Distinctive Business Cards that Really Standout
In a previous post I mentioned one of my favorite success secrets has been creating authentic connections. And one of the things that gets the ball rolling is being distinctive.
At the recent Underground® 6 seminar I got handed 2 of my favorite business cards. (Trust me, in a room of marketers it’s not always easy being distinctive without being going over the line.)
The first is from Lt. Prescott Paulin. Prescott is a well respected marine who is a founding father of the Marine Corps non-profit organization Semper Fi House SemperFiHouse.org. And he’s also the founder of www.Your.vu – which successfully launches products in the Internet space.
Now get this – Prescott’s card is a real 2-dollar bill!
Okay that’s unique by itself since we don’t often see those but what really made it stand out is Prescott has folded the 2-dollar bill into a shirt, origami-style. Take a look:
And then when you open up the shirt you get his contact info that looks like a shirt tag. Wow!
Ok so who’s going to throw that away, right?
And then the second card is an example of a really cool way of building on a personal brand and truly being distinctive. It’s from our esteemed event photographer, Jared Polin. If you were at the Underground® 6 you’d definitely remember Jared because of his massive hair.
Here’s Jared with one of our young entrepreneur scholarship winners, David Orr. (I’ll give you 3 tries to guess which one Jared is) 
His wild hair is part of his “brand” which makes his business card so damn perfect.
So what is his card? It’s a hair pick – Kablamo!
The thing is Jared has some serious photo credentials going on tour with rock stars like Perry Farell (I was a huge Jane’s Addiction fan growing up) and bands like Cold Play. We were lucky to have him do some of the shots for our event. If you need some high-end photography contact Jared at www.JaredPolin.com.
April 20th, 2010 at 10:07 pm
Hi Yanik,
Great examples of business cards which “aren’t” — it’s critical to stand out and be memorable when meeting new business connections and doing that in a room full of marketers can be tough, and Prescott and Jaren did a fantastic job of it.
Of course, a memorable card is only the first step — the relationship comes from the follow-up after the event.
Thanks for sharing!
Sandy
http://www.SandraMartini.com
April 21st, 2010 at 12:40 am
Hi Yanik!
Those are indeed, distinctive business cards!
You know, I’ve seen alot of these unique, distinct business cards over time, but I’ve always wondered this…
I would think that many people (well, me anyways!) get a business card to stick in their purse/wallet. When a card is oddly shaped, they don’t easily fit anywhere for me to store and then be able to whip out when I know I need them! (‘Cuz if they sit at home for everyone to admire, they’ll probably end up in the bottom of my “junk drawer” somewhere).
They’re cool and memorable, yes…but practical for what they’re used for? I’m not sure…
Thanks Yanik!
Ann-Michele.
April 21st, 2010 at 8:38 am
Hi Yanik!
I remember seeing both of those business cards even though I didn’t receive either. I’ve even mentioned both of them at least once when talking to a friend about my trip. And the reason I knew about Prescott’s is because David Orr was showing it to me! Crazy!
Do you think it’s worth $2+ per business card to make that type of impression?
-Nick
April 21st, 2010 at 9:16 am
Creative, interesting and memorable! But I wonder how effective they are. From a practical standpoint, Prescott’s card wouldn’t really fit into my card file (nor would Jared’s)… and I’d probably spend it.
Jared’s would be a good reminder of “the dude with the wild hair,” but what if I couldn’t remember what he did for a living? (My memory sucks.) From his “card,” I’d probably think he was a hair stylist… there’s no hint of his photography biz.
These cards remind me of TV commercials that are hilarious or awesome in some way… but no one can remember the product they’re advertising.
April 21st, 2010 at 10:07 am
Yeah it’s a trade-off for sure…plus you can’t write notes on them really. We have the same issue with our metal business cards for Maverick – but I would lean towards being distinctive then fitting the regular status quo for cards.
April 21st, 2010 at 10:08 am
Nick – I think if you are selective about who you give your cards to. And that’s the other thing – so many people thrust cards out willy-nilly instead of really engaging with someone first. I wrote about that recently with authentic connections.
