| CD business cards have been around since the late | | | | few of them offer presentation creation and |
| 1990's, but have just recently become popular with | | | | cross-platform disc publishing services too. |
| many businesses as marketing and promotional tools. | | | | We can break down the CD business card services |
| They are becoming more common at trades hows, | | | | into four parts. |
| with sales and marketing teams, and some | | | | |
| universities are using them to promote their course | | | | 1. Creation of data files |
| catalogs and curriculum. | | | | 2. Publishing master data disc - ready for duplication |
| CD business cards are small optical discs that come in | | | | or replication |
| two distinct shapes. The most common is the | | | | 3. Artwork creation and publishing for disc label or |
| hockey-rink shape which is the same diameter as a | | | | face |
| mini-disc (80mm), with curved sides, and cut straight | | | | 4. Duplication or replication of discs, packaging and |
| on the top and bottom to make them approximately | | | | shipping |
| the same size as a paper business card. The curved | | | | (1) Creation of data files |
| sides fit into the center mini-disc indent in a standard | | | | This is the broadest area and can include anything |
| computer CD tray. The second shape is the | | | | from creating a simple PDF file to a complete |
| rectangular disc, which has straight edges all around, | | | | self-launching multimedia presentation with video, |
| is about the same size as the hockey-rink discs, and | | | | virtual tours, slideshows, images, music, voice over, |
| has an 80mm curved extrusion on the bottom that | | | | product and services info, and links to web pages |
| fits into the mini-disc indent in a computer CD tray. | | | | and e-mail. |
| Both discs will work in any CD drive that has a tray | | | | Many companies simply create a few PDF files, or |
| that ejects, but are not for use in the slot-drive CD | | | | one master PDF file, and burn it onto a CD-R to send |
| and DVD drives that are found in some Apple | | | | in for disc duplication. Other companies use their |
| computers. The Apple slot-drives will only work with | | | | website HTML pages as the presentation with an |
| full-size CDs and can be damaged from mini-discs or | | | | autorun.inf file to open the main website page. Video |
| CD business cards. This limitation may have been | | | | files can also be used as the main presentation, and it |
| partly responsible for keeping the CD business card | | | | is common to use an application file (EXE) that was |
| from becoming popular early on. However, since the | | | | created in a CD authoring program such as Adobe's |
| majority of businesses use either desktop or laptop | | | | Flash or Director. These files can be started when |
| PCs, and almost all PCs have CD/DVD drives that | | | | the CD business card is inserted into the disc drive |
| have trays with either a center spindle (laptop) or a | | | | with an autorun.inf file that instructs the OS to run |
| mini-disc indent (desktop), the CD business card is | | | | the main application file. The presentation that |
| now becoming a very popular promotional tool with | | | | prospective customers and clients see is actually the |
| marketing directors in the business sector. | | | | most important part of any CD business card |
| Advantages over other marketing tools | | | | project, and yet it is often the area that is |
| So what are the advantages of CD business cards | | | | underfunded or not given enough attention. If you |
| over traditional marketing tools such as paper | | | | use PDF or HTML files on a CD business card, you |
| business cards, brochures, flyers, catalogs, standard | | | | aren't giving anyone anything different or better than |
| CDs, and DVDs? First let's group all optical discs | | | | what they can get on your website, which in my |
| together and compare them to printed paper | | | | opinion is missing the boat to some extent. When |
| products such as brochures and catalogs. | | | | you give someone your CD business card, you have |
| Brochures and catalogs are good marketing tools | | | | the opportunity to give them the equivalent of a TV |
| because they are immediate. You can quickly get | | | | or video ad, product/service catalog, company info, |
| information about a company's products and services | | | | and links to specific website pages and e-mail. It's |
| by browsing the printed material. The problem is that | | | | important to understand that to the easier and more |
| they are so common, especially because of junk mail, | | | | enjoyable you make it for the viewer of your disc to |
| that they are generally thrown away, lost, or just | | | | get the information that you want to give them |
| ignored entirely. Anyone that has attended even one | | | | about your business, the more likely they are to |
| trade show knows how quickly you can accumulate a | | | | continue with the process and eventually become a |
| bag of printed promotional materials from vendors, | | | | client or customer. This can be as simple as adding an |
| and that most of those brochures and catalogs get | | | | autorun.inf file to your disc to automatically open a |
| tossed with little more than a quick visual browsing. | | | | PDF or HTML file so your viewer doesn't have to |
| The one exception might be paper business cards, | | | | manually open your file, to an entertaining and |
| which are small and easy to store. However the | | | | informational video ad with voice over and music. |
| paper business card is extremely limited in the | | | | Whatever you can do to increase and improve the |
| amount of data and information that it can hold and | | | | experience for the viewer will be well worth the cost |
| convey. | | | | and effort in increased customer interest and sales. |
| CD business cards, CDs, and DVDs, are generally | | | | (2) Publishing master data disc |
| treated as something special compared with printed | | | | This used to be a much larger issue than it is today. |
