Everyone has a business card but few people use them as real marketing tools. Let’s see if you are. Take out your business card and look at it. Be honest. What does it say to a prospective customer? What impressions does it leave with them? Will it make the people you’re going to give it to go “wow”? Is it going to make them ask you questions about what you do? Or are they just going to say “thank you” and put in a pocket?
Is your business card printed on white paper with black block type? Conventional to the point of a yawn. Or is it a real conversation piece?
When you think about it, your business card is far more than just a card with your name and phone number on it. It is a mini-advertise ment. It is one of the first impressions of your company. It needs to start the positive impression building process.
So what can you look at when redesigning your cards? The texture and color of the stock are vitally important. Select card stock that “says” something about you. If you think it’s not that important, watch the next people you give a card to. They almost invariably feel the card as they talk. Give them something nice to feel.
Is your card easy to read? Most have basic contact information but does your card also have your e-mail, website address, Twitter, Linked In and other social networking information?
The next thing they do is turn the card over. Does your business card have white space on the back? If so, you’re wasting a valuable selling opportunity if it does. Print useful information there such as list of products or services you offer or brand images.
Have you won any awards for excellence in your field? Don’t keep them to yourself. Put them on your business card. It’s a testimonial in miniature. A customer testimonial will work too.
The final point on cards. Make sure that everyone in your company has one. Yes, I said everyone. It always amazes us how clients of ours tend only to give so-called senior or sales-oriented people business cards. Doesn’t your receptionist meet with people? Doesn’t your service mechanic have friends? Cards are inexpensive. Print a bunch and make sure people give them out all the time.
You don’t need an obvious sale opportunity to pass out a card. You never know where and when a referral will occur. If you aren’t replacing your stock of business cards frequently, your people aren’t doing their job to give them away at every opportunity.
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