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.