Calling Cards (name cards, not phone cards)

[ShoreRoadLady]

Which brings up another issue...home or cell # on the card? Sounds like most of you have your cell numbers, but I'm going back and forth between the two. Home - run the risk of someone else picking it up and not getting the message or acting unprofessional to a potential employer. Cell...I really just hate business contacts having my cell phone as a default. I value my ability to be unavailable should I so choose. That and cell phone minutes, and some people think texting without permission is acceptable. :rage:

I could do the e-mail only thing, but it could be hard to write your number on a glossy card...

 

[CharlestonBows]

... but it could be hard to write your number on a glossy card...

Don't go glossy for a personal card. A heavy weight card stock in a soft white shade is, IMO, best. I also encourage raised inking. This lets you write information on the back, if need be, and the card is still rather resilient.

Glossy is for business. But that's just me. [huh]

 

[ShoreRoadLady]

Mm. I see your point. I plan on putting some artwork on it, which would look *prettier* in glossy, but I guess it would also work on matte.

 

[Anthony Jordan]

I've used VistaPrint.co.uk for a bunch of things before now. work provides my business cards, but as I prefer to keep work and home distinctly separate, I have a bunch of cards of my own. Had them run up on VistaPrint - I opted for their free cards. All you have to pay is a small amount of postage, and the cards come free. Your choice of design is limited to a range of pre-set ones, and it says "vistaprint.co.uk" on the back, but that's cool with me.

Snap! I did the same (although I have also run up sets on those machines one finds in railway stations, post offices, etc, before now, with reasonable success.) I think the secret is to find the simplest font and layout possible, and eschew any design or logo. I'd love to get engraved cards one day, but this will do for now!

 

[Mojave Jack]

If you want it period accurate, ladies, your cards should be about 2 3/4 to 3 1/2 inches wide, by 2 to 2 3/4 inches high.

and gents, your cards should be long and narrow, from 2 7/8 to 3 1/4 inches long, and from 1 1/4 to 1 5/8 inches high.

According to Emily Post, 1922 edition, that is.

Business cards, formally called a trade card, were used to promote your business, and should not be used in lieu of a visiting card.

Here's a few of the codes you would right on a card when presenting or leaving it. The initial letters you can meet on personal cards stand for the French words:

• p. f. - congratulations (pour féliciter)
• p. r. - expressing one's thanks (pour remercier) - even if one is presented with flowers
• p. c. - mourning expression (pour condoléance)
• p. f. N. A. - Happy New Year (pour feliciter Nouvel An)
• p. p. c. - meaning to take leave (pour prendre congé)
• p. p. - if you want to be introduced to anybody, send your visiting card (pour présenter)

 

[Josephine]

I've used VistaPrint.co.uk for a bunch of things before now.

I used 123Print here in the States. I've become a "Consulting Horticulturist" (nods to Hercule Poirot) and I found a design they had that I really liked. I only got 100, as I wanted to be sure of them before I committed to more. I need to tweak the font and size a bit, my address etc is a bit thin looking. They were about $4 for the cards (no 123print ads on them), and about $8 for shipping.

 

[Daniel]

My father is a retired U.S. Army Officer, and I remember there was distinct protocol having to do with calling cards.

A corner turned down on the card indicated it had been left in person, not by a servant (although no one had servants by that time) and there was other protocol concerning the time period alloted once assigned to a duty station before one had to leave a card at the Commanding Officer's quarters. I vaguely remember that wives had their own cards, but could leave their husbands'.

I miss that sort of thing.

 

[Miss_Bella_Hell]

If you want it period accurate, ladies, your cards should be about 2 3/4 to 3 1/2 inches wide, by 2 to 2 3/4 inches high.

and gents, your cards should be long and narrow, from 2 7/8 to 3 1/4 inches long, and from 1 1/4 to 1 5/8 inches high.

According to Emily Post, 1922 edition, that is.

Business cards, formally called a trade card, were used to promote your business, and should not be used in lieu of a visiting card.

Here's a few of the codes you would right on a card when presenting or leaving it. The initial letters you can meet on personal cards stand for the French words:

• p. f. - congratulations (pour féliciter)
• p. r. - expressing one's thanks (pour remercier) - even if one is presented with flowers
• p. c. - mourning expression (pour condoléance)
• p. f. N. A. - Happy New Year (pour feliciter Nouvel An)
• p. p. c. - meaning to take leave (pour prendre congé)
• p. p. - if you want to be introduced to anybody, send your visiting card (pour présenter)

:eusa_clap Love the French!

Those dimensions are HUGE! Since these would be in a wallet, pocket, or purse, I'd probably adapt and make a calling card business-sized.

I'm really thinking I might do this.

 

[Aviator]

My father is a retired U.S. Army Officer, and I remember there was distinct protocol having to do with calling cards.

