CAP Business Cards

Spaceman3750 · October 08, 2010, 07:37:58 PM

Are there some people who would like to post their CAP business card samples? I'm going to have some made up for me from vistaprint.com but I would like to see some others first to see if there's any elements I should incorporate.

a2capt · October 08, 2010, 07:47:15 PM

I can see this now.. The Big V pressures NHQ to C&D vistaprint.com .. because it says "Civil Air Patrol" on it.

jeders · October 08, 2010, 07:54:39 PM

Search is your friend.

Here's a thread

and another

and another

Eclipse · October 08, 2010, 07:57:35 PM

http://captalk.net/index.php?topic=6081.0
http://captalk.net/index.php?topic=9501.0
http://captalk.net/index.php?topic=2059.0

HGjunkie · October 08, 2010, 08:02:23 PM

Yeah, I know. I need a new mug.

Replaced some personal ID info with generic stuff. You can add or remove to it, I don't care.

Krapenhoeffer · October 08, 2010, 08:04:13 PM

Isn't the use of the American Flag on a business card like that against Flag Code?

Granted, so is the NOC logo...

JC004 · October 08, 2010, 08:06:58 PM

Quote from: Krapenhoeffer on October 08, 2010, 08:04:13 PM
Isn't the use of the American Flag on a business card like that against Flag Code?

Granted, so is the NOC logo...

I think so. Not that anyone seems to pay the flag code any mind.

and the NOC logo, yes. bahahaha. CAP's crapton of logos are so hilarious.

HGjunkie · October 08, 2010, 08:10:51 PM

The card looks better in person. My mom printed off like 50 of 'em using Avery.

SarDragon · October 08, 2010, 08:44:38 PM

And, BTW, you're a C/SSgt, not a SSgt.

Spaceman3750 · October 08, 2010, 08:57:29 PM

Thanks for the response. I forgot to search ahead of time. D'oh.

Spaceman3750 · October 08, 2010, 09:50:34 PM

OK, here's a question. On a business card, would you use www.cap.gov or www.gocivilairpatrol.com for our website?

www.cap.gov has a .gov TLD which adds credibility. It's also easier to remember. The downside is that anyone who goes there immediately gets an obnoxious redirect to www.gocivilairpatrol.com (I don't think with .gov domain names you're allowed to do this quietly). And www.gocivilairpatrol.com is on all of our marketing material anyways.

SarDragon · October 08, 2010, 09:53:16 PM

I think you answered your own Q.

jimmydeanno · October 08, 2010, 10:06:20 PM

I always use the gocivilairpatrol.com address. I think it is important to include the www. in front of it for aesthetics, as well as capitalizing the first letter of each word, so on your card it looks like: www.GoCivilAirPatrol.com

That way it's easier to read for the person looking for information.

a2capt · October 08, 2010, 10:13:57 PM

"credible" .. except that you are then sent to the other page, so why not start there, instead of the feeling that the person using the business card might get .. "wow, this person is handing out old cards, they should update that".

Eclipse · October 08, 2010, 10:17:04 PM

Your unit's website is more appropriate unless you on National Staff. There should be links to follow from there,
and most likely anyone you meet personally is more interested in CAP locally than nationally.

jimmydeanno · October 08, 2010, 10:24:38 PM

Quote from: Eclipse on October 08, 2010, 10:17:04 PM
Your unit's website is more appropriate unless you on National Staff. There should be links to follow from there,
and most likely anyone you meet personally is more interested in CAP locally than nationally.

I suppose that would depend on the intent of your business cards. I use mine to recruit people. I put GoCivilAirPatrol on them because my unit may not be the closest or most convenient for the person I hand it to. The recruiters around Andrews AFB don't put www.andrews.af.mil on their cards, they send people to www.airforce.com.

It has my personal contact information and I get a few emails a week asking about more information now that they've gone to the national website and are interested. Then I invite them out to a meeting, again, and provide our local unit's website so they can see what we do specifically.

I don't think that most people's units have websites that are even necessary to direct traffic to. Most are outdated or contain information that members of that individual unit need, or information that means nothing to a person unfamiliar with our organization.

Eclipse · October 08, 2010, 11:12:38 PM

The Recruiters are not recruiting for Andrews, they are recruiting for the USAF.

If the website is broken, fix it.

jimmydeanno · October 08, 2010, 11:25:36 PM

Quote from: Eclipse on October 08, 2010, 11:12:38 PM
The Recruiters are not recruiting for Andrews, they are recruiting for the USAF.

If the website is broken, fix it.

