Recent Reflections: A Blog Check-In

Business Cards.

BUSINESS CARDS!

are pretty often thrown away and have been proven to increase company sales by 3%, according this business survey.

But why and for what reason is?

the first and foremost is due to crummy design. Creating an eye-catching design for a business card is how one gets consumer attentions. The aesthetics, and design introduce consumers to the brand. They base further interaction on the appeal of a business card. Furthermore, it is very important because its YOUR business. Your conatct information, social media, name, title, logo are all represenatatives of you and a business card is the most accessible condensation of all these materials.

This is the first business card I designed when I started in PR & IR. Although, it is very minimalist and subtle, it provides clients with basic communication information and a sense of my business persona. To further critique, years later, it is not enough. To me, it lacks a certain WOW! factor. It lacks the depth and fails to convey my brand as a rave/music-oriented fashion brand. And for that, it is important for you to know what you would like your brand to convey when you hand a client a card.

This article by Mr. Gendelman is a great checklist of what a client should see in a business card!

Pinterest (I have linked mine here so you can see some of my different styles and boards) is essential to every PR professional. It's a place of inspiration and culture. From recipes to fashion styles, Pinterest provides us with the ability to create an environment tailored to our brand.

As visual designers, brand connoisseurs, these moodboards are our focal point of direction. They aid our creative direction, they allow us to express emotion, to connect to consumers through attribution of textures, colors, images, etc.

For example, when I style clients, I always ask them how you to want to be seen, what colors do you enjoy, etc. These questions help me not only create an outfit but also a vibe, an aura that is reflected by the clothes they wear. For one of my clients, he wanted to have a semi-punk style but with a homage to his Asian roots. To help style him, I created a moodboard based on what I believed he would like to see on himself.

By doing this, I was able to have a guide to look at so that I could see the colors I wanted him to wear. I saw how to layer his clothes. how to accessorize.

In conclusion, mood boards are a great tool for pre-planning. They can serve as an inspirational guide to how you want to present a brand.

Ronald Viernes, a visual designer, provides helpful tips on how to make a moodboard better!