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Coolest Business Card Designs, Part I - Here are the coolest, most innovative business cards that you have ever seen. Here is Part II.
Coolest Business Card Designs, Part II - Here are the coolest, most innovative business cards that you have ever seen.
Coolest Business Cards, Part III - Here are the coolest, most innovative business cards that you have ever seen.
Coolest Business Cards, Part IV - Yet again, more of the most unique business cards around.
by Scott Sedwick
CD ROM Business Cards
Created properly, an extremely effective marketing tool.
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It's a great concept, - and it has a 'cool factor' of 300%.
Many people will pop these into their drive just because of image appeal alone. What's really neat is when one is so well done, so informative, so interactive, that everybody wants one. This type of viral marketing can be very effective and create residual traffic to your business.
The point I would like to make here is, don't undertake these projects without specific goals in mind. Yes, they are cool, yes, they (themselves) are not that expensive, but without a well done message, or purpose, they lose the 'cool' effect very quickly. The point is to keep interest, no matter what your selling, or announcing, or rolling-out.
Anyone can get online and find a dozen CD replicating firms pretty quickly. What you really want to find is a professional consultant that can assist you in putting it all together, making it all work, and keeping it interesting. This presentation is what will make the CD card become a success (sizzle!).
The CD cards themselves are not your real expense (under $1), it's the chosen platform and presentation you care to deliver and how. Let's look at some ideas...
One of the first things you should consider is that the presentation have live links to it's major content (your website). In this way, you can constantly keep your website pages updated and the CD remains usable indefinitely (not outdated).
When loading, you can also choose to have a permission based icon burned onto the user's Desktop that links directly to your website.
You can make special offers that can be retrieved at your website. You can use them for your next huge Tradeshow Product Announcement and Roll-out. How about your Corporate Year End Results?
These cards can hold different capacities (MB's), and come in many shapes. You can create a custom shape, but that adds heavily to the investment (there are plenty of shapes available).
You can fit audio, video, and most content within this form factor. The popular interface is currently Flash™ or other Macromedia™ applications. They are fast, allow complete creativity, and interface well on both PC and MAC platforms. If you have a Flash™ specialist in-house, then you can save money in the creation process.
Now you should take the major goals of the CD and layout a Storyboard that accomplishes those goals. You have a lot of flexibility here, you have audio, sounds, voices, music, and you have animation, video, and links to more information.
This should be your interactive TV commercial.
Besides, the CD ROM's, we keep a copy of the commercial on our website for the benefit of the people who didn't receive a CD card. They can view our webmercial from online too!
Use your logo prominently through-out your presentation (branding). Keep your messages and information focused, always restating the benefits.
Know your audience! Especially if this CD Project is directed at a specific market segment. Create the environment with that audience in mind, not what desk executives like.
The image on the cover of the CD is completely flexible as well. You can use a photograph, a screenshot, or a combination. The image resolution has improved dramatically in the past 3 years. Use or create some of your "best stuff" for these CD projects, because the results will be worth it.
You also pay for plastic sleeves that each CD has been inserted in-to (you want these). It makes them very easy to mail.
Consider that image, you receive one in the mail with your Christmas card from the company. Maybe you ship one out with every order for a month..?
It really depends on what you want to accomplish. Come up with the concepts necessary in having a successful campaign.
Multi-media is a fabulous medium, don't hesitate if we can help you with yours.
Thank You - and happy promotions!
Scott Sedwick may be contacted at http://www.hyperformancemedia.com
Scott is the Founder and Sr. Project Manager for Hyperformance Media.com, serving the online business community since 1996. Allow his 25 years of experience in the computer industry to help you succeed online!
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