| brochures and catalogs, and often survive the initial | | | | Most computers have CD/DVD recordable drives, and |
| dumping of excess promotional materials from trade | | | | even if a CD-R is burned on a PC, most Macintosh |
| shows or mail campaigns. The discs can contain any | | | | computers can still open the disc and play the files. |
| type of multimedia content such as video, automated | | | | The exception is if the presentation is created as and |
| slide presentations, voice narration, music, product | | | | EXE application file without an equivalent Mac |
| and service catalogs, and links to web pages and | | | | application file. PDF and HTML files are generally |
| e-mail. The ability to hand someone a disc that has | | | | cross-platform and can be opened on any computer |
| the combination of a video promotion or TV ad, and | | | | with a web browser. I recommend creating the |
| the functionality of a website, is far and above | | | | master data disc as a cross-platform disc to ensure |
| anything that can be conveyed with printed paper | | | | there aren't any problems. This is easy to do on a |
| materials. | | | | Macintosh computer using a program called Toast. |
| Another advantage of using optical discs for | | | | (3) Artwork creation and publishing |
| promotional campaigns is that they cost less to | | | | Artwork for CD business card projects is usually |
| manufacture than high-end brochures and catalogs, | | | | limited to the disc face or label, so it is fairly simple |
| and the postage is also less than it is for printed | | | | compared to some CD and DVD projects. One |
| catalogs and magazines, if you are mailing them out. | | | | caveat is that there isn't a lot of real estate on the |
| The advantage of CD business cards over standard | | | | face of a CD business card, so you have similar |
| CDs and DVDs is twofold. The CD business card is | | | | limitations to paper business cards with the added |
| still a novelty of sorts, and therefore attracts more | | | | problem of a whole in the center. There's plenty of |
| attention and interest, while being small in size | | | | room for your business logo, company name, and |
| compared to standard CDs and DVDs. The novelty | | | | contact information though, so it does function like a |
| factor means they have a better chance of surviving | | | | regular business card as well. Most companies that |
| the trashcan if they are received at trade shows or | | | | offer CD business card duplication and replication |
| from mail campaigns. The smaller size makes them | | | | services will also provide artwork services. |
| easy to carry, hand out, and store. You can't fit a | | | | (4) Duplication or replication of discs, packaging and |
| dozen full-size CDs or DVDs into your shirt or jacket | | | | shipping |
| pocket, so they often get relegated to that large | | | | Disc Duplication |
| bag of brochures and catalogs at trade shows. CD | | | | Disc duplication is generally used for orders of less |
| business cards are about the same size as paper | | | | than 500 discs per label. Duplication means the discs |
| business cards, so you can put a dozen of them in | | | | are duplicated CD-R/DVD-Rs with printed labels using |
| your shirt or jacket pocket and easily keep them on | | | | non-fade archival inks on high-quality thin photo-quality |
| your person if you receive them at trade shows, or | | | | labels. The labels don't fade, smudge, or come off. |
| if you are handing them out as marketing tools for | | | | CD business cards are generally packaged in clear |
| your business. | | | | plastic sleeves that are open on one end to make |
| The cost to manufacture CD business cards is about | | | | them easy to remove. The sleeve holds the disc |
| the same as the larger CDs and DVDs, so there isn't | | | | tight enough so that it doesn't come out on its own. |
| really any disadvantage to using them other than | | | | Disc Replication |
| data capacity. The average CD business card will hold | | | | Disc Replication is generally used for orders of 1,000 |
| 50 MB of data, and there is a slightly larger version | | | | or more discs per label. Replication is the process of |
| available from some companies that will hold 85 MB. If | | | | transferring pre-mastered data format to a glass |
| your data files are larger than 85 MB, or you want to | | | | master. The glass master is then made into a |
| use a video that will play in a set top DVD player, | | | | stamper, which is ultimately used in production. The |
| you will probably need to use a standard CD or DVD | | | | Stamper is placed into a high-speed injection-molder |
| to distribute your message. However, by using | | | | which creates complete digitized data discs. The discs |
| Adobe's Flash video format (FLV), CD business cards | | | | are silkscreen printed on the face of the disc. CD |
| can hold up to 12 minutes of video depending on | | | | business cards are generally packaged in clear plastic |
| pixel size and compression settings. The FLV format | | | | sleeves, but other options are available including |
| has become common place on the internet by video | | | | mini-jewel cases and cardboard wallets or mailers. |
| websites like YouTube to display video content, This, | | | | In Conclusion |
| along with the small file size of HTML and SWF files, | | | | CD business cards are great marketing tools for sales |
| make it possible to include a wealth of information | | | | agents and companies going to trade shows. They |
| and multimedia content on a standard 50 MB CD | | | | get more attention up front and leave a lasting |
| business card. | | | | impression. After all, if somone leaves a trade show |
| Where to get CD business cards to promote your | | | | or marketing meeting with a handful of business |
| company? | | | | cards, and one of them is your CD business card, |
| There are many companies that offer CD business | | | | who do you think they are going to remember? |
| card duplication and replication services, but only a | | | | |