April 21st, 2010 at 10:26 am
I agree that distinctive is a good idea, but they also need to be useful. The next time I have some made, they will have a set of lines on the back. That will be so the person can write where and why they got my card.
Few of us can remember where and why we got someone’s card. Without that, it becomes. “Why do I have this card?” Which means a lost opportunity to follow-up, the way we intended.
April 21st, 2010 at 10:40 am
Wow, this is timely! I’ve been needing new business cards – I’m totally rebranding my business and going for something that is ME and completely unlike the norm – so I’ve been thinking about what I can do that’s really different. Yanik, your post got me thinking even MORE outside the box – thank you!
April 21st, 2010 at 10:58 am
Hey guys, i will say that my cards cost me (fro pic) 13 cents each plus the stamp which is 15 bucks one time and the ink which will last me for years!!!! So it works out as a pretty good investment.
April 21st, 2010 at 12:38 pm
Obviously there are people out there that forget that the business card is only a very small piece of a larger picture.
As Ann-Michele stated:
“They’re cool and memorable, yes…but practical for what they’re used for? I’m not sure…”
A business card is very similar to a resume, getting it just right and making it stand out will only get you so far. It is the person giving out the business cards that make this marketing tactic work. Giving out a creative business card should serve as a reminder of your encounter with that person.
How many times have you picked a business card off of a table gotten back to the office, only to forget why you picked it up and what it was for.
Take a look at what Bonnie posted, “Jared’s would be a good reminder of “the dude with the wild hair,” but what if I couldn’t remember what he did for a living? (My memory sucks.) From his “card,” I’d probably think he was a hair stylist… there’s no hint of his photography biz.”
Jared is a perfect example of the business card being only a portion of the entire picture. If you are one of the few lucky people to receive a hair pick from Jared then there is no doubt you know who he is and what he does. Jared is his own brand and the pick is only a portion of that, he will engage you and it is impossible to walk away from Jared not knowing who he is and what he does.
Jared is the perfect example of providing a business card that serves as a reminder of an experience with that person. That is how you capitalize on a creative business card.
April 21st, 2010 at 2:08 pm
Wow, they really are some unique designs. You wouldn’t want to give them out to just anyone lol. But I agree, they’re a good way to get noticed.
April 22nd, 2010 at 6:50 pm
Hey Yanik –
WOW! Those were both amazing examples of creativity, ingenuity, and branding savvy, and in Lt. Prescott’s case, I couldn’t but admire the fact that he’s literally “showing people the money.”
Thanks for sharing, and I hope I’ll be able to make your next Underground event so I can appreciate the radical business cards up close instead of via my computer.
Looking forward,
- Jonathan Flaks
P.S. – Thanks for the Undergound 6 package I got yesterday!
April 22nd, 2010 at 10:50 pm
I am also in need of new business cards and your post has definitely given me some inspiration!
April 26th, 2010 at 2:47 pm
Hi Yanik
Love the site
Here’s a card design we came up with in order to ‘scratch our own itch’ with our http://BabyShiz.com mobile entertainment videos. We had to have a way to demonstrate the iPhone videos, and also get word out about the app. So we created “Poofka”. It’s a three-way video stand, coupon, and billboard. See the demo video at http://Poofka.com
Cheers,
Spence
May 9th, 2010 at 10:13 am
Haha! Love the non-business card ideas, especially Jared’s.
Creating a lasting impression is one of the best skills you can have and Jared does it very well with the hair and the comb. You’re not likely to forget him in a hurry!!
May 26th, 2010 at 2:56 am
How funny. I have been using a dollar bill as my business card since 2008. People never throw them away. It’s great for the environment. And even if they spend it, they keep the story and my name gets passed on.
June 5th, 2010 at 4:50 pm
These are some of the funniest, innovative, and mind-boggling ideas I have ever seen. Prescott’s 2-dollar-bill is simply ingenious – I’m sure Thomas Jefferson would be proud! As for Jared’s hair comb idea: you are just too hilarious for words.
Thanks for brightening up my day!
August 4th, 2010 at 8:03 am
Nice ideas. What would be even more interesting is if Jared took the comb-business card out of his hair and give it to clients. Now that will make it really memorable haha