Boat Cards

Just updated ours. Before I print them out onto Avery cards any suggestions?

Beautiful people, Beautiful boat, life doesn't get any better. Congratulations from cold north Alabama.

Ray

I am just guessing, but Paul must be the bald one? Great card.

Maybe add in small print somewhere "Grand Alaskan 53"?

I just had some made up using the photo that's our signature pic on here. No pics of us and only the boat name, our names and my cell number on the card.


I like having the MMSI number on there.

Rather than printing aboard and using up your ink, Vista Print is really really cheap.

I have phone # on card makes contacts easier. For those who don't want to be contacted less need for the card. I also have pictures and information on both sides of the card. My daughter made the cards as a gift and used a commercial entity Vistaprint to do the work.

eyschulman said:

I have phone # on card makes contacts easier. For those who don't want to be contacted less need for the card. I also have pictures and information on both sides of the card. My daughter made the cards as a gift and used a commercial entity Vistaprint to do the work.

Click to expand...

The phone number is on there, I have blurred it out as anyone on the Internet can read this thread, not just members.

Larry M said:

Maybe add in small print somewhere "Grand Alaskan 53"?

Click to expand...

The card is busy enough.

Personally I'd remove your faces. The card is kind of busy.

Capt.Bill11 said:

Personally I'd remove your faces. The card is kind of busy.

Click to expand...

Interesting, the feedback we get on this is mixed. Many people actually say that it is the faces of the people they meet that they want to remember, not the boat! So some say remove the boat!

Can't win!

Greetings,
If you stapled an Andrew Jackson to each one you'd have a LOT of instant friends...

I'm not fan of 2 sided cards. We use a business card envelope for active boat cards. The two sided ones end up being one sided.

menzies said:

Interesting, the feedback we get on this is mixed. Many people actually say that it is the faces of the people they meet that they want to remember, not the boat! So some say remove the boat!

Can't win!

Click to expand...

Out cruising, we're known by our first name and boat name, ie: Larry or Lena on Hobo or as our dogs parents. No right or wrong answer for your cards.

menzies said:

Interesting, the feedback we get on this is mixed. Many people actually say that it is the faces of the people they meet that they want to remember, not the boat! So some say remove the boat!



Can't win!

Click to expand...

As someone with a truly terrible memory I understand the desire for images of the individuals. However, when looking at making my own boat cards I thought about what it was that I wanted to know:
Image of the boat
Boat name
Boat make/model
Home port
Owner's names
MMSI
Phone number
Email

Given that, I whipped up a boat card in about 5 minutes as a "temporary" card until I could come up with a good photo of the boat. I had some printed up at Vistaprint very inexpensively. B&W is super cheap. I suppose that if I find a good photo I might redo it, either as a colored photo with text or a monochromed image.

I guess the other question is:

Since these are social cards do I apply the same rules regarding "clutter" to them as I would a business card? Or do I put as much social info on them as I can?

dhays said:

As someone with a truly terrible memory I understand the desire for images of the individuals. However, when looking at making my own boat cards I thought about what it was that I wanted to know:
Image of the boat
Boat name
Boat make/model
Home port
Owner's names
MMSI
Phone number
Email

Given that, I whipped up a boat card in about 5 minutes as a "temporary" card until I could come up with a good photo of the boat. I had some printed up at Vistaprint very inexpensively. B&W is super cheap. I suppose that if I find a good photo I might redo it, either as a colored photo with text or a monochromed image.
View attachment 60263

Click to expand...

What is wrong with the photo in your avatar?

menzies said:

Just updated ours. Before I print them out onto Avery cards any suggestions?

Click to expand...

It does seem a bit busy. Perhaps you could use a slightly smaller font and reduce the size of your faces.

Vista Print is great. Home made cards look - home made.

Larry M said:

I'm not fan of 2 sided cards. We use a business card envelope for active boat cards. The two sided ones end up being one sided.

Click to expand...

Another reason that I like one-sided cards is that I can make notes on the back, either when giving a card or when I have received one. That is why I prefer a matte back instead of glossy.

menzies said:

I guess the other question is:

Since these are social cards do I apply the same rules regarding "clutter" to them as I would a business card? Or do I put as much social info on them as I can?

Click to expand...

With a blank back you can always add information to the back by hand. I wanted to put information on there that would would allow folks that I met to contact me if needed. Because of that I have considered eliminating the email since most boaters are going to be more likely to text or phone me, or use the VHF when out cruising. I don't check my email much these days when I am not in the office.

WesK said:

It does seem a bit busy. Perhaps you could use a slightly smaller font and reduce the size of your faces.

Vista Print is great. Home made cards look - home made.

Click to expand...

That was part of my question above I guess - it's a social card, not a business card, so is that an issue?

Or so people here give cards as a kind of mix of social and business networking?

For our cruising grounds, our email address tops our phone number. We'll go dark on our phone in February this year. Our voice mail will direct people to our email. Our email address hasn't changed since 1999 but our phone number has several times, granted now your number can go with you but part of it is I just don't like phones.

menzies said:

What is wrong with the photo in your avatar?

Click to expand...

As someone who once did a lot of photography, I am too picky and I really don't like that photo very much. If I find a photo I like, then I would use a desaturated image of the boat with the text in the fore.

menzies said:

That was part of my question above I guess - it's a social card, not a business card, so is that an issue?



Or so people here give cards as a kind of mix of social and business networking?

Click to expand...

I went to Gig Harbor Boat Works about a tender build. I also was going to borrow some hardware to see how it would fit with my current davits. I gave them a boat card. Not only did it have my name and cell number, it also helps to give them a bit of assurance as to my legitimacy. So I consider it a social tool other than I give them to folks who I do business with related to the boat. They don't need my professional business cards, but a boat card can be helpful.

I think they're nice but here's what I'd do to address the "busy" thoughts. Reduce the size of everything at the top, boat name, phone, your names and photos. Just size both of those inserts downward. Get them up above the boat top. The photos and the fonts are just too large for a card.

menzies said:

That was part of my question above I guess - it's a social card, not a business card, so is that an issue?

Click to expand...

I don't think it makes a difference. Busy is busy. You want something that's easy to read, not something cluttered.

Busy schmizzy! I think the card looks great. After all, it's a boat card - not a business card. You're accomplishing quite a few things with the design. There's nothing wrong with it at all. People that like to remember people/faces more than boats will be pleased. People that like to remember the boat will be pleased. And that should please you!

menzies said:

Interesting, the feedback we get on this is mixed. Many people actually say that it is the faces of the people they meet that they want to remember, not the boat! So some say remove the boat!

Can't win!

Click to expand...

I can see that as well.

I think the card looks good as is. Like the faces, like the boat pic. I also like Larry's idea of adding the type of boat in small print below it.

Nice job!

Ours is pretty basic