Business cards go creative, and cheap

Getty ImagesRecently I went to a conference without any business cards. When people asked me about it, I said I was "going green" and saving paper. In truth, I just forgot. I know. That's a weird move for a career columnist. But in my case, business cards don't serve much use anymore. I have a website and email address so easy to remember that if anyone wants to find me, all they need to do is remember to spell Marci with an "i" not a "y." And you can find me on pretty much any social network.

That said, I'm in the minority on this one. As I quickly learned when I wondered aloud on Twitter whether people still care about business cards now that so much of our contact information is posted online. Moments after my tweet, I was barraged with messages from people who are still clinging closely to their business cards. Job hunters need them. Those seeking clients need them. And if you're dealing with people from other cultures, proper business cards are expected.

Business cards are not only here to stay, but they have grown up and adapted to today's ways of working. The new thinking on business is cheap, creative, and versatile -- perfect for people in transition, juggling multiple work identities, or those changing jobs so often that they need to quickly replenish them.

One of the most innovative companies making business cards is Moo, which offers custom and ready-made options displaying a customer's photos, a logo, or a range of colorful or whimsical designs by Moo's artists. Packages of cards -- which come in the memorable mini size or standard size -- can even feature a different image on each one. There are a variety of models available at fairly reasonable prices. The MiniCards cost $19.99 for a 100 card pack; business size cards start at $21.00 for a 50 card with discounts for larger quantities.

If Moo is the everyman or woman's do-it-yourself creative option, some companies, like Lego -- and these folks -- have gone even more high concept. And while we're focusing on things over-the-top, have a look at Meat Cards, a new experiment in making business cards out of -- you guessed it -- beef jerky. They have the unique selling point of being edible once the contact information is captured.

The other big direction in business cards is cheap. And when it comes to cheap, lots of folks are singing the praises of VistaPrint which offers 250 basic business cards for ridiculously low prices. Through various coupons and offers, cards are available for the price of shipping (about $5.95), or even for free as long as you're willing to have an advertisement for VistaPrint's free cards on your business cards. Other sites for ultra-cheap or free card offers include: ooprint, GigglePrint, 123Print, and GotPrint.

Finally, the information on business cards is changing. Whereas the big space-eater used to be numerous phone numbers and emails, more people are including their online profiles on business cards. If you're data is always changing, then store it in an online place -- say, a personal website, LinkedIn, VisualCV, or Google's new personal profile service -- and include that link on your business card.

Which brings me back to the whole environmental issue. If you use your print business card merely to direct people to an online place where your full data can be found, maybe you wouldn't have to kill so many trees every time you change your contact information.

Have you done anything creative, bold or original with your business cards?