Trade business cards are designed to relate to a specific trade or industry. As a writer you want to be recognized as part of the writing and publishing industry. According to right-writing.com, “These business cards could be one of the first steps for you to acknowledge your freelance writing.” Trade business cards work well for freelance writers running their own business or as self-published authors representing their own publishing house. You are presenting yourself as a creative writer, so include only professional information, such as your name, title (writer, author, freelancer), email address and website on the cards. You can also include you telephone number, but for privacy reasons consider leaving off your home address. Instead, list a P.O. box if you prefer communicating through snail mail. Use a matte finish for a professional approach and leave the back of the cards blank. Not only is this a standard look and feel, but it also leaves room for you to add additional notes or information as you network.
Personal business cards are the most common type. Instead of focusing on a particular trade, these cards promote the individual. This type of card works best for freelancers who depend on their own name for their brand name, authors published by a traditional publishing house or writers who have yet to be published. Wayman, the writer, points out that “cards let people find you again--both professionally and socially.” This makes them an ideal tool for networking with other writers and professionals in the writing industry. A personal card should include information about the author only and not the author's books. Remember, this is the time to promote yourself as an author or freelance writer and not the time to promote an individual title or piece of work. Information you should include on a personal card includes your name, title, email address, website and phone number. Since you are hoping to network with other writers, you may also want to include any blogs or other social networking sites you are involved with on a personal card.
Marketing business cards promote the product instead of the trade or individual. In this case, they promote the author's book, series or characters. Use the color of your book cover for the background color of the cards and use a similar font. Depict important characters or items from the book to create a product that markets the story. Don't forget to provide information about where the book can be purchased. Because of the limited space available on a two-sided business card, consider folded business cards to promote your work. Folded cards, “also known as a tent card or mini brochure” on greatfxbusinesscards.com “effectively doubles the space you have to tell your message” so that the card can serve as a marketing package all on its own. Keep in mind that marketing business cards are going to have limited uses because they are promoting individual titles or sample articles instead of the author personally. For that reason, it might make sense to have only a small quantity of these printed that you can hand out as you network with prospective clients and readers.