Business card? What do you think

Clinton Nobles · **Voice Talent** Joined: 25 Mar 2008 Posts: 197

This is my first attempt at a business card? What do you think? I want one for when I got to the work shops so I can keep in touch with those I meet.

Connie Terwilliger · **Voice Talent** Joined: 14 Jul 2003 Posts: 409

Always good to have a business card. Simple, clean. Couple of things...

1. Time to get your own domain - much more professional
2. Check your spelling - gmail
3. Could be personal choice, but shouldn't Tn be TN?

James Lorenz · **Voice Talent** Joined: 28 Feb 2007 Posts: 254

As Connie said, check your spelling and you must get your own domain. I just checked and clintonnobles.com is available. You should at least secure the name. Even the most basic site is better than a gmail account as a contact.

And it's time to think of branding. What does that card say about you? Some people are real critical about microphones on cards and websites. I can understand it to a point but we as VO actors just see it too much. The general public doesn't so I'm not that against including it.

A business card isn't just a contact product. It should say something about you...and your voice.

That said...fix the typos and it's better than nothing. It'll do the trick.

Clinton Nobles · **Voice Talent** Joined: 25 Mar 2008 Posts: 197

Connie --

Great points and you are correct on the spelling. Dyslexia strikes again. As for the domaine name I am all for that, I just want to learn about it. I don't know anything about buying a name and have read there are host of ways to get ripped off.

Thanks for the comments and the encouragements.

James ---

I understand what you mean about the mics. I want it to be original and catchy. As for the domain, as previously stated, I must do some research into it prior to spending the money. My dad always quoted the bible saying "A fool and his money are soon parted." I'm down to about five bucks now hahahaha
(if you have any pointers or info I would be very thankful.)

As for the branding I believe my voice is more suited to the narration end of the business (maybe radio style as well). I would love to voice documentaries and such. Don't know if you have heard my other stuff but if you have what is your take?

Maxine Dunn · **Voice Talent** Joined: 25 Apr 2004 Posts: 675

Hi Clinton ~

Congrats on getting a business card!

OK, my first knee jerk reaction was, “Oh my God! Not another microphone!” I might suggest perhaps that microphones are somewhat overused on voice-over business cards/websites, etc.

I agree with Connie on the spelling, etc. Always have someone else check your work for you, when you’re done.

And my opinion differs somewhat from James’s. I think it would be better to have a clean, bold, crisp-looking biz card with just your name, what you do and your contact information, without a microphone or quick branding effort thrown on. Sure it’s nice to develop a snazzy image that reflects you in some way on your business card, but you don’t HAVE to have a branding image on a biz card. Plain black and white is fine too.

When I come home from conferences sometimes I notice that the cards that stand out to me in the pile on my desk are the clean, simple, uncluttered ones amidst all the others that are flashy, colorful, and covered with branding images. Sometimes less is more.

Lastly, I’m not sure how big the font will actually be for your phone number, etc., but for those of us needing reading glasses sometimes a really tiny font on a business card can be a turn-off. It doesn’t need to be “large print,” of course, but keep in mind the legibility for people over 50 who need glasses! Cool

If you were thinking of just getting some done quickly so you HAVE them, you can also create some very easily with templates from Microsoft Office - http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/templates/results.aspx?qu=business+cards&av=TPL000 and just print them on your computer.

Definitely get your own domain name. And while you’re busy buying clintonnobles.com, also buy clintonnobles.net, clintonnobles.tv, clintonnobles.org, clintonnobles.biz, etc., etc. I think they’re probably only about $9.95 per year and it will ensure that another Clinton Nobles won’t come along and steal any of your thunder. But definitely, positively, get your own domain name. Like, TODAY. If you go to www.wbcdesign.com you’ll see some great deals on domains/hosting.

You seem to be pretty serious about this whole voice-over thing so you might as well go ahead and get that project crossed off your to-do-list. Just think how awful it would feel if you waited until Tuesday or Wednesday of this coming week to do it, and when you went to buy it, ANOTHER Clinton Nobles has bought it for his fence construction site or something? Merde! The sooner, the better. And even if you don’t have the time or money to create your website yet, you can always put up the page, “Coming soon,” or “Under construction, etc.” but you’ll at least have a professional email address. You can also create an interim website yourself by using Yahoo for example. They’re very inexpensive, and you can create a page or two using their great templates.

Take your time with your branding or enlist the help of Nancy Wolfson, www.braintracksaudio.com she’s a master at branding talent. But don’t rush into a “brand” logo just to get it on your biz card. Sorry for the long post….I tend to get a bit carried away when giving advice! computer

xoxo

James Lorenz · **Voice Talent** Joined: 28 Feb 2007 Posts: 254

I've had no problems with godaddy.com. You can secure your name for $10 a year and have your site on the basic server package for $4 a month.
There are plenty of free templates you can use as a starting point and I'd be glad to help if you get to that point. I've put together a bunch of websites but my downfall is the creative graphics end. I can put it all together though.

as for your voice and branding. That is such a personal choice and best left to either yourself or professionals. I only listened to your one demo on your page but I do like the hard hitting style of your voice.

James Lorenz · **Voice Talent** Joined: 28 Feb 2007 Posts: 254

I agree with you Maxine. Simple is best with cards. It's just that if you are going to try and develop a brand it wouldn't hurt to think about it before printing up cards.
I went very basic with my cards. It was a struggle to develop and took a little bit of nerve on my part to go for it but so far it's gotten good results. I hand it to people with the face up and get some great reactions. Some people save it just for the face!

