Obsessed with those tiny little business cards that all the trendy web people swap at conferences? Lisa Rodwell of Moo Cards tells us about the company’s unique product, and gives advice on how to break into the market…

http://uk.moo.com/en/

WD: Why do you think the Moo card products have caught the imagination of the creative industry?

LR: We’ve seen a lot of interest from the creative community mainly because Moo cards give them a unique canvas to really stand out and showcase their work. They’re not limited to choosing one image, come in memorable shapes and sizes, and because we sell business cards in small quantities, they’re free to change their cards as often as they’d like.

WD: What do the cards offer web professionals that regular business cards don’t?

LR: MOO Business and MiniCards make a great networking and branding tool because you can have a different image on the back of each one, while also personalising it with text of your choice. A web designer can use the cards to feature all the sites or projects they’ve designed. Having your business cards at hand makes it easy to promote your past work without feeling like you are going in for a hard sell.

WD: What inventive stuff do people do with their Moo card collections?

LR: One great use of the cards we’ve seen is customers creating client gifts to celebrate the end of a project. They’ll create a set of MiniCards featuring images from the web project with the website URL on the back. They present it to the client as a handy way to promote the site in the real world.
With Moo’s textomatic you can make a pack with up to 50 different text-based statements. We’ve had designers use this feature to show client testimonials on their cards or their own brand statements.

WD: In terms of the designs, which kinds of card graphics seem to be most popular?

LR: The most popular card graphics are people’s own images that reflect themselves, their work or their brand. I would say the most common thing is for people to use Moo cards as a pocket portfolio that they can easily work in formal or informal situations. That means packs of illustrations, typography, photography and even close-ups of products. We’re constantly impressed with the creative ways that people come up with to use cards.
For those people who don’t have their own artwork or designs, Moo has a collection of designs that they can choose from instead.

WD: More generally, what advice would you have to those trying to get noticed in the creative trade and how might the range of Moo products assist in that?

LR: My advice is for people to remember that every opportunity is a chance to stand out from competitors. With so many people in the hunt for an opportunity standing out from the crowd and developing your own personal brand is increasingly important. Moo cards are unique and help people or businesses to become memorable, and they are very easy to hand out in a formal or informal network.
A few specific ideas include doing a direct mail with Post Cards, sending a personalised Note Card as a thank you after a meeting or pitch, or using the Stickers to brand your business stationery, kind of like the monthly invoice.
While much of our networking these days happens online, the connections you make in the real world still carry the most weight. Don’t waste an opportunity by not being able to provide contact details so people can easily follow up and remember you, grab those opportunities!