business cards or postcards

[llofte]

Hello! This is my first post

I'm just starting out my business and I'm trying decide which I should make first: business cards or postcards. I want to concentrate on maternity and babies and have received permission from several boutiques in the area to drop off either one to be displayed in the shop.

I can get more if I get business cards, but postcards would be better attention grabbers.

I want to eventually have both, but I only have money for one right now.

Also, I would love feedback on my website too! llofte Photography - Denver Maternity and Baby Photographer

Thanks! I'm looking forward to spending time in this forum.

[NicoleScraps]

Just a thought, I created my own postcards in photoshop and had them printed at Costco on 4x6 lustre photo paper. They have a sale right now, 9 cents per print. It would cost you less than $10 for 100.
However, business cards are nice for people to throw into their pockets or wallets. The postcard size usually end up getting folded up at the bottom of someone's handbag.

[MindyRaeL]

Welcome to DPS!
I think it depends on the kind of marketing you're going for. If you're looking to put them in stores and such, postcards would be a better attention grabber. However, if you're planning on doing more self promotion, such as talking to people you meet when you're out and about, I'd go with the business cards. They're easier to carry with you, and they're easier for people to put in their pockets or wallets. Personally, I'd go with business cards. I think talking yourself up to people is going to bring in more business than cards sitting on a store counter top.
As for the website, I like the template you have going. Simple and classy. I would definitely add your location on there, so that potential clients know where you are.
I'd also recommend taking a look at your galleries, possibly streamlining them. You have some great photos, but there are a LOT of them. If you're specializing in maternity and newborn, you should really focus on those. The landscape and pets galleries seem extraneous to me, and they don't have anything to do with the services you're trying to sell. I'd cut it down to three galleries: maternity, babies, and families.
I'd like to preface this next statement with saying that you're daughter is adorable. She really is a cutie! However, I don't think your professional website is the best place for a picture a day of your daughter. I know she is your whole world. I have a 7 month old, and about a gazillion pictures of him. But what your clients really want to see is pictures of obviously different babies at obviously different shoots, and not a gazillion pictures of the same baby. If you really want to include the project, I would mention it in the about page with a link to your personal site.
I hope I didn't come off as being too harsh. And if you weren't looking for all that, I'm sorry. I think you've got a good site going, and just a bit of reorganization and streamlining will help make it a great one.

[mshockley]

Originally Posted by NicoleScraps

Just a thought, I created my own postcards in photoshop and had them printed at Costco on 4x6 lustre photo paper. They have a sale right now, 9 cents per print. It would cost you less than $10 for 100.
However, business cards are nice for people to throw into their pockets or wallets. The postcard size usually end up getting folded up at the bottom of someone's handbag.

ditto here! I do this all the time for cheap and easy promo stuff. Use a nice and easy to read font and your biz. info., and you usually will still have room for several nice images to showcase your work.

[TheEagleSpirit]

This is a sample of what I have printed for my own use.

[BigFuzzy]

THIS thread has some good advise at least about business card design if that is a question you may have after deciding on which to go with first.

[Biomech]

I have a better idea, but you'd have to find something that's cost effective. What do baby's have? I'm actually asking because I can't think of anything suitable. Anyway, the idea is in line with this;

One of my local chinese restaurants gives out a fridge magnet with every order. It has their number on, website, address and opening hours etc. Now when someone gets hungry and minces around the fridge thinking "what can I have for dinner" - probably unsure and not wanting to cook - the first thing they see is the magnet advertising take away.

I think this is a fantastic idea, (we) just need to work out a way to incorporate it into (our) relevant fields :P

[llofte]

Thanks for all the replies!

Originally Posted by MindyRaeL

Welcome to DPS!
I think it depends on the kind of marketing you're going for. If you're looking to put them in stores and such, postcards would be a better attention grabber. However, if you're planning on doing more self promotion, such as talking to people you meet when you're out and about, I'd go with the business cards. They're easier to carry with you, and they're easier for people to put in their pockets or wallets. Personally, I'd go with business cards. I think talking yourself up to people is going to bring in more business than cards sitting on a store counter top.
As for the website, I like the template you have going. Simple and classy. I would definitely add your location on there, so that potential clients know where you are.
I'd also recommend taking a look at your galleries, possibly streamlining them. You have some great photos, but there are a LOT of them. If you're specializing in maternity and newborn, you should really focus on those. The landscape and pets galleries seem extraneous to me, and they don't have anything to do with the services you're trying to sell. I'd cut it down to three galleries: maternity, babies, and families.
I'd like to preface this next statement with saying that you're daughter is adorable. She really is a cutie! However, I don't think your professional website is the best place for a picture a day of your daughter. I know she is your whole world. I have a 7 month old, and about a gazillion pictures of him. But what your clients really want to see is pictures of obviously different babies at obviously different shoots, and not a gazillion pictures of the same baby. If you really want to include the project, I would mention it in the about page with a link to your personal site.
I hope I didn't come off as being too harsh. And if you weren't looking for all that, I'm sorry. I think you've got a good site going, and just a bit of reorganization and streamlining will help make it a great one.

Good stuff. I'm thinking business cards are the better choice as well. At least at first. And you're right, I'll take down the photos of pets and landscapes. I'm still working on my portfolio and going to offer some free shoots to some moms I know, so once I have enough images, I'll separate into maternity, babies, and families like you suggested. I may take down my "Lila Pic of the Day" project too. We'll see I know if I was a client, I would like to see some personal stuff and a project like this seems like a client (with babies) would appreciate it and think "awww". I thought it might help make an emotional connection.

Originally Posted by NicoleScraps

Just a thought, I created my own postcards in photoshop and had them printed at Costco on 4x6 lustre photo paper. They have a sale right now, 9 cents per print. It would cost you less than $10 for 100.

I will look into this! It could be a cheaper option until I've made a little money to put towards nice ones.

Originally Posted by Biomech

I have a better idea, but you'd have to find something that's cost effective. What do baby's have? I'm actually asking because I can't think of anything suitable. Anyway, the idea is in line with this;

One of my local chinese restaurants gives out a fridge magnet with every order. It has their number on, website, address and opening hours etc. Now when someone gets hungry and minces around the fridge thinking "what can I have for dinner" - probably unsure and not wanting to cook - the first thing they see is the magnet advertising take away.

I think this is a fantastic idea, (we) just need to work out a way to incorporate it into (our) relevant fields :P

This is actually a great idea. I don't know if there is anything quite as analogous for babies, but I'm going to talk to teachers of baby/birth classes about including my business card in the packages they give out.

[Bob Kupecky]

Try 4over.com for postcards pricing. Great company,