It's been a long time since I had a business card. Since I moved from the world of corporate IT to writing and design work online, I've had no need for them. When you're separated by a large chunk of geography, face to face meetings are few and far between.

My first blog and my Twitter account were my calling cards once I started getting involved in the Internet community. From those came Fusion Ads and a change in my career. In the 6 years since, I've never needed a card until this past year.

It wasn't until my wife and I started considering a move to another town that the need arose. Once I started to connect with locals who were remote workers or involved in the startup community, I realized having something to hand out with my contact details would be useful.

That's where Hoban Cards comes in.

Do it right

If you're going to carry around several pieces of dead tree with your name and details on them, they should look good. Evan Calkins has been doing that for people for several years now over at hobancards.com. I've long wanted to put in an order, but the lack of actual need had always kept me from pulling the trigger.

I'm glad for that.

The cards are printed on a sturdy stock of paper that gives a feel of quality. Of course, the nice type and letterpress print lend to that feel as well. Handing these out to people will be a pleasure.

And while the end product is a quality item, the process of putting in your order is also a good experience. Evan is fast to respond to any questions or modifications and pleasant to interact with. He's a swell guy!

His service is genius. If you're a designer and want to craft your own unique look, he’s your printer who can make your design sing. Just send him your design and he’ll get you the cards. But if you're not endowed with Illustrator skills, he's got you covered as well with the templates listed on the Hoban Cards home page. Anyone can have a well designed, attractive calling card for a good price.

I can't recommend the service enough.