Small Biz Friday: ALT Business Cards

Welcome to Small Biz Friday! This week, I’m sharing a little bit about business cards, specifically related to ALT Summit, which I attended last month. Business cards are important! They can be the first impression for your brand, so you want to make sure you have your best foot forward.

ALT Summit, a conference for creative bloggers and small business owners, puts a lot of emphasis on business cards. You’re encouraged to bring 150-200 cards and to exchange them with everyone you meet, and even jot down a small note on every card so you can jog your memory when you’re connecting with them after the conference. There’s also a board where you pin your cards so everyone can see them! Since the conference is full of creatives, people go crazy with designs and freebies! And they’re definitely memorable. This is both awesome and intimidating.

Amber of Dixie and Twine stood out from the crowd with her card and a mini lollipop in a cellophane bag full of hand cut confetti that she sells! Very cool. But I also enjoyed the cards with just really good design, like artist Suze Ford, House of Hipsters, and A Ruffled Life. Suze and House of Hipsters ordered from the Moo Luxe line and there is a thin line of color that runs along the edge. It adds that little detail that paper people like me notice and adore.

Here’s a sampling of the biz cards I received at the conference:

Here are my cards. I already include a little goodie with each card, so I didn’t need to do a lot of brainstorming. My cards are DIY: the top and middle paper is a beautiful cotton paper from Paper Source, and the card is three layers thick. The bottom layer is patterned paper that matches my brand colors. The freebie is a washi tape page flag that’s both cute and functional. I really like my cards, and they got a good response at the conference because of the weight, the soft texture of the card, and the paper clip.

There are a lot of things that cause anxiety for ALT first timers and business cards is one of them. But let me tell you: if your card looks professional and represents you, THEN YOU ARE GOOD. It doesn’t have to be fancy, it just has to represent you. And I think that goes back to branding. Take some time to plan and experiment! And if you want to go to ALT next year, start gathering ideas now! Take a look at my Business Card Pinterest board for lots of ideas! 

If you have any questions about the business cards at ALT Summit or in general, let me know in the comments! I’d love to chat more! Have a lovely weekend. xo