Business cards can be incredibly easy to create. Just stick your information on a shiny card and you’re good to go, right? Well, that’s one way to do it, but you’d be missing out on numerous growth and revenue opportunities that having standout business cards can offer you. Here are four tips you can use to get the absolute most out of business cards:

1)Keep it Simple
A potential client that looks at your business card should immediately know your name, title, and business while simultaneously getting a taste of your personality. Put the name you want to be called on your cards, whether it is your given name or a nickname. A work phone number and email address are essential. Avoid using your home phone number or that hilarious personal email address you got in college—it’s best to use the standard firstname.lastname@business.com formula for business contacts. Provide your cell phone number or office line, whichever is the easiest and best way to reach you.

Social media contacts like your website, Facebook and Twitter profiles, or blog URL are increasingly important parts of your business image, so definitely consider including this information. The downside of doing so is that it can make the card look a bit cluttered, so be sure to only include the information that provides the best communication channels and resources that are emblematic of your business. Even if you decide include it all, make it look as legible as possible with good spacing, contrasting colors or bold fonts. Your clients are going to want to research your name and business online so make it easy for them to do so!

2)Don’t Be Shy, Get Noticed
Don’t be afraid to choose a non-traditional card type. Slick folding business cards, vertical layouts, embossed type, shiny graphics and even photography can make the exact first impression you need to land a business deal. If your business has a flashy logo, stick it on one side of the business card all on its own. You’ll be remembered for taking chances and letting your personality and business attitude shine through, so let it fly.

Another way to get noticed is to include a picture of you. A photo will make the business card much more personal. It doesn’t need to look like a senior class portrait, though. Some wardrobe tips: If you’re in a conservative field, wearing a suit is a good idea. If your business highlights a more fun, creative or youthful service, you can dress more casually. As long as the photo is professional, appropriate and good photo quality it should be fine—just showing a friendly face can go a long way.

3)Double Check
The last thing you want is to have incorrect information on your business cards. Mistakes signal that you aren’t careful and not detail-oriented. What chance is there that a potential client will believe your product will be of the utmost quality if you don’t get your own name right? Aside from ensuring correct spelling and grammar, it’s important to check that your title, social networking profiles, and contact information will continue to be legitimate channels for communication for the foreseeable future.

One thing to note while you are double checking—if you are directing clients to these aspects of your online presence, then your website and social media pages need to look businesslike and any embarrassing or unprofessional content should be removed. Your business cards represent a “key” to unlock the “door” to your business profile and services. Don’t show potential clients anything you do not want them to see or doesn’t enhance your business reputation.

4)Get A Lot, Use A Lot
Ordering a large quantity of business cards is very useful when you first start a business or are recently promoted to a new title. This strategy helps ensure the longevity of the information on the card. After acquiring your box(s) of stylish business cards, it’s key to begin presenting them at every opportunity. For example, when you send out mailers or ship out products, enclose your card. If you’re at a restaurant, you can even leave a card with the bill or post one to their bulletin board if they have one.

Every person you meet should receive a card, even family and friends. The worst case scenario is that they throw it out (hopefully recycle) when they get home. However, the key is to practice getting your name and business out in the open for the world to find and use. If you are effective, you’ll be rewarded with better client retention and local (or even global) visibility. You never know when you are going to meet your next big client.

These four tips are a great start to help you on your way to creating and using the best business cards for your market. Find a business card seller that will allow you to customize your business cards and then go ahead and make them uniquely your own in every way.

Chad Liffmann is a Marketing Coordinator at Tiny Prints, a premier online stationery website that offers exclusive designs for business cards, party invitations, holiday cards and more.

Ever since the workplace was invented, companies have wrestled with questions caused by a large array of conflicting demands: Should workspaces emphasize openness or privacy? Is employee interaction more important than employee autonomy? Is ease of access among workers worth all the distractions it tends to bring along with it? These are questions that have been asked for years and they are still being asked, even though the business world today looks a whole lot different than it did 100, 50, or even 10 years ago. In recent years, the questions have been re-framed by the latest trend in office design emanating from the European market—open space office planning.