A corner turned down on the card indicated it had been left in person, not by a servant (although no one had servants by that time) and there was other protocol concerning the time period alloted once assigned to a duty station before one had to leave a card at the Commanding Officer's quarters. I vaguely remember that wives had their own cards, but could leave their husbands'.

I miss that sort of thing.

Well, times have certainly changed. When I was commissioned 10 years ago they spoke of the requirement for calling cards, but even then with the realization that it has gone the way of the dodo. So I decided to use the money I could have spent on a stack of never-to-be-used cards on gin and late nights out in town (I stand by my choice).

According to my "Service Etiquette" put out by the Naval Institute (the first edition from 1959) it says that cards should be 3 1/8 inches long by 1 5/8 inches wide, along with advice on color (white or very light cream) and the admonishment "Your choice of calling cards will reflect on your good taste. Only engraved cards are correct."

They also say that a batch of 100 cards with the engraving plate should cost 10 dollars (I wonder how much they cost now).

Under "Required calls" it indicates a new officer reporting for duty is expected to call on his senior officers (Commanding Officer, Executive Officer, Dept. Head) on the first day of his arrival (always within 48 hours). A social or first call in the Naval services is between 4 & 6 pm, in the Marine Corps 5 & 6:30 pm, the Air Force 4 & 6 on the weekends(!), and in the Army 7:30 & 9:30 pm. It should only be about 20 minutes, never less than 15 or more than 30 (BTW...I am abbreviating much as there are a ton of rules to know).

As for the bent corner, this old edition indicates that "the bending of the right hand corner of the card toward the name is rarely observed today. But it is still occasionally done to denote that a call was made in person, or upon all members of the household".

And to add another abbreviation:
-n.b. (Nota bene) "Note Well"; this call attention to any words or messages written on the card

One last tidbit from the book: "Naval officers of the grade of captain and above [if stationed in DC] should leave cards at the White House once a year. Callers are not receive, but the names of those who have left are frequently added to invitation lists for teas and receptions".

Now I wonder if this is still done.[huh]

 

[Mike in Seattle]

I read somewhere a couple of years ago that the low-cost, no-cost card printers are really a front for collecting information for marketers. Makes sense - you're giving them your name and address and the most current number to call you at, which is just the sort of information that marketers relish.

 

[Mojave Jack]

Glad I'm enlisted! By regulation, upon reporting to a new duty station, Master Sergeants are required to:

1. Scout out the best strip joints in town, particularly those that give away free pizza at least one night a week.

2. Locate every package store in town, and memorize the location of the Class Six on base.

3. Well, that's about it...

Love the French!

Those dimensions are HUGE! Since these would be in a wallet, pocket, or purse, I'd probably adapt and make a calling card business-sized.

I'm really thinking I might do this.

All the more room to write charming notes, my dear! Although I must admit, the convenience of the modern business card does make for a compelling argument. Both for carrying and in view of additional costs of the custom sizing. By the by, en français they are cartes de visite.

Floatin' Joe, who's around here somewhere (Another Coastie, incidentally, Aviator), knows where to get them printed on the proper sized card, and he got them via the Marine Corps. He promised to shoot me the info, but has thus far not made good on that promise. Joe....! I hope I don't have to wait until I see him again at the QM!

 

[Mojave Jack]

I read somewhere a couple of years ago that the low-cost, no-cost card printers are really a front for collecting information for marketers. Makes sense - you're giving them your name and address and the most current number to call you at, which is just the sort of information that marketers relish.

Diabolical!

 

[Aviator]

Glad I'm enlisted! By regulation, upon reporting to a new duty station, Master Sergeants are required to:

1. Scout out the best strip joints in town, particularly those that give away free pizza at least one night a week.

2. Locate every package store in town, and memorize the location of the Class Six on base.

3. Well, that's about it...

Hello, what about tattoo parlor, payday loan shop, and used car dealership (No credit, no problem...E-1 and up!)
Prior 10 year enlisted, sends.

 

[Diamondback]

I've thought about it, but for what I have in mind, Hoyle wants a minimum number of decks that be sufficient to, if my name were passed down to sons for five generations, see them through a lifetime supply... Let's see, 10,000 decks * 52 cards per deck=over half a million cards. (But if they'd let me sneak it in as "personalized" rather than "full custom", that cuts the minimum to 100 decks, so...)

I'd assume they'd want an extra for each deck being 52 Aces of Spades, though...

 

[ShoreRoadLady]

I read somewhere a couple of years ago that the low-cost, no-cost card printers are really a front for collecting information for marketers. Makes sense - you're giving them your name and address and the most current number to call you at, which is just the sort of information that marketers relish.

Then they can meet Mr. Answering Machine.

I can see that being true, but do they then just collect the freebie customers' names and not the paying customers'?

Sadly, I take it as a given that most any company I give my name and address to will be sharing it.

 

[Diamondback]

Question, how many calling-cards was one typical person or couple likely to need over a lifetime?

