Business Cards Land

Given that so many business cards are barely glanced at, thrown away, or casually crammed into a cluttered desk drawer , a tip like this one is pure gold.

However, this tactic is not for the easily embarrassed – the shy – or anyone with an “I’m only networking because the boss tells me to” attitude.  It takes a certain amount of self-confidence and a smidgeon of showmanship to carry it off.

Are you ready?  It’s really very simple.  It costs you absolutely nothing.  All you need is a business card.

Drum roll, please…

The next time you give someone your business card – make a presentation out of it, and hand it to them with BOTH HANDS!

It’s all about attitude.  If you treat your card like so much scrap paper or as if the business card exchange isn’t very important, odds are that your counterpart won’t attach much importance to it, either.

If, instead, you treat your business card as if it contains extremely valuable information (and it does, right?), your counterpart is likely to attach value to it as well.

When you hand your business card to someone with both hands, you’re subtly conveying that this isn’t an ordinary card.  This card is different.  This card is worth a look.  (And believe me; the recipient WILL look at a card that’s given out this way.)  This card is worth keeping.

For even more impact, take a moment to make sure the card is face up and turned so the recipient can read it.  Then hand it sloooowwwwly to the other person.  Don’t worry about looking awkward or hurrying this part – the whole point is to make a production out of the business card presentation.

It may feel a bit awkward.  I still have a rather sheepish grin on my face when I do it.  Sometimes I explain this little business card tactic, too.  It’s a great conversation starter.

Try it!

Popularity: 1% [?]

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I’ll confess.  I’ve thrown away a LOT of business cards – and I’m an expert on them! I’m always looking for well-designed business cards that function effectively as marketing tools.   You’d think that I’d have a huge collection, right?  Unfortunately, ordinary business cards (or poorly designed business cards) are much more common.  And there’s simply no reason to keep all of those.

Research shows that most business cards are thrown away very soon after they’re received.   So what can you do to make sure yours are kept?

It helps to have some insight into why people hang onto business cards in the first place.  Dr. Lynella Grant, author of “The Business Card Book” (500 pages long but a good, comprehensive resource), gives eight reasons why people keep business cards:

• as a link to a potential customer or client;
• as a link to a resource or supplier;
• as a link to a colleague;
• for social or non-business reasons;
• to use for referring business (to pass on to someone else);
• to update information they already have;
• reluctance to part with it because “you never know”; or
• just because of something likable, unusual, or useful about the person or their card.

Some of those factors you can control, some you can’t.  And business cards are cheap enough that they’re worth using, anyway.  But still – what can you do, either by your actions or as part of your business card design and marketing – to create a business card that prospects will keep?

Worth thinking about.

Popularity: 1% [?]

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I’m often asked whether or not it’s a good idea to put a personal photo on a business card.  While it’s common practice in some industries, there are distinct pros and cons.

The most common reason for putting a photo on a business card is that it makes the card more personal.  Establishing good relationships with clients is very important when you’re going to work with someone long-term or when you’re going to cover confidential or sensitive topics.  Realtors, counselors, business coaches and speakers all fall into that category, so it’s common to see photos on their cards.

However, there are valid reasons not to put photos on business cards as well, so it’s smart to consider both sides of the issue before ordering cards.

Here are some advantages of putting photos on business cards:

• Cards with photos on them are usually stacked on top of a pile of business cards.  (Not sure why – maybe there’s a subconscious aversion to laying something on top of another person?)
• Photos convey personal warmth and friendliness.
• Photos illustrate your gender, which is important if your name is used by both sexes or if it would be unfamiliar to someone in another culture.

Here are some disadvantages of putting photos on business cards:

• A photo “dates” you, so it needs to be kept current.
• Photos may feed into labels and prejudices (wrong look, wrong age, wrong gender, et cetera.)
• A photo takes up room that could be used more effectively by adding marketing elements to your card.
• It’s often more expensive to add a photo to your business card.

As with many business card design choices, it could be very instructive to do some testing, and try business cards each way!

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(Besides the obvious one – not having a business card at all!)

While business card experts disagree on some aspects of business card design and marketing (such as whether or not putting an address on your card is absolutely essential), there’s no disagreement on this point.

A business card that’s overcrowded is a waste of money.

Overcrowding a business card is the single biggest business card design mistake according to business card printers who were surveyed, too.

Why?  Because in your desire to put every contact method known to man on your card, every business location, your slogan, your logo, your photo, your certifications and oh yes, your store hours – your business card becomes confusing and illegible.

There’s no way to put all that information on a card without resorting to a very small font and removing most of the white space, right?  Which means it’s going to be hard to read.  Which means it’s likely to be tossed rather than used.

Your business card is not a brochure.  Your business card, instead, is an entry point to your business.  It should be strategically planned to help people quickly and easily get additional information they need, not provide that information itself.

If you want them to call, focus on providing a single phone number that’s answered promptly and professionally.  If you want them to visit your website, make sure your URL is prominently displayed on the card – and maybe give them a compelling reason to do so (such as “Visit our website for our free report on How to Choose a Health Club.”)

Put your focus on your customers, think about the information that is most important to them, and put that on your card.  Anything else is fluff.

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Whoa, there.  Slow down.  Back up a step.  Before you design and order that next set of business cards, you need to pause for a moment and ask yourself “Did I complete the most important step?”

Odds are that you didn’t!  So what step am I talking about?

It’s the step where you take the time to plan how your business card is going to be used.

Don’t just blindly enter your name, company name and contact information, which is what most people (including your competitors) do.  Instead, take a few moments to think about the situations in which you’ll be using your business card.  Then design your business card accordingly.

For example, who are your typical business card recipients?

If they’re older people, think about vision limitations, and don’t use tiny text or overcrowd your card.

Business prospects and business clients have differing needs for information – the former may need more benefit-driven business card text (such as a bulleted list of benefits on the back of your card), while the latter may need expanded contact information (such as the phone number for your service department.)

Where will you be giving out your card?

If your business card is often given out a business networking events or tradeshows, you might want to jazz up the color or background a bit so that it stands out from all the other business cards being distributed that day.

When is the card recipient likely to use your business card?

If you’re a plumber, your prospect may very well be calling you when they’re frantically trying to stop an overflowing toilet.  Make your business card extra-easy to read and put the phone number that’s answered 24 hours a day in large print.

Paying attention to how your business card is going to be used is an absolutely essential part of effective business card design.

Popularity: 1% [?]

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