Me: “No.”
Yep, a particular stationery designer – *ahem* me *ahem* – doesn’t have a business card. Shocking isn’t it? I can’t tell you how many opportunities I’ve potentially lost due to the absence of this handy piece of paper. Yet here I still sit business card-less. Bad Adele!
I’m sure a lot of designers can identify with the fact that it is soooooo hard to design for yourself. As a perfectionist already, it hits an all time extreme when it comes to hiring myself.
As I’m preparing to contact retailers and other venues to spread the word about modernemotive, I’ve decided to jump in and design a whole identity package for myself. It’ll include letterheads, envelopes, labels, packaging design… the whole shebang. Let the fun begin!
I plan on sharing the process here on my blog so if you don’t hear from me about on this matter within a few weeks, please give me a nudge. I’m hiring you as my virtual Project Managers… sound good? You in?
And while we’re at it, please tell me I’m not the only one missing an important piece of their business puzzle? It feels lonely up in here.
Photo Credit: Kevin Steele
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Weeeeee! I don’t have a business card either!!!!! Last time I put something together was January ’09. Hated it, didn’t use it, regretted spending the time & money. But, you’ve got me all fired up now! I will do it before the week’s out!! Thanks Adele!
daisy janie | March 2nd, 2010Confident Eager Empowered Joyful Back of the Winchester 8th
Roland | March 2nd, 2010Most definitely will be. Encouragement and the occasional nudge. Have a design friend who is …my God you hit the nail on the head a little like you. She did manage to design her own card, but I stayed out of the way and there was blood everywhere. But you will have my ful support.
i have one, but i hate it.
i totally agree with it being the absolute hardest to design something for yourself. i’ve been *this* close to hiring another graphic designer to do it for me before, but then i realize how hypocritical that would be.. to not even be able to say i designed my own identity.
good for you! i need to spend a good chunk of time doing that for myself.
christen | March 2nd, 2010That’s funny – that was the first thing I did after deciding on a business name. Of course, it doesn’t hurt to have an in-house designer (my hubby,) but I would have never considered not having them! I was shocked to read that someone who does their work in graphics and paper wouldn’t! Can’t wait to see what you come up with!
FormFire Glassworks | March 2nd, 2010It is so difficult to design for yourself!! I’m in the same boat (business card-less perfectionist) I’m also hopelessly indecisive and tend to set my mind firmly to something only to change it a few weeks later. It’s terrible and makes for awkward moments of people looking at me quizzically as I write my website down on a scratch piece of paper off the bottom of my purse…..ew.
Erika | March 2nd, 2010I do have business cards but only made them because I was doing a talk on ‘Marketing your Handmade Goods’ for Folksy (the UK Etsy sort of). About an hour before I left the house I realised I should take some. So I quickly designed and printed some off. Shame I forgot my phone number. They went down well though… lol
Isa Maria | March 2nd, 2010I have a business card that I hate. I have never had a card I was proud to hand to strangers. Sadly, it’s been my biggest design challenge.
Angie | March 2nd, 2010I am in the process of having a new logo and stationery set including business card designed for me by another designer. I tried countless times to do it myself but I was never happy! Got concepts today for the new logo actually and I totally love it! I would SO recommend hiring someone – or doing a skill swap with someone to design for you! I know a GREAT designer if your interested! It doesn’t have to be a frustrating process – and considering your logo and whole business identity and stationery is the face of your brand you want it to be something you love, not just something you ended up with cause you gave up trying! I don’t think it’s hypocritical at all! I’m sure fashion designers don’t only wear clothes they design!
Amanda | March 3rd, 2010I’m glad it’s not just me! You’re right, it’s that designer-perfectionism that holds you back. I have finally made my own business cards for one of my businesses (I’ve got two with a third getting ready to launch…) but my original older business doesn’t have any at the moment – eek!
Catherine | March 3rd, 2010Then again, I’m not yet very good at getting that fluid motion of ‘getting my card out’ for people as soon as they ask what I do…maybe I should make a little holster to keep them in and I can whip them out, John Wayne style, whenever the occasion calls for them!
[...] mentioned last week, I’m embarking on the task of designing a whole identity package for modernemotive. [...]
modernemotive: eco-friendly paper goods » Blog Archive » This Self-Employed Life – An Icon | March 8th, 2010It’s not just difficult to design for ourselves — self-marketing is also the last priority after all the other stuff — doing work for paying clients, life priorities, sleep ;)
Actually, I do have a business card (two, in fact: one for my day job, one for my t-shirts) and they are very very handy. I just print them as I need them at the local UPS, and cut them myself — cost is minimal, and I never have hundreds of overprints.
You can do it too, Adele!
mchen | March 9th, 2010[...] Began designing my business collateral. [...]
modernemotive: eco-friendly paper goods » Blog Archive » What I did do | April 1st, 2010