Proposed club expense, please vote, dues-paid members only

[Kyle]

Okay, this was an initiative that was proposed in the last fiscal year and it was not taken up, but I do think it is an important one, and now that our membership dues have gone up to $30/yr there is more in the treasury to accomodate this.

The issue is this: we want to promote FCBA, but whenever mentioning it to new people, there is no intro card to give out, and then you need to write down the info, which is not convenient or professional.

The standard minimum order for business cards is 250. Covey has the best quality-price ratio I have found in town, on good quality 110# cardstock for about $21 black and white or $42 colour. They are also cut rather than perforated.

This initiative failed to get member support last fiscal year since there was very little in the  treasury, and membership largely wanted to make no expenses that were not directly related to brewing. I have come to realize that this is without a doubt a worthy expense in my opinion, and that it is directly related to brewing.

This is a minor expense relative to the current treasury balance. If this is approved by a simple majority vote of dues-paid members, we will get them printed and distribute them to members for handing out as appropriate.

This poll runs for one week.

[Dave Savoie]

Vistaprint.ca has some sharpe and very inexpensive business cards not to mention you can design it with a big ol mug of beer on it !!!

[Richard]

Dunno if it's been considered, but I figure JW has some contacts on this front

[Kyle]

haven't asked him yet, will check that and Vistaprint

[JohnQ]

Looks like the poll is pretty one sided, so in answer to all above, yes as my Father used to say "That is something I happen to know a little bit about".
Vista Print is a good idea for something like this, they imprint the back with an ad for themselves and the cards are damn near free, though they may upcharge our own artwork a bit, I'll have to go and take a look at the current setup there.
I also have a colour laser that can print on to 80# stock, and if you give me an idea of what you want on it, and send me any files you have I could do a mockup for the next meeting, then people can say if they think it's good enough.  I have a cutter still, so I could do the whole thing, though the accuracy of the cut won't be as professional (it's not the $25,000 computerized cutter I had at my shop, god it was beautiful).
The reality is, that there are levels of image you project, and as long as it's not avery perf card, it becomes a matter of degrees.
The heavier stock you'd get from Vista is offset a bit by the advertising, full colour has a definite impact over one colour.  Full Bleed (printing that goes right to the edge without a border) makes an impact as well.  But everything is relative, and what is the purpose...

In my mind,

1. Spark an interest in potential members.
2. Made at a quality level, that they'll keep it.
3. A quality level that makes us look "serious", but not necessarily "professional", after all, we are still a club, not a business.

In this circumstance, that's it for me.

JW

[Kyle]

+1 to JohnWay

[brew]

+2 to John...

Would love to see a mockup John if you don't mind! We'd be fortunate to have John help us with this...

I have been wondering about a logo for our club as well - we should really have something shouldn't we? I'd like to put it on the paypal payment page as well... here is the image I used for the account I'm using for the treasurer:

https://profiles.google.com/u/0/100114464927309642330/about?tab=mh

Maybe one day when we have a bit more cash in the bank, we could make ourselves a banner to display at events - demonstrations, competitions (after the laws change), that sort of thing...

[Kyle]

Microsoft Office also has a feature that you can download a pile of templates for cards.

[JohnQ]

What I need to know is:
1. What info do we wish to impart.
Is it simply a direction to the website where they can get more info, or more? Perhaps listing the value propositions of membership, contact info outside of the website, etc.
2. What is the font that you used for the header of the website, Richard? It's important to maintain a single image, the headline on the card should match the headline on the website...when they click here it's an immediate confirmation of being at the right place and provides a subliminal message that we have connected with them.
3. What images do we want to include on the card? A city skyline, something brewing related, something else entirely?
It is possible to (WITH THE RIGHT IMAGE) to overlay text on a full colour card, the city skyline at night or during the day with the text and beer related images over top is possible, but not necessarily desirable.
4. Is the mainline for the card "Fredericton Craft Brewing Association" or "Craftbrewing.ca"
JW

[Kyle]

Responding here:

1. (text supposed to be centered, *'s approximate card dimensions)

*****************************************
*
*    FREDERICTON CRAFT BREWERS ASSOCIATION
*
*       craftbrewing.ca
*
*    NB Homebrewers social and bulk-buying club
*
*****************************************

Decorate corners with wheat, barley, hops and yeast pics/drawings

4. the latter.

my 2 cents anyways, interested in other suggestions

[JohnQ]

So here is a 5 minute mockup, that matches the theme of the website, and is a starting point only.
No Graphics at this point of any kind except the banner from the website, and just some bullet lines to consider.
Design by committee generally doesn't work, so I'll probably stop paying any attention to you at some point, but for now, post away with any suggestions.
JW

[JohnQ]

And before you say it, I note it's Brewers, not Brewing.
JW

On my way out geocaching for a few hours, so post away, I've not stopped ignoring you yet.   :twisted:

JW

[Kyle]

looks good so far, maybe shorten that last point to "many other benefits"

[Richard]

I can put the card together as per the mockup above if someone (JW) gives me the DPI + dimensions.

[JohnQ]

I can put the card together as per the mockup above if someone (JW) gives me the DPI + dimensions.

Already in Corel, I can get if from there to any format.
Easier just to let me know the font for the craftbrewing.ca and I'll get it and get away from using the png file.

Any other graphics would be appreciated, though there is something elegant about the current simplicity.

JW