Calling/Business Cards

[Blue5]

Just spring cleaning the nav bag and came across a couple of cards given to us by cruisers we met with their names and boat details. It reminded me of a recent thread I saw on an American Forum where these cards seemed very much the norm.

On reflection they seem a good idea and certainly brought back memories of people and boats, does anybody on here have them or are they predominantly an Americanism.

 

[AntarcticPilot]

Just spring cleaning the nav bag and came across a couple of cards given to us by cruisers we met with their names and boat details. It reminded me of a recent thread I saw on an American Forum where these cards seemed very much the norm.

On reflection they seem a good idea and certainly brought back memories of people and boats, does anybody on here have them or are they predominantly an Americanism.

They're cheap enough to have - I've just ordered business cards, and 100 cost less than a tenner, including delivery; it is much cheaper (per card) for more. Note, though, that the online services (vistaprint, 123print, moo and so on) all add significant delivery charges to the order cost - and you don't see it until the end of the purchasing process!

However, the local print shop would have cost twice as much!

 

[FullCircle]

We have had boat cards since purchasing Full Circle in 2005.
They have the same avatar that you see here, and our port of origin, e-mails, telephone numbers.
Very handy whenever I ask for quotes at boat shows, saves me a load of time filling in little forms.
Have used over 500 in the last 7 years, one way or another.
We used Vistaprint, but you pay extra for self generated images and 4 colour work.

Next time we have them printed, I shall add Radio call signs, MMSI and SSR number

 

[whipper_snapper]

I find a boat's 'stamp' is very useful, as good as a card, but you can stamp ship's documents, logs etc. to give the impression of officialness. A stamp has remarkable authority in some places.

 

[NornaBiron]

We have cards with a photo of the boat, local and UK telephone numbers, blog address and e-mail addresses. Very useful for keeping in touch with others. The cards that we have received help to jog memories of the people that we have met on our travels so far, we hope that ours do the same for those that we have given them to.

 

[Sybarite]

I find a boat's 'stamp' is very useful, as good as a card, but you can stamp ship's documents, logs etc. to give the impression of officialness. A stamp has remarkable authority in some places.

Yep. I remember reinforcing some documents in the Congo with a paid stamp.

 

[[29051]]

I used the Vistaprint 'free' ones via Quidco for my last 2 lots. £5 cash back left me about £2 in credit both times, as the only charge was postage. Didn't pay extra for quick delivery, but both times were less than a week anyway.

They aren't posh but seeing as they paid me to have them I am not complaining !

 

[whipper_snapper]

Yep. I remember reinforcing some documents in the Congo with a paid stamp.

I meant this kind of stamp.


With boat name, SSI, callsign etc

 

[duncan99210]

We have a card for Rampage - line drawing of the boat plus contact details. Print them ourselves using A4 sheet of cards (about 12 to a sheet) and only print as many as we need as our postal address changes all the time.....

 

[nigelmercier]

We have them on our boat, very handy. I used VistaPrint, but have since discovered Moo.

 

[RobbieW]

We have a Vistaprint card with a photo (same as avatar), boat name, our names, email, skype and blog addresses. Works very well for keeping in touch with those we've met so far

 

[Blue5]

I used the Vistaprint 'free' ones via Quidco for my last 2 lots. £5 cash back left me about £2 in credit both times, as the only charge was postage. Didn't pay extra for quick delivery, but both times were less than a week anyway.

They aren't posh but seeing as they paid me to have them I am not complaining !

That seems a good deal, order enough and you can get enough cash back to get some decent ones designed

 

[snowleopard]

The best ones I have seen were from a Scottish boat who had custom labels affixed to miniatures of Scotch. They were very popular.

Mine have the boat name and logo, mobile number, email address, MMSI and our home address on the back. Not used them much since ending our liveaboard phase.

 

[prv]

Yep. I remember reinforcing some documents in the Congo with a paid stamp.

Russia is another place that splattering multiple stamps all over a document causes it to carry more weight. Round ones seem to be worth more than square ones.

Even the company that used to deliver bottles of drinking water to my parents' flat (can't trust the mains there) would put three different stamps on the packing sheet before handing it over.

Pete

 

[PhilipH]

We have boat cards - very handy - with photo, name MMSI no, phone nos, email and website.
We also have a stamp - good for crew lists etc for officials.

One problem with boat carsd is that you can collect so many that you forget who was where when. We stick 'em in our address book so must write a little note as an aide memoire in future

 

[maxi77]

A combination of changing address from time to time and living in a foreign country makes having so called business cards (the Japanese more sensibly call them name cards) very usefull. We find very good with lots of extras. Last order cost about £12 delivered and included more cards tha we expect to use, nice note cards, sticky labels and a card holder for Mrs Maxi to carry cards safely in her handbag

 

[johnalison]

With winter coming on, why not make it a project to make your own? It's not particularly difficult. I did ours in Photoshop but many others could be used, probably even Word for anyone clever enough to get their head round that.

They are very useful in harbour offices as well as giving to people you meet. Ours looks better with the blanked out bits in place. The latest version has MMSI as well.