I’ve been ordering my business cards from VistaPrint for years. The first time, as I recall, I tried one of the free versions and was impressed with the quality.
It wasn’t long before I switched to the premium version. I only order 250 cards at a time because I never know how many I’ll use in any given period.
Here’s why I like the service so much:
- It’s easy – online.
- They save my work – if I start designing a card and get interrupted, I can come back, even days later.
- There’s no sales person feeling impatient as I fiddle.
- The delivery is prompt.
- The selection of designs is enormous – almost too much.
- The quality is excellent.
- Customer service, although I haven’t used it much, seems more than adequate.
If I have a gripe it’s that I have to pay a buck for a printable .pdf proof. That is, a proof I print myself. I have found it a dollar well spent. One time I passed out cards with GhosterWriter for ages before I realized the mistake. Now I pay the dollar, and get a friend to take a look.
If I wanted postcards, or other paper printing I’d sure give VistaPrint, but so far I haven’t had a need.
When you’re designing your cards, Writers – What Should Your Business Card Say? may help.
Write well and often,
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I use Vistaprint for everything! My creative process requires that, whether I’m putting a book together or writing a play, some physical manifestation gets created first. So before I start a script, I design the poster. When a new business idea comes to me, I pop over to Vistaprint and slam out a card. I have lots of cards. After a while you start getting almost daily email discounts from them, so 250 premium cards or 100 postcards only cost postage, and I’ve done ad campaigns with the postcards, they’re quite impressive. We love VP.
I have subscribed to your RSS feed. Also to your emails. Don’t want to miss a thing. I have used VistaPrint in the past. I will continue to do so now that I am trying to launch my own small home-based writing business. I am about to order new business cards from VistaPrint. The price is right, I found a design I like, and if I don’t like them after I get them, they’re cheap enough that I can re-do them.
I was thinking about their free version. Would that be too unprofessional?
Isaac’s last blog post..Interview with David Morrell, author of First Blood and other works
A quick Google on “vistaprint promo code” comes up with as much as 90% off the premium biz cards … since I’ve been using them for years, I get email just abot every day that offers the nice, blank-backed cards for free, just pay about 5 bucks postage.
Isaac, I don’t think it’s every unprofessional to use money wisely and the wee vistaprint on the back of their free cards is truly unobtrusive. I went premium because I wanted to use the back of my cards too.
Joseph, of course… otoh, if you use my links I get a tiny bit of money. Either way it works well.
Craig, I’m blushing! Let us know when you get your website up.
You’re a Writer – You Need a Website or Better Yet, Your Own Blog (http://www.aboutfreelancewriting.com/2008/11/youre-a-writer-you-need-a-website-or-better-yet-your-own-blog/) might help.
I LOVE VistaPrint! I’ve used them a number of times, and I’m a fan.
Oh gawd, what an embarrassing misprint! Luckily, you weren’t advertising editing/proofreading, huh?
) I remember seeing a tidbit in a magazine once where the woman was so excited to hand out her new business cards. It was when she handed one to a male acquaintance and he looked at her funny that she realized the typo – she was listed as Jane Doe, Writhing and Editing. 
Lori’s last blog post..Freebies R Not Us
Those are very cool. They are making me regret my very plain old business cards that I got printed at Staples a few months ago! Ah well. I don’t hand that many of them out these days anyway. Maybe when I run out, I will upgrade…
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@Isaac – VistaPrint’s free cards are fine if money is tight. Their only price is you are doing some advertising for them. Their logo will be on the back of your business cards. If you don’t mind that, then go ahead. I want the back of mine to be blank for someone to take notes on. I’m willing to pay a few bucks for that.
I started to get the free cards, but then I decided to pay $5 or whatever it is to have a blank back. My husband is a web designer and he uses VistaPrint often for marketing materials, as well. It’s a good thing they’re cheap, because he changes the look of his business cards every few months it seems!
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I always use VistaPrint, it is an excellent service. When you subscribe to their e-mail messages you often get better deals than what you see on-site. This week via the e-mail link it is free premium cards (so the blank back is also included free). I’ve ordered hundreds of products from VistaPrint for myself and friends/family who needed some marketing materials. Always satisfied with what I get and the price I get it for.
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@AuroraGG: Thanks. Didn’t know that. I signed up for their newsletter.
@Admin: Thanks, I will definitely let you know when my website is ready for visitors. I will also welcome your critique. I need all the help I can get. I’m new at the sole proprietorship thing.
DISAPPOINTED with VISTAPRINT…I just received my first shipment of business cards from VistaPrint. I am disappointed. The quality is great, however, the cards are not standard business card size and they fail to tell you that, they are smaller. Very strange indeed. They are more like those card inserts for Graduation invitations. My business card is my reputation in real estate and these cards with their tiny size are embaressing.
They did give me a refund today, so I am happy with them, but will not use them again because when I order business cards, they should be the universal standard size and they do not offer it. I wish they had let me know this before, I would not have ordered them and wasted their money.
Jeff, I’m so very surprised… my cards are normal size… at least here in the USA – and you’re in Atlanta… just measured mine against several others… a ReMax real estate guy, a veterinarian, a hair dresser and a chiropractor and all were within a nat’s eyebrow of each other, including mine… seriously, they are all the same size – which I think is standard – 2 inches by 3-1/2 inches.
Is it possible they made/sent you the wrong size or that somehow you ticked a box for the smaller size? Did they say anything one way or the other about the size when you returned them?
Anyway, I’m glad they refunded your money, but this does seem like a bit of a mystery to me… I agree cards of the right size are important… unless you’re trying to do something else, which obviously you aren’t.
I use their postcards, as thank you notes. Have a space for a personal note, have my web site and some funny poem or whatever.
Their vehicle magnets are pretty nice too, lot cheaper than others I’ve priced.
Hi Ann:
Thanks; I was thinking of going local until I found a design that blew me away. I paid $75.00 for 1000 B&W cards a few months ago! This is a big savings and a better product.
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Angela, it’s so tempting to support local business for a wide variety of reasons… I struggle with it all the time. Like you I can’t justify it with business cards.