The Best Business Card Order Form Alternative
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Are you seeking to streamline and fast-track the ordering, proofing and production of business cards for your organization. A business card order form may be ideal for you… maybe even a form on a web page on your intranet. But there is a superior alternative to the traditional business card order form. Read on!
The Pitfalls of a Traditional Business Card Order Form
Re-Typing Information Leads to Errors
Even if you have a complete and exhaustive visual identity guide (check out What is Visual Identity here) and a clear and concise business card order form, infrequently used optional items can lead to confusion and result in inconsistent formatting of the business card. For example: Are credentials or designations reduced by one or two points in size? If there are four lines of contact phone numbers instead of the usual three, does the phone text block build downwards or upwards? Does the office address use hyphens or en-dashes? Does the optional Twitter handle have a label or not or is it even allowed to be on the business card? If lines of type overlap, which lines are forced to wrap or shift, and how? All of these kinds of questions can easily lead to consistency errors.The Need for a Proofing Cycle Leads to Slower Turnaround Times
Once the business card is formatted and a PDF proof is generated, this PDF is typically sent back to the orderer to proof. This slows down the entire production of the business card when the orderer is not shown an accurate proof when they are filling in the business card order form. If there is a problem with the proof, then corrections need to be made and the proofing cycle starts all over again!Unrestricted Entry Fields and Not Seeing a Live Proof Leads to Unrealistic Expectations
If the orderer is not shown an accurate proof when they are filling in the business card order form, then turnaround times are impacted. Once the business card is formatted and a PDF proof is generated, this PDF is typically sent back to the orderer to proof and approve. If there is a problem with the proof, then corrections need to be made and the proofing cycle starts all over again! Once the orderer approves the proof, sometimes a third party’s approval is required.Approval from a Third Party Leads to Potential Bottlenecks in Production
With a traditional business card order form, getting approval from a third party is likely a manual process that must be handled before the order can be released for production. Sometimes orders may accidentally be released for production before getting that proper third party (or parties) approval.The Best Business Card Order Form Alternative
A web to print storefront with a business card template allows for business cards to be ordered and proofed in the most efficient manner possible! The orderer is presented with a real-time proof as they are entering the information for the business card in something that usually looks a lot like a business card order form.
No Re-Typing of Information Means No Errors
The information entered into the automated business card order form in the web to print system is directly used to generate a real-time proof!
Pre-Programming All Formatting Rules Means No Inconsistencies
Your web to print system uses advanced logic and rules to automatically format and build the real-time proof to every exacting detail based on your visual identity or branding guidelines and rules!
The Proofing Cycle is Already Done!
Since the web to print system generates an accurate real-time proof, and is usually downloadable, the proofing cycle is already completed!
Entry Fields Can Be Restricted
The web to print system can also restrict what can be entered into a field. Fields can also be validated on the fly to ensure that the end-user is entering the appropriate information and/or complies with the visual identity or branding guidelines!
Automated Third Party Approvals
The information entered into the automated business card order form in the web to print system is directly used to generate a real-time proof!
The Multipurpose Web to Print System
A web to print storefront can also be used for far more than just a business card order form. Please check out our Comprehensive List of Marketing Materials for Web to Print that gives you a lengthy compilation of both customizable and static items that can be easily handled by a robust web to print solution.
No matter what industry your business or organization, a web to print solution will help you optimize the creation of custom printed marketing materials and a host of other items too!