If you want a career in the music business, you have to treat it as a business.
A lot of tools from normal business activities apply to the music business.
This includes business cards.
Most bands don't understand that they are pursuing a music career.
It is important that bands are professional when dealing with people who can advance their career.
If you meet booking agents, lawyers, record company agents, or anyone else in the music business you should have some kind of calling card so they can get back in touch with you in the future.
They might have something come up that your band would be perfect for.
If they can't easily get your contact info they will pass you over for the next available band.
This is where your band business card comes in to play.
Businesses have been using business cards for years to network.
Whether you are aware of it or not, your band is a career.
A music career maybe more fluid then a regular 9 to 5 job, but it is still a job.
Since it is a job you need to get some business cards.
Business card design is relatively simple.
They are quite small so you can't really do that much.
Usually a simplistic business card design is best.
So what goes on a business card design?
First thing is your logo.
Most logos on business cards go in the left hand corner.
You don't have to put it there, it is just the norm.
I have found in my vast experience of laying-out business cards that logos go well in the upper corners.
If you feel creative you can try a bottom corner.
I would stay away from centering your logo or making it a background.
You will be looking at either an ugly card or a printing fortune.
The next aspect of a business card design is your contact name.
Since we are talking about a band here every member doesn't need a card.
One person who handles the booking and other things like that, should be the contact on the card.
This is where you can go wild.
The contacts name can really go anywhere you want as long as it is legible and not to close to the edge.
The reason you don't want it to close to the edge is because, edges can curl and wear away.
All information on a business card should have at least a quarter of an inch margin.
Remember that the name needs to go with the other contact information.
A bad business card design is chaotic and is confusing.
Make sure it follows the common form of a business card.
There is too creative.
Once you feel your name should be right, center, or left justified, it is time to add your information.
Lets take a look at what information should go in your business card design.
- Phone number - This needs to be a number that is regularly checked. If you are on the road all the time and it is your home number this may not be a good idea.
Voice mail on a pager or cell phone are usually the best numbers. Something you will check every few days.
- E-mail address - In business today people like to e-mail. It is easier to e-mail then call people.
Your e-mail also needs to be checked regularly.
- Web address - Put your web site address in your information.
This lets people who get your card go back later and find out more about your band.
A lot of places have business card templates you can use.
For people who are more comfortable with the basic business card design.
iPrint.com has really good prices on business card printing from templates and custom work.
They have nice templates for your business card design.
They can also handle custom work.
Whatever you decide, business cards are a must for indie bands.
It will help you get your name out there for people who can aid your music career.
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Music Career - Band Business Card Design |
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