Author Topic: Business Cards For Students  (Read 13604 times)

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amandaackovitz

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Business Cards For Students
« on: Aug 14, 2011, 04:33 am »
I know there is a thread re: business cards elsewhere on the site, but I am interested to hear thoughts on students having business cards.

Good idea, bad idea? What information should a student include on their cards if they have them? What should they use as a job title ("Stage Manager", "Student Stage Manager", "Stage Management Student", etc)?

If you don't think students should have business cards (or if it's not worth it for some reason), how would you recommend that a student leaves their information with others (especially when at conferences/networking events)?

Any/all thoughts and advice appreciated.

Mac Calder

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Re: Business Cards For Students
« Reply #1 on: Aug 14, 2011, 06:47 am »
I have a set of business cards which contain my name and contact details. That's it. I got them made with a plain back, which I use to write notes on.

As far as whether to put Stage Manager on, it depends if you are confident you can stage manage. I would not put student stage manager.

planetmike

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Re: Business Cards For Students
« Reply #2 on: Aug 14, 2011, 08:45 am »
Besides contact details, I also have my photo on my cards. I think it helps when I am meeting a lot of people, and hopefully later people will be able to put the card with the conversation we had while exchanging cards.

missliz

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Re: Business Cards For Students
« Reply #3 on: Aug 14, 2011, 08:16 pm »
Mine have my name, phone number, website and email address. I've had the same style since I was in college, but changed it to my AEA name once I joined.
I personally would like to bring a tortoise onto the stage, turn it into a racehorse, then into a hat, a song, a dragon and a fountain of water. One can dare anything in the theatre and it is the place where one dares the least. -Ionesco

On_Headset

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Re: Business Cards For Students
« Reply #4 on: Aug 14, 2011, 08:21 pm »
I would encourage you to get a simple card: name, cell, e-mail address. If that leaves a lot of blank space, that's okay so long as the card is neat and readable. (Designers would call this "elegance".)

Do not do anything cutesy or "funky" to your business cards: no clip art, no kooky slogans, no weird fonts, etc.

As to job title, I would encourage you to run off 100 cards without a job title and see how you use them.

If you're mostly using them to network/distribute at conferences/introduce yourself to potential employers/etc., then add "Stage Manager" or "Stage Management" to your card. You might also want to add a link to your website, and maybe a small headshot.

If you're mostly using them to distribute to cast members, directors, house techs and others who need your contact information, then leave the title off, since that gives you a little more flexbility with the cards. (So when you're working as a PSM or an ASM or a costume witch or Assistant to the Director or whatever else, you aren't passing out cards which identify you as doing someone else's job.)

In all cases, avoid anything which sounds like "student". (So "apprentice", "aspiring", "junior", etc. are also off the table.)

Two last bits of advice:
- Check with your university (if you're in a university program). Many of them will offer discounted printing rates for students. If the university doesn't, your student union might.
- Do not print them yourself. The difference in cost between a "make-them-at-home" kit and a professional print run is smaller than you'd think, and the difference in quality is considerable.

lsears

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Re: Business Cards For Students
« Reply #5 on: Aug 14, 2011, 09:09 pm »
I agree with the other posters - keep it simple with your name and contact info.  The only advice I give to students is to get matte finish rather than glossy so that they can jot notes on one side when they give them out (or allow others to make notes on them). 

There are so many options right now that look great and are dirt cheap - there is no reason not to have them made.

BeccaTheSM

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Re: Business Cards For Students
« Reply #6 on: Aug 15, 2011, 12:21 pm »
From a simply frugal spending perspective, by omitting "student" from your cards, it will allow you to continue to use the same set even after graduation (assuming your contact information stays the same, but that's another story). It means less money spent on reprints.
Art, in itself, is an attempt to bring order out of chaos. - Stephen Sondheim

babens

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Re: Business Cards For Students
« Reply #7 on: Aug 15, 2011, 10:02 pm »
- Do not print them yourself. The difference in cost between a "make-them-at-home" kit and a professional print run is smaller than you'd think, and the difference in quality is considerable.