 

[Edward]

Which brings up another issue...home or cell # on the card? Sounds like most of you have your cell numbers, but I'm going back and forth between the two.

I only use my cell phone number. Actually, I don't even know my landline number (it#'s stored in my cell, though). Living alone as I do, I never have any occasion to call it. 99% of outgoing calls from that number are when I've misplaced the cell..... lol TBH, I only have a landline for the broadband access. Wouldn't have one at all otherwise. As soon as mobile broadband becomes cheap enough, I'm going over to that entirely. Fixed landlines are a relic whose time is fast coming to an end, IMO. Of course, over there I know it is much more expensive for a cell. Here in the UK, we only pay for our outgoing calls / texts, plus monthly network subscription. It's not an expensive thing, really.

One thing I will never do is put my cell on my business card. Some folks I meet via work have that number, but unless or until my employer decides to pay for my line rental and work related calls, it's staying off my card.

I read somewhere a couple of years ago that the low-cost, no-cost card printers are really a front for collecting information for marketers. Makes sense - you're giving them your name and address and the most current number to call you at, which is just the sort of information that marketers relish.

Interesting.... it is possible. I must remember to check the t&c of the UK company I use. Under EU DAta Protection law, they're not allowed to retain and use one's information for marketing purposes (or any purpose other than it was strictly necessary for) without informed consent. I'm not sure burying it in the very bottom of the fine print even would be valid.... The istuation is doubtless different in the US, as to the best of my knowledge there is not anything like the same concept of Data Protection enshrined in law.

I'd assume they'd want an extra for each deck being 52 Aces of Spades, though...

Try magic supplies shops. I'm not sure about Ace of spades, but I know when I went looking for Jokers to go with the obvious Batman villain costume last year, Joker only packs were available for in the region of GBP3 (that's about USD6 currently). If you're going to go through them faster than makes that economical, or if Ace of Spades only packs aren't available, the other option is to print them yourself. For lack of time (also because I found an alternative joker design I much preferred to those available in packs), I ended up printing mine out onto sheets of card designed for computer printouts (thick, cheap photo paper I think it actually was - perfectly stiff enough for purpose). I was only doing mine single-sided, but I'm sure if you were careful (experimienting with cheap paper first, naturally), you could line up a rear print design well enough.

Goin' for the high one....

 

[Decobelle]

I had searched for some classic styled visiting cards for a long time but had a hard time finding what I wanted. Searching under “name cards” I came across a lot of sites for “mommy cards” (!) such as these from Retro Baby (http://www.myretrobaby.com/item/lil--cowboy-calling-cards/794/c46) – apparently if I had a kid, I would be required to have one of these to hand out for arranging the kid’s play dates, or else face social ostracization and the child would end up a sociopath. I had no idea. I wonder if this sort of thing goes on at the dog park, and that’s why my dogs don’t have any friends? Ok, after more frustrating searching, I found some cards that are pretty close to what I wanted here (flat enclosure cards): https://www.thestationerystudio.com...viewCartRelated&productId=9578&itemId=1208422

They’re similar to the classic cards that Mojave Jack referenced in Emily Post 1922. Mine just have my name and phone number, written in the old style with the exchange name. If I want to give out my email or street address, I just write it on the back.

This stationary shop in Milan Italy has some lovely, classic visiting card designs, but I’m not sure that they can be ordered on-line. If so, I couldn’t figure out how. http://www.fpettinaroli.it/eng/cata...RAFIA/BIGLIETTI_DA_VISITA/BIGLIETTI_DA_VISITA

 

[Diamondback]

Be nice, Ms. Decobelle--I'm a sociopath. (What else do you call someone whose specs for a calling-card are to have it printed on an ace of spades?lol)

Edward, didn't think of that, but it could get dicey having my name printed on them if I go off-the-shelf. (Long story from my college days--four of us from the computer labs and the security office were dubbed the Horsemen, and the whole "Grim Reaper" thing stuck in my case.) Of course, for better applications, well, let's see: hearts for romantic, diamonds for other social, clubs for business--or do I have those latter two reversed? Good point about printing one's own, also.

 

[Decobelle]

But a stylish sociopath, I’m sure.

Be nice, Ms. Decobelle--I'm a sociopath. (What else do you call someone whose specs for a calling-card are to have it printed on an ace of spades?lol)

Maybe you’re just very traditional – I’ve read that in 1700s Britain, before dedicated visiting cards were developed, men did use playing cards as their visiting cards - they would put their name on the back. That led to jokes later about servants not knowing the difference between the two – there was one about a fashionable bachelor type who was paying formal calls with his butler, and partway through realized the butler has been handing out playing cards instead of his name cards. “The deuce!” the gentleman swears. “Oh sir,” says the butler, “I left the deuce at the last house.” :eusa_doh: (I didn’t say it led to good jokes, just lots of them).