well i'm not a hundred percent, but the laws in georgia don't allow home bakeries, so i know that i can't advertise or technically sell product, so i was wondering if i gave someone a business card if that could technically be counted as advertising. i mean, i know not to put up flyers, but i don't know about the cards.
LEt's say you have a business card that says:
"Best Cakes Company
Custom Made Cakes for your Special Event
www.bestcakesco.com
Ph: xxx=xxx-xxxx
email: [email protected]"
Let's say you accidently hand this card to someone who works for the health dept.
Do you really think he's going to believe you when you say, "Oh no, sir! I'm not a business! I just pass these cards out for the heck of it."
If Georgia doesn't allow home bakeries, then the law isn't that you can't advertise .... the law is you can't run a home bakery business. The law isn't that you can't "technically" sell cakes .... the law is that you can't sell cakes.
Here's my situation. In Nebraska we can have home bakeries as long as we are only selling them to individual consumers & not to other places for them to re-sell. The catch is we can't advertise. Would business cards be considered advertising in that case? I think it probably would, but just the input of everyone else. Thanks
Queen, I have to ask, "have you ever been a little bit pregnant?"
Just saying'. You can't be a little bit pg and you can't not be "technically" not allowed to have a cake biz. Both are ALL or NOTHING propositions.
okay, to refrase-- home bakery not allowed in georgia,is a business card considered under advertising? i appreciate all of your answers, i use the word "technically" alot which i guess i shouldn't do. I don't know the law in my state very well (which i know i should get well versed in, before someone throws that in, 
) i just wanted to know what fell under the category of advertising.
i use the word "technically" alot which i guess i shouldn't do.
Habits are hard to break so kudos to you for recognizing it and working to change it! 
i just wanted to know what fell under the category of advertising.
This is cart before the horse logic. If your state doesn't permit a home business, then you have nothing to advertise. 
Yes, its advertising.
I even found the definition in an online dictionary:
to announce or praise (a product, service, etc.) in some public medium of communication in order to induce people to buy or use it: to advertise a new brand of toothpaste.
2.to give information to the public about; announce publicly in a newspaper, on radio or television, etc.: to advertise a reward.
Yes, its advertising.
I even found the definition in an online dictionary:
to announce or praise (a product, service, etc.) in some public medium of communication in order to induce people to buy or use it: to advertise a new brand of toothpaste.
2.to give information to the public about; announce publicly in a newspaper, on radio or television, etc.: to advertise a reward.
There is no legal reason you can not give people cards with your contact information. There is no "advertising police." You may have a very legitimate reason for sharing this information. By the way, there are about 10 million people in Georgia. Chances are you will not be handing it to a health inspector. And if you did, the consequences depend on what you are doing and what you say in this unlikely event. Networking with business cards is a great way to stay in touch with people. Someday, that card maybe useful to the person you've given it to.
Yes there are many reasons that you would give someone a business card. I gave one to the officers after witnessing a car accident as a quick way for them to have some sort of contact info.
While, in that case, the card was not used for advertising, the ENTIRE purpose of paying to print cards is to let people know about my business, which is ADVERTISING. This was the question asked, so I answered.
However, a calling card is significantly different than a business card. A calling card is for your personal contact info.
There is no legal reason you can not give people cards with your contact information.
Agree. A plain card with JUST name, phone/email, address is fine. no cake artwork, the word "cake" not on there anywhere, no website address.
Chances are you will not be handing it to a health inspector.
"Chances" are what we don't want the OP to be taking.
A former health inspector tells me of the time he stopped for lunch at a famous fast food place. He stood in line and watched a girl take the trash out the back door, watched her open the dumpster and put the bag in, watched her come back in, watched her walk PAST the handwashing sink and up to the counter where she looked at this guy and said, "Can I help you?" He said, "Yes ..you can get me your manager", who became the recipient of a health violation.
Chances of a health inspector being in her lunch line at that particular time on that particular day, especially when you consider how many famous fast food places there are in a city of over a million people, had to be pretty slim. But it only has to happen ONCE.
We're just cautioning against taking a flippant "oh that will never happen! there aren't any advertising police!" attitude.
No, there aren't any "advertising" police. But there are health dept inspectors .... and they show up at places that you just don't expect to see them.
Yes there are many reasons that you would give someone a business card. I gave one to the officers after witnessing a car accident as a quick way for them to have some sort of contact info.
While, in that case, the card was not used for advertising, the ENTIRE purpose of paying to print cards is to let people know about my business, which is ADVERTISING. This was the question asked, so I answered.
However, a calling card is significantly different than a business card. A calling card is for your personal contact info.
hmmm..calling card... i appreciate you mentioning that actually, i had the two confused i think, or rather, did not think to distinguish the two. this is actually pretty helpful. thanks!
I write business cards off as an advertising expense, so the IRS considers them to be advertising.
I write business cards off as an advertising expense, so the IRS considers them to be advertising.
The IRS considers what you tell them to be a cost of doing business as a legitimate deduction if you have the receipt and you have a business. There is no requirement that equates them to advertising. Business cards could also be categorized as office supplies, paper, misc. If the OP isn't running a business, she won't be submitting a Schedule C anyway.
I write business cards off as an advertising expense, so the IRS considers them to be advertising.
Ditto! If you have a business card, you have an actual business which means its a business expense. If you are doing this illegally then get ready for the consequences. And yes, a plain personal card with your name, phone number is a whole other thing. But once you put that little cake on it with your info then that is advertising!
If the OP isn't running a business, she won't be submitting a Schedule C anyway.
That's potentially one of the problems.
haha, no kidding! If there's income and no schedule C, the IRS would probably be reaaaallllllly interested in that!
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