Open Space Design at our own NBF office

The benefits of open space offices are now widely recognized, not only in Europe but on this side of the Atlantic as well. And this recognition becomes crystal clear when you consider the extent to which more and more companies, large and small, are continually embracing the concept in some form or fashion. Yet experience is also showing that open office planning can be a double-edged sword and that there are some pitfalls that go along with the perks. Here are some of the most commonly acknowledged pros and cons of open office space design:

The good:

• More cost effective (studies have shown an average savings of more than 20% in overhead costs)
• Greater collaboration
• Produces an atmosphere that promotes creativity
• Easier access to team members
• Less opportunity for employees to slack off or engage in long aimless phone calls
• Environmentally friendly (heating and cooling is more efficient)
• Builds a strong sense of community within the office space
• More accommodating to modern day business practices (e.g., teleworking and office-sharing)
• Boosts performance (as described in studies like this one).

The bad:

• Lack of privacy
• Health concerns (as pointed out in studies such as this)
• More distractions
• Noise pollution
• Lack of employee wall/shelf space
• Greater potential for theft of proprietary or business-sensitive information
• Over-stimulation by excess sensory input

Firms are beginning to recognize that both the pros and the cons are very real. And while companies want to make the cons go away as much as possible, most of them are being careful not to throw the baby out with the bathwater. The challenge is to somehow forge a win-win—in other words, find a way to retain the benefits that open space design brings, while at the same time mitigating the negative aspects. And some firms have made great strides in this area. Here are just a few examples of how companies have been dealing with common open office problems:

Noise: Probably the most commonly-cited drawback of an open office environment is the noise factor. And it’s not hard to understand why. Excess noise is often pinpointed as a primary cause of low productivity. Many studies have acknowledged that noise (even at fairly low levels) is a strong contributor to stress and some of its ancillary effects such as high blood pressure, headaches, and digestive problems. And it doesn’t take a sophisticated study to point out that noise is distracting. So it’s not surprising that noise mitigation is high on everyone’s problem-solving list. Many companies have taken measures to install simple or elaborate sound masking systems. Others have equipped employees with noise dampening earbuds capable of piping in a wide array of natural “white noises” such as oceans, rivers, storms, etc. A recent article by Earl Vickers describes some other solutions companies have adopted to mitigate excess noise.

Space: Studies as far back as the 1980s have cited the importance of “spatial density” (the average space available to each person) to job performance and employee morale. And many companies have come to realize the added impact of this concept when applied in an open office environment. As pointed out in articles like this one, “people still each need their own space and teamwork will suffer if it’s not provided.” Even in an open setting, many companies are now careful to give each employee not only ample space but also highly personalized space. They recognize that workers need space for their pictures, plants, toys, and other things that help define the turf around them as their own. Many firms are also realizing that space can be “bought” through flexibility. And flexibility is largely achieved by creative choices in office furniture. This article talks about some of the solutions in this area forged by Digg.

Privacy: Smart employers are beginning to understand that employees need their privacy and that there are ways to give it to them even in an open setting. Some firms allow their staffers private spaces to make phone calls or conduct business of a sensitive nature. Others allow their employees to decorate their work spaces in such a fashion that it “caves” them off. This can be done creatively with things like tall potted plants, tables or drawers, or even a stand up coat rack with a coat hanging on it. Here is an article that talks about other creative solutions some modern companies have found to achieve employee privacy in an open office setting.

The concept of open office design is not going to go away, nor should it. Open planning is not only cost effective but in many ways conducive to top performance and enhanced worker collaboration. But companies are recognizing the downside too. And in today’s business climate, most of are not willing to simply accept the bad along with the good but instead are being proactive about coupling their open office designs with creative policy designs that address potential problems. And what often results is an open workplace that harbors a productive workforce.

Dean Stier is Vice President of National Business Furniture, a leading provider of office chairs, office desks, filing cabinets and other office furniture to businesses, government agencies and other institutions.

