What Should I Put on a Business Card?

The annual conference of one of my professional organizations is less than two months away and everyone is scrambling for all the material they need to bring. One of the most handy items is a business card. Whether you design them yourself or have someone else do so, I thought I'd share my thoughts on business cards.

1. What are you selling? Yourself? Products? Services? Make it evident at first glance with a picture/icon. (Don't make someone wonder why they have your card)

•  If you are selling you, have a good headshot. 
• The one on my card is of myself in my woods clicking my self-timer--granted it took 60 pictures to get something good since I couldn't see myself in the viewfinder, but you can get something without a professional--look around facebook and find people just starting out with photography and see if you can strike up a deal if you can't afford professional headshots or get a friend to help.
• Your photo should look like you. No glamour shots, unusual hairdos, makeup you don't usually wear, extreme photoshopping, costumes, etc. As much as you wish you looked like something else, you want the person you handed the card to recognize you the next time he sees you in your normal get-up.
• If you are using these for networking and want people to recognize you, then make your picture as large as possible.
• If you are selling a product or service make sure the picture makes that very evident. I've seen business cards selling cloth diapers, and they've got a teddy bear as a picture. I get that it's babyish, but you don't want someone to have to read your card to know that you're selling organic cotton diapers and not stuffed animals.There really is no excuse for not being able to procure a picture of cloth diapers to use. If you are going to pay for cards, then pay for a picture if necessary, or take a picture yourself and see if you can make it look nice on picnik.com
• If you have an icon for your business, make sure you use it on everything to tie it all together so it is recognizable no matter what marketing material your customer is looking at.

 2. Do not make your card busy. Do you ever land on those web sites with a hundred flashing animations, ads that come in from the side, tons of different boxes and font etc? Same thing with a crammed card, the person is going to flick it away before paying attention. No more than two pictures or a picture and a decorative background please.

3. It needs to be readable. As much as you want to cram every bit of information on it as possible, clip it down to the most necessary. Can all your websites be accessed from one? Then just put one. Do you have two businesses that do not dovetail well together? Make separate business cards and hand out two if someone just happens to be interested in both. (Have small links to your other non-related sites on each website if you want to make sure someone can find everything you do.)

4. Extra information can be printed onto labels and stuck to the back. If what you are selling changes (like an author has a different book to sell at different times), you can buy envelope labels and print off the title and short blurb onto these labels and stick it onto the back. Then you can buy a larger run of cards, and use them even when information changes. Or you can keep your physical address/phone number on labels and only stick that on cards you give to people you trust need it instead of allowing anyone to get that information from discarded cards.

I used PrintsMadeEasy to make my own cards last year. I like that they allowed me to upload my own pictures, not tie me into a template and I could print my design off on paper immediately to see if I liked what I'd made before I paid for it.

Any other tips you have for business cards? What has made you go "wow" or "sheesh" when you've looked at someone's business card?

Recipe: Happy Family

I'm not talking about Chinese either...

Recipe for a Happy Family

Combine a family of loving hearts;
Melt together.
Add more love, you can never have too much!
Mix well with respect and trust.
Add joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
Pour in much understanding.
Add a bushel of hugs and a heap of kisses.
Bake for a lifetime.

Yield: one happy family

If you're anything like me, and my family, you go through rough spells. Once in a while it's good to be reminded that this is normal. Seek out a good friend and spend some time with the Almighty to remedy the situation.

Review of Keeping a Princess Heart in a Not-So-Fairy-Tale World

Keeping a Princess Heart in a Not-So-Fairy-Tale World by Nicole Johnson

My first review is going to be one of my favorite “Christian Living” books. I read it on the recommendation of a friend, who had used the book during a women’s retreat. The concept intrigued me, and I have to be honest when I say that I had some high expectations just based on the topic.

And Nicole Johnson delivered on them all!

From the beginning of the book, Johnson seamlessly weaves in a story of a girl/woman who could very well be any among us. Having spent a young life feeling like a little princess, the woman steadily grows disillusioned with “the real world.” It addresses the age-old question of what do we do when the dreams we had don’t meet the reality we live…and how can we still find a life of fulfillment in spite of our dashed hopes?

