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Business Cards, Labels and Unix?
Scott Taylor asks: "I've recently started my own company, and after reading The Pragmatic Programmer, and Unix Power Tools I'm interested in removing the need for Microsoft Word to make my business cards and labels. I would like to use a command line solution. One where I can update a configuration file, run make and out comes a label or business card from the printer. Unfortunately I have little experience with text formatting tools other than LaTeX. What would be the best Unix tool to use to create proper templates for Avery labels. Can it support color and graphics? What about printing to color ink jet printers?"
Hello? Am I missing something? Here in the UK, business cards are used for giving your contact details to others you meet in the course of business. I've never heard of them being sent with a CV (resume). Is this common in the US? Surely all your details are on the resume anyway -- why would you need to supply a business card?
"The invisible and the non-existent look very much alike." -- Delos B. McKown
LaTeX can use the envlab.sty package which knows a lot about avery labels already, and you can easily tell it dimensions of different labels.
Business cards might be a bit more difficult, but the bizcard package claims to do it. Never tried it.
Both are available on CTAN.
My main reason for wanting to print my own, was simply that my company will be moving to a new address in a few months
Talk to your local printer. All the printers I've worked with have been flexable. They understand that businesses have printing needs and if they can do you a favor now, they'll get your business later.
If only the address and phone number will change between printings (not the graphics, layout or the paper stock), you may be able to talk him into a split run (half old info, half new). If not, I'm pretty sure that he will cut you a break on printing a second batch when you move. The greatest cost in printing business cards is the setup time not the raw materials. If the setup is done, printing can be done cheap.
InitZero
For the first time in while, I got stuck interviewing job applicants and reviewing loads of resumes.
Thirty-one of 53 people had laser-printed business cards. These struck me as tacky. They didn't feel right, some didn't fit in my business card holder and many smeared.
Maybe I'm a business card bigot so take this advice with a grain of salt... For crying out loud, spend the $35 (or less), go to your local printer and have professinally designed and printed business cards.
I didn't nuke any of the candidates because they had unprofessional cards but it was certainly wasn't a point in their favor. All else being equal, I'm going to hire the dude who better presents himself because I believe that he will also better represent the company.
Your mom might be impressed because you made your business cards all by your little self but I doubt those looking to hire you will.
InitZero
(Note to moderators: though this post may seem to be of the troll variety, please file it under 'hard truth' or 'good advice'. Thanks.)
While I agree with those who are suggesting that it would be better to have the cards professionally printed, if you really want to print your own cards, PostScript is the way to go. There's a script to take a EPS image and put it on a business card at http://www.chena.net/~jkirving/pub/ ;. If you use that as the basis, you should be able to add what you need to put the text you need on the cards as well.
Two words: outsource it. Most printers will look at you funny if you come in with a file from StarOffice let alone a latex file. (Actually, they'll laugh at you in the latter case.) It'd be better to find a graphic designer who can do the lay in Quark/Pagemaker/etc. for you, or ask the printer to do it yourself. It'll be less of a headache in the end.
Or, just fire up the GIMP and give the printer a 300 dpi eps file with spot channels. Business card size is 3.5"x2", but remember to keep text around 1/8" away from the edges and, if you want full bleed, give them 1/8" beyond the cut size.
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Am I the only one who thinks Microsoft is a misnomer? Perhaps Macrosoft would be a better fit?
My bigger problem is wallets. When something's that close to your body (whether it's in your wallet, in your shirt pocket, in a jacket pocket, etc.) it's picking up body heat. The additional body heat will break down with some of the fusion process, and you'll get bits of toner which fall off.
It's not pleasant, and I try to avoid it when possible.
I used them for my latest bunch-o cards, made a quick'n'dirty logo in gimp (make sure you do it at 3-600dpi) uploaded it, text gets typed directly into netscape, paid the extra for expensive paper and raised ink - the results look as good as many 'professional' cards I've seen and certainly don't cry out 'cheap' (now if only I was an artist :-). I'm sure there are cheaper ways to do this but from my experience they get my seal of approval
Star Office might be able to do it for you. Many of the business card sheets include templates to tell Star (or Word, or whatever) to generate the page. Print to PostScript, then you have your command-line file, suitable for printing to color laser printer (best quality) or B&W ink jet (lower quality).
-- Ever notice that fast-burning fuse looks exactly the same as slow-burning fuse? I didn't... (Edgar Montrose)
You are no more a programmer, that's just part of your job now, but you' re in the business of selling (like it or not). You have to convince your prospects or your customers about your professionalism.
That doesn't jibe with home printed business cards or letterheads. They inadvertedly look cheap, no matter how you do it. Giving your prospects the impression that you have to save a couple hundred bucks will destroy more business for you then the savings are worth it.
Personally, I was in the lucky position of having a friend who was in the CI business with the most reputed firm in town for three years, who went independent. He partnered with a long time veteran from the same company who directed CI campaigns for global companies. For a mere $2000 I got a great corporate design. I also realized that there's a hell of a lot more then fiddling a couple hours with GIMP into it. The print job added another 1000$ to the bill (business cards, greating cards, postcards, letterhead).
Was it worth it ? Hell, yes! Every damn cent and then some. It makes a great impression to the outside world, it makes me proud to send an invoice to the customer and it differentiates me from a lot from my competitors, although I'm not necessarily doing a better job; but I make a better impression.You don't necessarily need a CI agency, but I certainly advise you to consider how you communicate in print and on a web site. And then get it done by a professional.
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