Imagine greeting prospects at your next trade show and not handing out a standard cardboard business card but a business card CD - a name card with digital storage built in. You would be giving potential clients and customers not just the barebones details of your company but rich vivid information in the form of graphics, audio and video stored on the disc that makes up your ebusiness card.

Or perhaps you're a musician with some tracks or an album to promote. You can access a large number of potential new fans by handing out business card CDs holding everything from clips of your music, to ordering details, to your concert schedule. These are just a few of the possibilities for the business card CD, the high tech way to get you and your company noticed.

The digital age has led to the development of a huge number of new ways for promotion and one of the most effective, both in terms of cost and efficiency, is by using business card CDs.

Business card CDs are generally rectangular in shape like standard cards and feature full colour laser printing of your company details and logo and a clear plastic wallet for protection. They can typically hold up to 50MB of data.

Users just pop your card into their standard PC, MAC or laptop CD/DVD drive to sample whatever data you've loaded - a multimedia presentation, for example, or video, a slideshow, a product catalog, and even live links that take them to your website. The possibilities are endless and depends on your type of business and what sort of information your want to promote. Not only are business card CDs highly effective but they also have that wow factor that shows you're serious about your business.

If you've decided business card CDs are for you, here are some practicalities you need to be aware of. The most important distinction to make is between CD duplication and CD replication. These two terms are easy to confuse. Both involve making mass copies of a CD but there are some key differences between the two processes which you must know in order to make an informed decision.

CD duplication is the easier of the two procedures and thus the less costly. It's what's commonly known as CD burning and can be done on any home computer. However, the best companies use robotic CD duplicators to process large numbers of discs quickly and efficiently. Photo-glossy labels from a laser printer offer a smudge-proof, full-colour finish that's both attractive and durable.

CD duplication has advantages and disadvantages. On the plus side it allows full colour printing and fast turnaround times. Your order should be ready in one to two days. Another benefit is that the discs can be left blank to allow you to burn your own content.

On the downside, once you start getting over the 2000 disc number, production costs mount to a point where duplication becomes uneconomical compared to replication.

CD replication, the second process, is a more involved disc duplication procedure which means it's only viable when a large number of copies are needed, typically over 2000 copies.

CD replication involves the creation of a glass master disc which is then used to make a stamper. CD copies are cloned with this stamper by using a modern injection molding process, and then a coat of aluminum is applied, followed by lacquer. Ultraviolet light is then applied for hardening. The disc is then ready for printing. One great advantage for replication is that allows top quality printing using silk screen or offset lithographic. A major downside is the long turnaround times. You typically have to wait 10-12 working days to get your order done.

If you've decided business card CDs are for you, you can visit the websites of CD production companies for quotes and order details for CD duplication. Most also offer DVD duplication and DVD replication services. It makes sense to use professionals for this important task as they have strict quality control systems in place. And by ordering in bulk, you keep costs down. Just place your order online and wait for fast delivery. Then get ready to move your business promotion into hyper drive.

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