Johnson uses sound scriptural application to lay the framework for how those of us who have lost our “princess heart” somewhere between the mundane chores and the unexpected tragedies and struggles that often accompany adulthood. The author helps by pointing out the flaws in having a “Castles in the Air” mindset and the inevitable disappointment such a mindset brings. Johnson also cautions about consigning ourselves to “Dungeons in the Dark,” a place of self-reproach and guilt stemming from things we might have done…or had done to us. (My favorite line from the book comes from the “Dungeons” chapter: No act of injustice done to you has the right to destroy you).

As much as I could probably ramble on about the book, giving away all of the major points in the process, I’ll refrain. Mostly because I don’t want to spoil the impacting moments in the book for those of you who might add this to your reading list. And while I’d love to throw in some “cons” of the book, just so it seems like I’m not totally biased, I honestly can’t think of any. For someone who spent her childhood fascinated with storybook princesses, (and someone who, admittedly, might have fashioned herself a princess occasionally…), for me, this book was wonderful.

It was an excellent picture of a Heavenly King who loves us more than any charming prince ever could, and one who has promised us so much more than just a “happily ever after.”

Two Product Reviews for the Home~

It seems like it's been awhile since I have been responsible for a "home" blog and although I have moved to a new place and been busy with all entailed, I found myself lacking in inspiration. That was until this morning, when I was so disappointed in a new purchase! Eureka! Product reviews were born.

Casa Bella, BeCool Silicon Ice Trays, purchased at Function Junction in Crown Center, Kansas City ($12.99 for a pkg of two)

Rating: 2 Stars :(

I was elated when I saw these ice 'trays' in the store! I am an ice eater, but full size ice cubes are hard on the teeth and I am usually most happy with restaurant or convenience store ice that is small and less than bite size. Obviously at home, these sources are useless. These were in the 'bar' section of this great store, so possibly intended for mixed drinks, etc.

I have had success with silicon products in the past, including baking 'pans', pot holders, condiment bowls, etc. So I was excited and expecting a great experience. This was not the case after all.

The cubes are about half inch square and nearly impossible to remove from the tray. I guess this may be because they are so small, but it takes a great deal of time and energy to extract a tray/glass worth, which of course leads one to think you may not bother after awhile. Also, when I do get them out, it requires touching almost every cube with my fingers, so clearly using these for guests is out!

Disappointed!

The Automatic Robo Stir (As Seen on TV)
Purchased at Dollar General ($9.99)

I was sooo excited about this gadget, I bought two! One for my best friend and one for me. Alas, fool me twice. :/ Rating: 1.5 Stars (Danger)

Once again I am full of hope and optimism, thinking I have found something absolutely amazing for my kitchen! Why didn't it occur to me, "This thing has been on tv, and yet I have not heard about it...from anyone!" Ho hum.

As you can see from the photo, the idea is three prongs that act as stirrers, while the battery operated handle, vibrates and turns while you go about your business, stirring your pot for you. The tips of the prongs are silicon as well as the top where you handle it, which also houses the battery compartment.

Problem #1: No power. I had this in about an inch of soup, somewhat thick, but certainly not the thickest..and only an inch!! Almost immediately, on the highest setting, it was clear this was not going to work. It was barely moving and certainly not spinning around the bowl as advertised or imagined.

Problem #2: Foiled again, I reached to remove it from the soup. When I did, the silicon handle slid right off in my hand, dropping the still vibrating battery compartment into my soup, with exposed batteries, wires and plastic! It vibrated away, on an open flame, while I tried to fish it out!

Soup ruined. RoboStir vibrating in the trash.

*******
Sorry to be such a negative Nancy, but I couldn't think of any new home purchase I have made that I could rave about today! At the very least, I am happy to have broadcasted the warnings on these two. :)

Breakfast Casserole

As I’ve pointed out before, I’m a fan of the easy meals. And this breakfast casserole fits the bill!

Ingredients:

1 can of crescent rolls

1 package of sausage (roll)

2 cups of shredded cheese

4 eggs

Instructions:

Brown sausage and drain. Unroll the crescent rolls and make a layer on the bottom of a lightly greased casserole pan. Distribute sausage on top of layer of bread. Beat the four eggs lightly until yolks and whites are blended. Pour egg mixture into the casserole on top of sausage and bread. Sprinkle 1 cup of shredded cheese directly on top of eggs.

Bake in the oven at 350 for 45 minutes.

After removing from the oven, take the remaining 1 cup of cheese and sprinkle on top of casserole.

Let stand 5-10 minutes. Then enjoy!