I still disagree.

I think that the addition of 1,500 different websites on our business cards only serves to disjoint our organization further. When I'm recruiting, sure, I'm looking to do so for my unit, but I'm not going to stop pursuing a potential member because I won't see them at my meeting. Do you only recruit people for Group 22? What purpose would it serve to send a potential member to il245.blogspot.com? There isn't anywhere obvious to find out about CAP and half the websites on group22.net are under construction. Only one of them has a "join" button, and that brings them to the national webpage.

Recruiters for CAP should be recruiting for CAP, not just their own Squadron. The national page is designed to garner interest and has a unit locator, so even the most obscure contact can find someone to talk to, meeting nights, locations, etc.

I think people need to have a national picture of what our organization does if they're going to join. So, who would you send to the national website if not people looking to join CAP?

Eclipse · October 08, 2010, 11:39:37 PM

Fair enough - I am not a "recruiter" (yeah we're all recruiters, blah, blah, blah).

If you are a recruiter, or at a recruiting activity, your card can say cap.gov, otherwise, the purpose of a business card is my contact info, not a manifesto on the organization (or an advertisement for a business card company, either).

If you have my card, you've already met me, and we've already discussed the organization. Want more? Call me and we'll talk.

spacecommand · October 09, 2010, 05:24:28 AM

I put my unit's website on mine. Our website is constantly update with two seniors and one cadet working on it.

I don't give out my business card just to recruit people (I don't think I've ever given out a business card to recruit anyone anyway), I give them out so they have a way to contact me, or contact me through my unit.

I don't get a chance to hand them out much though, the last time I gave a business card out was to Mary Feik (very very nice lady), of course she doesn't need to know about CAP much.

EMT-83 · October 09, 2010, 01:44:41 PM

When you design your card, I would say that less is more. Use the proper logo as specified by regulation, and limit the use of fonts and colors. In other words, keep it professional.

BuckeyeDEJ · October 12, 2010, 04:28:58 AM

There was an "official" CAP business card available through the (now defunct) CAP Bookstore. It was printed in two spot colors (reflex blue and red) on white, with the seal in the upper left corner.

There was no other art element on it.

There's nothing wrong with that. Keep it simple, keep the permutations down.

Eclipse · October 12, 2010, 05:08:54 AM

Fax...heh...

FlyTiger77 · October 12, 2010, 10:21:20 AM

Quote from: HGjunkie on October 08, 2010, 08:02:23 PM

Yeah, I know. I need a new mug.

Replaced some personal ID info with generic stuff. You can add or remove to it, I don't care.

Why would you list your name as Last, Middle Initial, First as opposed to First MI Last?

James Shaw · October 12, 2010, 12:29:55 PM

This is my own card design. I did not follow anyone's specific format I just did this myself. I have a small print-shop of my own where I can do raised printing and such. I do calligraphy as a business and make wedding invitations and other related things. I do the calligraphy by hand but use the machines to "mass produce".

I make my own cards on various kinds of paper depending on the intent and the audience. If you like the design, feel free to use it. I print on both sides and once again it depends on the audience. This has worked out well for me. The front part stays the same but the rear of the card changes.

If I am going to something AE or CP related than I will put that information on the back. If it is history related than I will change it. I usually print about 50 of the cards when I go somewhere.

Spaceman3750 · October 12, 2010, 01:36:48 PM

I really like this design. Thanks for posting it!

GMat · December 03, 2010, 02:16:52 AM

Is there an "official" CAP business card? If so, where can it be found?

davidsinn · December 03, 2010, 02:27:03 AM

Quote from: GMat on December 03, 2010, 02:16:52 AM
Is there an "official" CAP business card? If so, where can it be found?

There isn't one. Just remember to keep it simple and don't misrepresent yourself.

Eclipse · December 03, 2010, 02:36:48 AM

Quote from: GMat on December 03, 2010, 02:16:52 AM
Is there an "official" CAP business card?

No.

arBar · December 03, 2010, 06:51:29 PM

Quote from: Spaceman3750 on October 08, 2010, 09:50:34 PM
OK, here's a question. On a business card, would you use www.cap.gov or www.gocivilairpatrol.com for our website?

I think listing both national and local websites are appropriate. The national site (www.gocivilairpatrol.com) is specifically designed for recruiting. If you want to display credibility, that site's videos say more than a .gov extension can. Seeing what we do is a major selling point.

Another major selling point I think is to emphasize the volunteer nature of our organization. Listing the .gov extension (though not bad per se) could potentially convey the opposite meaning to some people.