moo.com Review

It is potentially one of the most important tools we have in our marketing tool box. It has been around since the 17th century, believed to have been used during the reign of Louis XIV. In some countries there is huge emphasis placed on the etiquette, of course, we’re talking about the photo business card.

In an age of digital signatures perhaps we don’t emphasize enough the potential behind the business card. For many businesses this card just serves as a reminder of the company and their contact details. However, for the photographer, where referral business is so powerful, where first impressions are made it should be considered as a very important marketing tool.

There are so many ways you can get business cards produced, from DIY print on perforated cards, typically 50 in a pack, to bespoke custom cards where you need to order a minimum of 500. The latter often seen as a high cost option but this is truly a case of ‘pays your money, takes your choice!’

One company who recognise the needs of the photographer: quality card stock, full colour print on both sides, and the ability to have different cards for each target market sector. What’s more, they offer a free business card sample pack so you can try before you buy.
 
MOO is a very clean website which is easy to navigate and provides a very clear step by step process to get you on your way to creating high quality cards that are bespoke but very affordable, with print runs starting as low as 50 cards from £12.99. Each card is double sided so you could have 50 cards with the same photograph on the back, useful if you are only a wedding photographer, but you could have 50 different images which is a real benefit for the ‘general practitioner’ as you can easily create cards for each discipline you cover.

You have an eye for composition but you’re not a designer? No problem here either. Moo.com utilises the full power of the web enabling you to use your own images importing the files in either, JPEG, PNG, GIF or PDF format, even allowing import from popular social networking sites such as facebook and flickr! So all you need to do is select your favourite 50 photos for the ‘non-text side’ of your business card then follow the simple 5 step process:

Upload your images.


Preview, which also has limited editing tools to enable you to crop or rotate the image to create the most impact.


Select the layout of your card from either the template or by uploading your own complete artwork (pdf, jpeg or png format) Choose from a variety of fonts, how you want the text aligned, choose the font and background colours and then add your contact details. All the details are displayed real-time on the screen as you type them so you can see immediately how your card will look. With the growth in social networking I felt there is a need to include other sites beyond linked in, such as Twitter and Facebook.

Choose the paper type, either the MOO classic which is a heavy card with a silky finish, chosen for its great print quality and luxurious, thick feel. Or MOO green, which as the name implies is 100% recycled post consumer waste card, FSC certified and is 100% recyclable and biodegradable.


Check and preview and Voila! You have created your bespoke cards. Even at this stage you still have the opportunity to edit both the photo and text details. Finally select the quantity of cards you would like printed, at time of writing the networker and pro pack were further discounted, providing savings of £11.97 and £23.94 respectively!


The penultimate step is to choose a business card holder but this is just an option, select next and you are taken to the shopping cart that allows you to create your account, determine your favoured delivery method, and enter any promo codes before proceeding to the secure online payment, where you can pay via, PayPal, Visa, MasterCard and Delta. At the end you get a very clear and concise explanation and details of your order with a unique reference for tracking purposes. There is an option to print but it’s really not necessary as just after you place the order a very friendly moo mail is received from the moo print robot, that includes various links to the order and help sections if required. You receive further notification via e-mail when your order is ready for dispatched, so you are kept up to date at all time.


Unlike other printers that tend to send business cards in a low cost plastic box, with moo.com you get a really great box which just adds that little extra when you go to present a potential client with your business card. The print and overall finish on the cards is really very good.

At a time when business is hard won, you may have a great looking website, even a great email signature, but what if a current client passes your card on to a prospect, will this give the same first impression...
While there is a wide choice of methods for creating cards, MOO ticked all the boxes in providing high quality, bespoke and custom cards via an easy step process at very affordable prices and quick turnaround.


 

VALUE FOR MONEY
USABILITY
TURN AROUND TIME
QUALITY
OVERALL

Visit www.moo.com for more information.