Are the Magnetic Business Cards worth the extra money? Do people put them on the fridge and keep them there for years of easy reference to my business?

Thanks for the question Frank! As you know, business card draw people in, but magnetic business cards can really make your company stick! Well, at least you’ll stick to the fridge.

When talking about magnetic business cards, you have to remember a few things. Firstly, magnetic business cards are definitely more expensive. You can buy business cards for less than 5 cents each. Magnetic business cards are going to cost you about 10 times that amount, or about 50 cents each. While the number is still small, it really adds up. You can buy 1000 regular business cards for $50 or less. 1000 business cards with a magnet are going to cost you $500!

Ok, the difference is price is obvious, but you would expect that since you’re getting something bigger and better right? But are you really getting something bigger and better? Or are you just getting something different?

From my experience, business card magnets only work with certain industries. If you’re a house cleaner, plumber, handy man, or similar service provider, you definitely want your business card in front of your prospects as much as possible. The same goes for a pizza delivery service.

However, if you own a web design company, are a real estate agent, or are a car salesman, don’t waste the money. Your customers know how to get in contact with you and don’t need you on a regular basis.

So Frank, to answer you question, magnetic business cards are worth the money if you’re industry is the right industry. Keep in mind the qualifications.

1. Customers call you at least twice a month.

2. There are similar businesses that could take your business if your customer can’t contact you easily.

3. (Optional) Your customers call you in emergency situation (plumbing, handyman, roof leak repair, etc)

If you fit those criteria, then spend the extra money and make your business card stick!

Just in case that wasn’t long winded enough for you, check out these other magnetic business card posts:
Magnetic Business Cards
Fridge Magnets: Good for Marketing!

What type of business card would you expect from a trend setting hardwood flooring company? Well, you’d be right, solid wood business cards!

These wooden business cards are a beautiful dark Brazilian Walnut wood. As you can see, there is nothing printed on the cards, but the information is actually printed into the wooden business card.

Brazilian Walnut is known for it’s durability which I’m sure is no accident, and says a lot about the durability and quality of a company. For more information you can contact the Lochert Company.

Arrow Pictures has a very unique business card.  It is made of hard yellow plastic, but it has holes in it!  The business card appears to be either an old hotel key card or swiss cheese.  I think Arrow Pictures is German, so I don’t know the significance of the holes, but they surely do make this plastic business card stand out from the other thick plastic business cards.

Anyone have any information about Arrow Pictures or who designed these business cards?

The second problem with chocolate business cards is that they melt. Personally I don’t want to keep an ice chest in the trunk just to keep my business cards cool.

If you’re in the New York area, there is a company that can print chocolate business cards for you:
Chocolate Printing Company – website
600 Bayview Ave Inwood NY

This business card in this video is from the infamous Kevin Mitnick. You can get a business card from KevinMitnick.com.

LetchaSurf wrote:
What do you think about something like this:

Is it practical? Would it be expensive to mass produce a business card like this?

LetchaSurf, practical?  Absolutely not!  Definitely awesome though!  In order for me to recommend these business cards, I would need to really think about whether it would be appropriate for that particular industry.  For the banking industry, probably not a good idea, but for a sales career, these might be the best business cards you could get!  Here’s why:

1. They’re unique and attract attention.

2. They’re memorable and will make you memorable.

3. They’re so new, most people won’t ever have seen them.

4. Customers will show their friends.

For those four key reasons, these business cards could turn into the most profitable and exciting marketing campaign you’ve ever tried, and at the cost of business cards!

I also use my business cards as reminders. Whenever I set an appointment or schedule a meeting, I write it on the back of my business card. At the end of the day or week (whenever I get around to it), I pull these business cards out and type them into my computer. Then I set my reminder to remind me of that appointment.

Because I always carry business cards with me, they are the perfect note card!

…is the art of taking business card and folding (sometimes cutting and gluing) them into various shapes, patterns, toys, and anything else the artist can dream up. Many of these different pieces have real pictures, some are theoretical. Many of these I have personally made. Some of these I would never even dream that I could create.So here you go, a list of the best business card origami on the internet.

Please send in additional links and business card origami resources!

Cube:

The cube is one of the easiest and best introduction to business card origami. If you can create this cube, you can create other business card art. For a tutorial on creating the business card cube there is no better teacher than Ned Batchelder. Ned, as far as I know, was the first person to document his creation on the internet. 6 cards are needed.

I’ve been creating business card cubes for many years with slight variations.

Ned Batchelder: How to make business card cubes

Business Card Case:

More fun than functional, this business card case is created with regular paper. Maybe this isn’t business card origami, but it’s still fun and business card related.

I’ve never made a business card case like this.

This piece of origami uses a regular 8.5 x 11 piece of paper. The website below has a downloadable PDF with instructions.

DIY Planner: Business Card Case – Origami Style

Business Card Jumping Frog:

The greatest thing about this jumping frog is the fact that he actually will jump. I made this piece last night and got mine to jump almost 12″. After about 20 jumps he was still very springy and was still jumping almost a foot. Great for a class project. Maybe a jumping frog competition.

Jeanine Meyer, Ph. D, is a professor that uses these jumping frogs as teaching tools.

Jumping Business Card Frog

non-jumping non-business card frog

Various Shapes:

This site has a wonderful collection of various shapes many of which I can’t pronounce and should only be attempted by a mathematician. The author of this site admits that he doesn’t know how to make many of these shapes. However, they are great reference and show exactly what can be done with business cards.

Links:

Vann’s Cuboctahedra (Octahemioctahedra) Unit

Square Cuboctahedra (Cubohemioctahedra) Unit

Hyperbolic Paraboloid Star

Actual Models created

Great pictures of actual creations

Business Card Bow Tie:

I don’t have instructions for this piece, and have never made it.

Just by looking at it you should be able to imagine how simple it would be to recreate even without knowing the specific folds, or knowing which fold should be first.

Good luck!

Business Card Flapping Bird:

This site doesn’t have the best instructions, but the pictures document this bird perfectly. It is a difficult piece, but one you’ll keep forever. The bird is small, only about one inch long, but is expertly crafted and documented. I wish the pictures were a little higher quality.

Business Card Flapping Bird

Business Card Puppy:

Sorry about this one, no instructions.

Create this standing dog, document it, take pictures and I’ll post it for you.

Business card puppy

Traditional Frog:

Another one without instructions.

This frog doesn’t jump, but looks much more realistic. As with the puppy, if you create this, document it and take some pictures I’ll give you credit and host the pictures for you right here!

Business Card Frog

Business Card Ram:

This ram is one of my favorite business card animal origami pieces. However, it looks very difficult, especially trying to get those horns curved. No explanation or instructions for this one, but give it a try and let me know how it goes.

Business Card Ram

That’s about all I have for now. I’ll keep updating this page as I find more pictures and business card origami. If you have anything, please send it in!

Then again, he also has one of the most expensive business cards ever sold!