Mind Like Water

There is a section of Jonathan Fields’ new book, “Uncertainty“, that deals with the power of training your mind to pay attention and for using meditation practices to reduce stress and improve creativity.

On a conference call with Fields that I participated in he shared some amazing information on how to enhance your skills in these areas.

I have transcribed my notes in a new board on the forum here: Attentional Training, Meditation and Mindfulness

I would invite you to take a look, register, and participate in the conversation.

Do you take time to meditate each day?

What techniques and methods work for you?

What do you find most valuable about your meditation?

If you do not currently use some sort of meditation practice, why not? Or, what do you do in place of it?

Here is a sample:

A common complaint I hear from a lot of people is they don’t get to express their Creativity at work. Some cite being too busy, too confined or are just too afraid that they simply aren’t Creative with a capital-C. I am not on board with that.

With a little training and practice anyone can find the time and motivation to add some Creativity into their Work.

To get you started, here are five things I do to get the juices flowing and make something fun happen

Read the whole thing: 5 Ways to Kick-start Your Creativity at Work

Even the best writers face writer’s block. Worse, even the best writers get trapped by cliché and stale story lines. Fortunately, most writers have found many tricks to help overcome these hurdles and move past any blocks. The next time you find yourself struggling to think of unique story lines or engaging characters, try one of these creativity exercises to move past your block:

Write a Story in another Genre
It’s easy to become comfortable and to fall into patterns when you write the same kind of material over and over again. Writing in another genre can change the way you approach characters, story details, and plot. You may even find that you have a talent for another style of writing or that you enjoy it more!

Keep a Fictional Diary
Discover a new character by starting a fictional diary for him or her. Start with small details that envelop day-to-day activities and see where further exploration leads you. If you need new character ideas or if you’re having a hard time creating a fully-dimensional character, this exercise can help you discover deeper and more nuanced traits.

Scan the Headlines
The truth can be stranger than fiction – and it can also provide great fodder. Read newspapers or magazines for local events or human interest stories to see if you find any ideas for your next story. You may be inspired to write a piece of non-fiction – such as a biography or a piece of social analysis – or you may decide to use the details as a foundation for a piece of fiction.

Steal from the Greats
Wicked and Grendel were popular fictional stories written about fictional characters from other well-known works. If you have a favorite book, play, movie, or musical, consider writing a story about one of its characters or from another point of view. Of course, you have to be careful that the story you are creating is something entirely new.

Write Flash Fiction
Micro fiction or flash fiction is fiction that is less than 2,000 words in length. Some stories are as short as 100 words. Writing such fiction can present a challenge to distill elements of plot and character to their most essential. Writing in this genre will make you think about the truly important elements of your story.

Move Scenes Around
Or whole blocks of text. William Burroughs was famous for doing it successfully, and other writers have found success with the method. If the work seems flat, try moving around the order of events – or even words in a passage – to see if the new creation yields pleasing results or inspires a new direction.

Choose a New Point of View
Take an old piece of writing, or the piece you’re currently struggling with, and rewrite it from a new point of view. If it was written in the third person, choose a character and write it from the first person instead. A new perspective might shed new light on the characters or the plot.

Write Description
Choose a place you know or have visited, and write a 200-word description. Use all your sensory details, and try to describe it for someone who has never been there.

Describe Your Friends
Write short character descriptors for a list of five or 10 of your friends. Thinking of how to describe them in prose will make you think more critically about how your characters appear in print.

Free Write
The simplest way to get over writer’s block is to just write. Don’t think about what you’re writing or where you’re going. Don’t think about how much you’ve written or how much time you’ve spent writing. You may be surprised to find what comes out or what inspiration you discover.

Do you have another favorite creativity exercise that helps you get past your writer’s blocks? Share them in the forum!

Bio:
Leah Landly is the community manager for BluWiki, an informational Wiki service and free web publishing platform. She covers many topics and answers popular questions like, how to touch a girl and how to ask a girl out.