Totally agreed.  I would also add that if you use a service such as Vistaprint, please, please, please make the sacrifice and pay for the cards.  It's harder to take somebody seriously who couldn't spring $10 to get the Vistaprint branding taken off of the back of their card.

planetmike

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Re: Business Cards For Students
« Reply #8 on: Aug 15, 2011, 10:52 pm »
Don't use Vistaprint, unless you like getting junk mail and telemarketing out the wazoo despite their "privacy policy."

I received much better quality cards at a slightly higher price at the local print shop.

iamchristuffin

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Re: Business Cards For Students
« Reply #9 on: Aug 16, 2011, 02:50 pm »
I get mine from moo.com - a little extra than some other places, but the versatility is so worth it!

Chris

MusicTheatreSM

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Re: Business Cards For Students
« Reply #10 on: Aug 18, 2011, 05:19 am »
overnightprints.com is where I got mine.

Mine are full color (simple design that I created and uploaded, just not black and white or cheesy pre-designed cards) 250 count and I paid 12 for them

The have my name, phone number, city and stage, and webpage address (which has my sm resume and my design portfolio) I also do a TON of free lance theatre arts teaching around the city so my card says stage manager and teaching artist.

If you are going to be handing it out a lot, it's worth the cost to get them. I do a lot of one or two night gigs running lights and sound for cabaret or improv and a lot of the performers I work with want to work with me again, so I keep my cards on me to hand out for the reason.

BlueRidgeSM

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Re: Business Cards For Students
« Reply #11 on: Aug 19, 2011, 09:38 am »
Re: VisaPrint - I used them once for a production of Beauty and the Beast a few years ago, where I had cards printed with contact info for myself, the director, the box office, etc and handed out to the cast.  Worked great for the show - not so great for me, when I had HUNDREDS of emails from them no matter how many times I took myself off the email list.  I finally had to block them.  It was ridiculous.

BayAreaSM

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Re: Business Cards For Students
« Reply #12 on: Aug 19, 2011, 07:39 pm »
One bit of advice:

When I was a SM in college, I also went the Vista Print route (never again) to get business cards made. In college I was a SM & Costume Designer, and my cards said as such. Though, I had listed the name of my University under my "job titles", because to me it made sense - I was a student at that college and I was doing Stage Management & Costume Design. Once I received them I showed them to one of my professors - she commented that the layout made it look as if I was a professor at the college for those 2 topics. She had a point. I threw them away.

I don't know if you were considering listing your college on your cards, but if you are, don't.


Post Merge: Aug 19, 2011, 07:46 pm
And jumping to the comments regarding giving out business cards to cast/ordering business cards with the Box Office, Director and SM info on them:

Do SMs not make Wallet Cards anymore?

For every show I do (that's longer than a staged reading) I create laminated wallet cards (supplies paid for by the company I'm SM'ing for). One side has the important contact info and the other has the tech and performance calendar. Seems a bit much to go out of your way to find a company and pay for business cards (who sometimes make you buy in bulk) for one show, when you could easily make the appropriate number of wallet cards. Granted, it's more time consuming, but what do you do with the left over business cards - do you ever give out 100+ to any one show?

Just curious.
« Last Edit: Aug 19, 2011, 07:46 pm by BayAreaSM »

iamchristuffin

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Re: Business Cards For Students
« Reply #13 on: Aug 19, 2011, 07:56 pm »
Do SMs not make Wallet Cards anymore?

I do.....I haven't added the performance calendar though - that's a nice touch!

Chris

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Re: Business Cards For Students
« Reply #14 on: Aug 19, 2011, 08:02 pm »
So i know that they are really pricey, but i love the style that Leveger brings to office supplies.  Including their take on buisness cards.  They offer 3x5 cards with your info printed on them, buisness card as well as a utilitarian note card like Mac Calder mentioned.  Surely people will think twice before they throw it away, and it has your name on it . . .

Anyway heres a link so that you can check them out for your self.
http://www.levenger.com/PAGETEMPLATES/PRODUCT/Product.asp?Params=Category=16-915-937|Level=2-3-4|PageID=5867
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