had to make was what content I wanted to include on those pages. And finally, price. The Digest is so affordable I can order 10 or 20 at a time and not have to worry about budget.
I don’t send this business card to just anyone. I reserve this little item for those clients I truly find intriguing, the clients I want to find a way to work with regardless of whether or not they have ever heard of me. There is something so wonderful about receiving something in the post. Print forces me to make decisions about my work I might not have made in the digital space. I need to choose a cover, sequence my images, and then find the right design. Good clients understand this and appreciate receiving something with thought behind it.
Make the most of new opportunities in 2021 with a stand-out business card. Start creating.
Publisher's Corner 
I did something similar at the earlier in the year (one of my first lockdown projects). I wanted a landscape one but thought it was a bit too big as it was. Instead ,I used the portrait format, with the minimum page count, and did it two-up by creating it to half the page depth then duplicating it. When the finished batch arrived I simply guillotined them, getting twice as many mini portfolio “cards” for my money that were a far more convenient size to give to potential clients. Of course, I haven’t been able to give many out so far, but when we can go to live music gigs again, I’ll be ready.
this is really good…
i really like it thanks for sharing this
Thanks for the informative article. Useful during my business card design
Wow this is really amazing
Nice one, love it. Keep it up.
Hi magcloud.
I didn’t sign up for your shitty offers that you have repeatedly emailed me (the link in them leads me to this page)
Nor is there an ‘Unsubscribe’ option in them.
Pretty sure you’re in breach of GDPR
Stop sending me your fucking crap.
Nor, when I made a purchase through your site did I give you permission to open a fucking public profile on my behalf.
I know you American fuckwits have been unable to do anything in your lives – from carrying out purchases to taking a shite – without aligning it with your performative social media profiles.
Thankfully this problem, though present, is nowhere near as bad here in Europe.
Close the fucking thing (as you have deliberately provided no facility on your site to enable me to do so.)
(This comment, unlike those above, is from someone who doesn’t work for you. Like the hundreds of people complaining about your company I saw via the links over on the right-hand side of here)
Hi, MagCloud !
I didn’t sign up for your shitty offers that you have repeatedly emailed me (the link in them leads me to this page)
Nor is there an ‘Unsubscribe’ option in them.
Pretty sure you’re in breach of GDPR
Stop sending me your fucking crap.
Nor, when I made a purchase through your site did I give you permission to open a fucking public profile on my behalf.
I know you American fuckwits have been unable to do anything in your lives – from carrying out purchases to taking a shite – without aligning it with your performative social media profiles.
Thankfully this problem, though present, is nowhere near as bad here in Europe.
Close the fucking thing (as you have provided no means to do this on your actual site)
Regards, etc.
(Will repeat ’til issue is dealt with)
Hi Alan, I’m so sorry to learn of the trouble with your MagCloud account. I see that you’ve already reached out to the MagCloud customer support team. A customer support representative will reach out as soon as possible to assist.
Is it useful for dropshipping business?
I really enjoyed your article. Every little change we make, every little step towards creating less waste and conserving resources goes a long way in the long run.
Thanks a lot for giving everyone an extraordinarily brilliant chance to read articles and blog posts from this blog.
I’m in love with your article and fully support the basic idea that now the business card is not just an informational piece of paper with a phone number, but part of the art and positioning of the company. I really like the way this service https://callmechat.com/chatroulette has done it but there are other great examples you have highlighted. I am amazed that now even such small things carry a lot of meaning.
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