One of the tips for enhancing your creativity was to exercise your imagination and think about how someone else would do your job:

How would your parents have done what you do? Or a fresh-faced kid right out of college? Someone with a different political/religious/philosophical background?

You can use this principle to help create a realistic and lifelike character for your story. Here is this week’s exercise:

Putting Yourself Into the Head of Your Character

• Jot down a short list of the things that you do as part of your job. These can be the tasks and activities that you do daily or weekly or whatever.
• Jot down how you feel when you do each of these things. Do they make you proud or do you dread them?
• What is one of your long-term goals?
• Now imagine that you are going to be turning your job over to someone else: Write down the answers to the following:
  • Who are they?
  • What kind of experience do you think they have?
  • What do you think that their goals will be?
• Write down how well you think this person will be able to perform each of the tasks you listed at the beginning. How will these duties make the new person feel?

Share the results of your character-creation exercise in the forum, or do it on your own and let us know what you think.

What: Writing one 50,000-word novel from scratch in a month’s time.

Who: You! We can’t do this unless we have some other people trying it as well. Let’s write laughably awful yet lengthy prose together.

Why: The reasons are endless! To actively participate in one of our era’s most enchanting art forms! To write without having to obsess over quality. To be able to make obscure references to passages from our novels at parties. To be able to mock real novelists who dawdle on and on, taking far longer than 30 days to produce their work.

When: You can sign up anytime to add your name to the roster and browse the forums. Writing begins 12:00:01 November 1. To be added to the official list of winners, you must reach the 50,000-word mark by November 30 at 11:59:59. Once your novel has been verified by our web-based team of robotic word counters, the partying begins.

Still confused? Just visit the How NaNoWriMo Works page!

How does it work? Create an account at the NaNoWriMo site and:

On November 1, begin writing your novel. Your goal is to write a 50,000-word novel by midnight, local time, on November 30th. You write on your own computer, using whatever software you prefer.

[...]

7) Starting November 1, you can update your word count in that box at the top of the site, and post excerpts of your work for others to read. Watch your word-count accumulate and story take shape. Feel a little giddy.

Write with other NaNoWriMo participants in your area. Write by yourself. Write. Write. Write.

9) If you write 50,000 words of fiction by midnight, local time, November 30th, you can upload your novel for official verification, and be added to our hallowed Winner’s Page and receive a handsome winner’s certificate and web badge.

Basic rules state that you can get started on an outline, character sketches and so on, but no writing until Nov 1st. If you are considering participating then head on over to the NaNoWriMo registration page and sign up. Then visit the NaNoWriMo post in the forum and share with the Community.

We can do it!

Personally, I am getting back into regular blogging after taking a year off to run a restaurant, and this is just the inspiration that I needed to focus my thoughts on “what should I write about now??”

This paragraph especially resonates with me (Matthews writes):

“My projects will follow the freemium model I will be creating a lot of content for free as blog posts, but I will also be creating a deeper coaching or information product to accompany the project for people that want to go deeper.

This way I can focus on building multiple streams of income on a variety of subjects and I am not limiting myself to one niche.

The creation of information products and coaching services cause me a lot of “stuckness” I’m a procrastinator (well I think I am, I must look up the meaning of that word one of these days) and I think the momentum of a project will get me through the research and out the other side to build a saleable information product.”

One of the things that I enjoy the most about being a freelancer is the “free” part, that is, the freedom to work on the things that I want to work on. My old job was incredibly stifling with absolutely no room for creativity. Now I am busting with ideas and getting a chance to really work on them and fill them out.

One of my ideas is for a book about food and my experience in the hospitality industry. I have been working on it quite a bit and I am surprised by the direction that it is taking. It started out as one thing but has transformed into another, a very positive and exciting change.

Where Inspiration Comes From

While I was reading Matthews’ account of his intention to create Freemium content on his blog (that would later become part of a larger and more detailed product that would be for sale) I realized that he was talking about the very thing I had done with my book. I was writing short drafts and posting these drafts on my personal blog to solicit feedback. This was a fantastic reminder (and a bit of a prod) that I needed to get going with creating some new information products that reflect the needs of people today.