I had to pay for 1000 cards because that's the minimum with black card stock. I have it in gloss black.

J.S. Gilbert

I agree that the card should say somethig about what you do - hint (voiceover or voice actor) It's also not a bad idea to put down something even more distinct, such as " An honest and sincere voice" or "When you want that young urban voice" and while I LOVE the nice black shiny cards that James has, my habit when I collect cards is to write notes on them. Usually somehwat detailed and necessary to jog my memory. If you do go for black cards, bring along some sort of white marker with you, or elect to not do the reverse side of the card in black.

Oh and please dear God, no microphones.

Connie Terwilliger · **Voice Talent** Joined: 14 Jul 2003 Posts: 409

J.S., I guess I'm not sure why you so adamantly advise against a mic. The "right" mic says VO in an instant. When leafing through stacks of business cards, it pops right out where text might not.

Not saying that you SHOULD have a mic - but I'm also not opposed to a mic that works with the rest of the card. It can work well as part of a package.

Maxine Dunn · **Voice Talent** Joined: 25 Apr 2004 Posts: 675

Hi James ~

I'm completely diggin' your hot black cards! Your design is GORGEOUS! I LOVE black cards. For all my espousing "Oh, just have a clean simple white card!" talk.... my biz card at the moment is shiny black with kind of a lime green text. Hard as hell to read but it looks cool. The back of my card is white.

I have to agree with what J.S. said....many times after a conference, a job, or a night out with the girls, heh heh.... I have to write stuff on the card: For example ~

"V/O producer in Atlanta that wants Brit demo MP3. Tall, salt and pepper goatee, Armani jacket. Met him at the Sony booth. E-mail ASAP."

"Chicago agent - she only uses ISDN talent - really smart, funny, long red hair, rides motorcycles too, email tomorrow."

"Cute tall Brazilian guy with white linen shirt and green eyes. Arrived at bar on skateboard. Good kisser. Ordered me a Cosmo without even asking me. Call next week. Marry him."

You know, stuff like that.... I love your black card but it might be good to leave the back white, incase people need to write stuff about you to jog their memory... Clients or otherwise.... raucher

Max

J.S. Gilbert · Posted: Sun Jun 22, 2008, 00:13 (GMT) Post subject: well....

Connie,
When someone has some sort of reputation, has existing accounts and is a working professional in this idustry, the "rules" can be somewhat broken a bit.

For example, there was a comment someone ignorantly made about Paul Frees demo being too long. What they didn't know wasa that at the time, he was the household name among voice talent and Paul could probably have sold his demo tape. He could get away with a 5 minute demo and he knew how to work his popularity and ability. I would not have receommended this for someone breaking into the industry at the time.

So, here I am, after 20+ years and a wall full of awards, and in so many markets I'm still looked at as another bobbing head in a life preserver floating in a giant ocean filled with all sorts of people trying to get hired to do a v.o.

I suppose if the microphone wasn't so ubiquitous and we didn't come across it so often, it would be little issue, after all the cobbler has the shoe to identify his trade and the Mason has his trowel.

I would encourage someone breaking into the industry to approach the developmnent of a business card from the same standpoint that "branding" is being taught today. Nike didn't position themselves by adopting a picture of a shoe to identify themselves, but the now world famous "swoosh".

Everyone has a picture of a microphone or a mouth and few position themselves cleverly or use the symbol cleverly. Is it necessary to have a picture of a microphone, when your business card clearly states you're a voiceover?

I used to do on-camera casting and after we would ask people to slate and do profiles, the next thing was to aske them to tell us a little about themselves. The people who never got the gigs would usually answer "I'm an actor" or "I'm an actress". To which the client would invariably say to themselves "duh". Tell us you like to cook or bungy jump or that you were a registered nurse for 8 years before becoming an actress.

The microphone doesn't tell us anything about you as the person, wheras my "advertising" business card has a picture of my dog Fresca, along with some worsds that say "My dog fresca and I are serious about advertising. We write, prodiuce, direct and you've heard one of doing quite a bit of v.o., which may say to some people "How big a jerk can J.S. really be if he loves animals?" I have other cards that I use for the other industries I work within, such as audio books, telephony, narration and internet, and gaming.

As someone relatively new to the industry, I suggest that he forget the microphone and show us why we should investigate the potential of being locked in a recording suite with him for 4 or 6 or 8 hours at a stretch.

Again, it's just my opinion and given that few people get booked from business cards, it might be a very minor point.

J.S. Gilbert · Posted: Sun Jun 22, 2008, 00:14 (GMT) Post subject: I'm not Brazilian

Max,
A common mistake, but I'm not Brazilian.

Sid Whatley · Posted: Sun Jun 22, 2008, 00:50 (GMT) Post subject:

JS said it all and my new approach to "branding" says it all with one look. It's working very well on a national level. One look and what comes to mind? Yes, I do other delivery's but this is where my focus is at the suggestion of my coach.

J.S. Gilbert · Posted: Sun Jun 22, 2008, 01:39 (GMT) Post subject: yahooooooooooooo

Those boots were made for talkin!!!!!!!!!!!

Go Sid Go

James Lorenz · **Voice Talent** Joined: 28 Feb 2007 Posts: 254

Very good point about writing on the card.
Can you get black cards with white on the other side?

and I'm 6'3" with green eyes but no way can I pass for Brazilian.