The inspirational part is that you can do this with any kind of project that you may have in mind. Break it down into its component parts then, rather than making a list, turn the to-dos into questions that you can answer with a short essay. Really dig down into the heart of each task. Go as far as you can, until you get to a task where you can’t write an answer, or perhaps your answers will take you in an unexpected direction.

Not a distraction, but an improvement. My own work on the book has shown me that my idea, while creative and (I think) fun to read, was not exactly what I wanted to put out there. Each time I sat down to work on the outline and come up with interesting new anecdotes it seemed to get harder to find any that were appropriate to what I was trying to accomplish. This led to thinking about what was appropriate, and which stories worked better than others. Which has taken the book in a completely new direction and has made it a better product.

Discuss the October Topic of the Month in the forum.

GP x Intel: The Smart Lives of Smart Men from Gear Patrol on Vimeo.

Interesting take-aways:
I don’t use the email on my phone either. I do read them, but don’t reply. If I need to I will call or text.

I feel that Technology brings us closer together. If I didn’t have Twitter or Flickr there are so many things I couldn’t share with others, or learn from others.

I used to be “always on”, which was exhausting. I don’t do that any more.

Share your thoughts in the forum Creativity and Technology.

There are no hard and fast rules for photography. Like any art, it all depends on what the artist wants to communicate. But even artists need tips once in a while. Here are ten ways to make your photos pop.

1. Balance –Yin and Yang, good and evil, black and white. Find your balance. It might be color, it might be shape, it might be texture. Whatever it is, make sure your photo is balanced. Try taking the photo with the subject off centered and balanced with something in the background (or foreground).
   
2. Lead – No pointless pictures here. The human eye is great for choosing what is important, even in a cluttered atmosphere, but the camera is not so great. Make sure you lead your views where you want them to go, without being distracted. It might mean you need to crop the photo, make it black and white, or just frame it.
   
3. View – There are many, many ways to look at a scene. Don’t just take photos head-on. Try coming from above or below, sideways or diagonal. Seeing things from a new perspective can really open your eyes.
   
4. Background – Your background can add to your picture or detract from it. If your subject is the only thing you want people to focus on, choose a plain background. If you want more depth to your photos, try for an overlapping background. Whatever you choose, make sure the subject remains the subject.
   
5. Frame–Having a hard time really focusing in on the subject? Try framing. There are lots of things that provide natural frames for a photo. A wall, a window frame, a tree, a mountain. Play around and see what works for you.
   
6. Focus–Ultra important, especially with close-ups or extreme distances. You may want to use a tripod, just so the camera stays focused and steady. The interest in a picture is dramatically reduced if it’s fuzzy and out of focus.
   
7. Breathe – Let your subject breathe a bit. Keep some negative space in your photo so that people do not get overwhelmed. The eyes will naturally focus on the subject, even if 90% of the photo is negative space.
   
8. Try – Try, try, try again. The great thing about digital cameras is the lack of film. So take lots of photos. If you’ve got the subject set up it is much easier to take ten shots now rather than taking one and having to redo it later.
   
9. Light – Play with lighting. I know the ‘Golden Hour’ is when you typically set up your pictures, but try different times of the day for different effects. Or, if you are shooting indoors, try lighting from different, dramatic angles. Shadows add great depth to an otherwise flat photo.
   
10. Play – Have fun! That’s what you are doing this for, right? Play around. See what works for you. And remember, no one sees things exactly the same. Take a second look and see what you can discover.
    

There you go: ten simple tips on making the most of your photos. Now quit reading and get shooting. Remember to have fun and experiment, and don’t be afraid to get dirty. We are always surrounded by beauty; you just have to look for it.

Author Bio:

Kate Croston is a freelance writer, holds a bachelors degree in Journalism and Mass Communication. She writes guest posts for different sites and loves contributing cheap internet service related topics. Questions or comments can be sent to:  katecroston.croston09 @ gmail.com.