Business Cards Land

I don’t know how to sugar-coat the answer to this myth, so I’ll say it straight out.  Are you CRAZY?

Let me be clear.  The “free” business cards I’m referring to here are the smaller, thinner, ad-for-a-huge-printing-company-on-the-back business cards.  These cards SCREAM “freebie” to anyone who gives them more than a casual look.

These business cards that are obviously free and flimsy can really hurt your reputation if you’re not careful.  (And believe me; it’s hard to be objective about your own cards.  You may think “My friends like my cards just fine.”  But to be blunt, their opinion doesn’t matter.  What matters is the opinion of customers and prospects.  And they WILL notice if your card is of lesser quality than your competitors’ cards.)

The reason is that your business card is a direct and very personal reflection of your business.  It may be the first impression someone gets of who you are, what you do, and how you do it, and it’s often the impression you leave with them too.

Do you REALLY want prospective clients to think that you’re so cheap, or so unsure of your business, that you’re unwilling to invest $39.95 or so to promote it properly and professionally?  Why would they make the investment to buy your product or utilize your service when you come across as a fly-by-night operator who may not even be in business next week?

“Freebie” business cards are okay for casual, personal use, but not for business.

Still not convinced?  Request some business card samples from a quality printer, and compare them with your free business cards.  Then ask yourself “Which cards are most likely to impress my prospects?”

This myth will be obvious to you, then.

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It’s Wednesday, which means you’re officially halfway to the much coveted weekend!  Monday, if you remember, we went over the first 5 ways to use your unique and creative business cards to help network and broaden the sphere of people that know about, and want to utilize your services.

Today, we’re going to cover the 2nd half of that great list, and give you even more great ways to network with those great little business cards you worked so hard to create.  Remember, the first step is to create a great business card, so head over to OvernightPrints.com and get started with a design that people won’t be soon forgetting.  Again, check out the full article for more in-depth reasoning, but for now, here is a paraphrasing of the second half of the great tips to use your cards to network:

1. Maximize every “per chance” meeting. You never know when you might meet someone who can help you. Family or friends social events could produce unexpected encounters with people. Don’t discount those events.
2. Place yourself at the right place at the right time. Have you been to a job fair or business conference and been disappointed with the networking results’ Turn the tables around. Consider volunteering to help out at the job fair or other types of events.
3. Use “In Your Face” follow up. Did you ever have a job interview or meeting with a recruiter, potential client or employer and wonder why they never called you back’ ‘Out of sight, out of mind’ is the operative phrase to remember.
4. Use promotions to promote YOU, Inc. Newspapers often have stories of people being promoted to high levels in different organizations’ This is an opportunity for you.
5. Brand yourself with a slogan. Print a slogan on your business card that answers the question ‘Why should I hire you’ Or “What makes you different from everyone else’” A catchy phrase or slogan insures people ALWAYS associate a company name with their product or services.

There you have it!  I am certain you found something in there that can help you get over any current business plateau you might find yourself on.  Start spreading the word about yourself, watch what returns you will see!

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I am an Internet Marketer (sounds like something you’d announce at a 12-Step meeting, doesn’t it?)

At least by MY definition, that means most of my business efforts are confined to the Internet.  I work at my computer most of the day.  I work from home.

Many of my clients, prospects and website visitors don’t live in the same state, much less the same country.

My friends and neighbors, by and large, have no idea what I do because they don’t see me do it and because Internet Marketing is such a nebulous concept to most of them anyway.

If that describes you too, do you still need business cards?  I mean, for something besides dropping into fish bowls to win a free meal at your favorite restaurant, or that 46″ garden tractor at the upcoming Home and Garden Show?

(Come to think of it – I DID win a Fisher-Price Play Kitchen once by dropping my business card into a bowl at a local McDonald’s restaurant.  It was a great Christmas present for the kids, and worth much more than I spent on my business cards.)

But anyway – YES, you DO need business cards!  Maybe not 5000 of them – but some.

The bottom line is that you never know when you’ll need an easy, portable, and LEGIBLE way to give your website address to someone else.  Scrawling the URL on a napkin isn’t cool, trust me.  You might just run across a local person who’s a great prospect for you, or a great referral source, or a potential JV partner.  You might run across such a person in an airplane or while on vacation or at your mother-in-law’s house.

You just never know when you’ll meet someone to whom you’d really like to give your website info, in a presentable, professional way.

And when that happens, you’ll be glad you made that small investment in business card printing.

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We all know how helpful business cards can be in the initial introduction phase with someone, anyone.  We all know that random chance meetings can be turned into potential business deals and prospective clients just by handing out a single memorable card, but what many of us out there don’t know is that there are a lot of other ways to use your business cards to network.

That’s right, that simple piece of card-stock that many of us carry around can actually be a great tool to help network, and the great news is, you don’t always have to be face to face to expand your sphere of influence.  We just found an article that has 1o amazingly helpful ways that your business card can help you network.  As always, check out the full article, but for now, here is a paraphrasing of the first half of the top 10 ways to use those cards to your advantage:

1. Never leave home without them. Before leaving home, your checklist should be expanded to include business cards, as part of “do I have my wallet/money, house keys, driver’s license’” Any ‘per chance’ meeting is an opportunity to give out a business card.
2. Insert a business card when mailing bill payments. Bills contain advertisements. Why can’t you advertise your skills or services the same way’ Insert a business card with your payment.
3. Use proper business card etiquette. Whenever you give a business card, ask for a business card. When given a business card, don’t just take it and place it in your pocket.
4. Be generous. Give business cards out to everyone, including family and friends.
5. Ask for referrals. When giving a business card, people feel more comfortable when you ask; ‘I would appreciate a referral, if you know anyone that could use my services’.

Remembering those easy 5 tips can help broaden how many people’s hands those unique business cards of yours end up in.  Always keep in mind, the more people that see your cards, the more chances of business!

(image via ehow.com)

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Besides the American Psycho Business Card Scene(nearly 1,000,000 views) this has to be the most viral Business Card Video of all time. This video hadn’t even crossed the 100,000 view mark a couple weeks ago, but has exploded to nearly half a million views. It’s the sincerity of the narrator that makes this business card viral so hilarious…. I build crowds guaranteed… what do you do guaranteed?

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When it comes to creative and eye-catching designs, sometimes it can be difficult to be inspired for that perfect business card idea.  Not all of us are graced with the gift of creativity and sometimes what seems simple for everyone else can be tricky for you.  If that’s the situation you find yourself in when it comes to designing Your new business card, worry not, OvernightPrints.com can help.

That’s right, the design stage of your business card is just as important as deciding what to put on it, and is usually the very first step in your process.  If you’ve hit the “creative wall” and just can’t think of how to design the card, you really don’t have to worry.  OvernightPrints.com has three different design stages based on just how creative you want to be.  Today, we’ll be going over the “Express Designer” option for all of us that are currently smooshed against the creative wall we talked about.

Once you click into the Express Designer option you’ll notice that the first step is to choose a background for your card.  There are a TON of options that range basically through every single industry you can think of and not only that, but there are a lot of different stylish backgrounds that might fit your lifestyle or business choice.  From Arts & Crafts to Restaurants to City Skylines, there is a background for everyone.  Inside each category are additional choices, guaranteeing that you can find something that will fit for your new business card.  So choose the background and then it’s onto the card layout.  You can choose from a variety of different text layouts before you even get to actually entering in the information you want on your cards.

Next step is actually entering in your business information; from here you can edit the text size, color and location.  The bottom line is you have control, even in the Express Designer option, over everything that ends up on your card.  Not bad for lacking the creative bone, now is it?  So, if you’re ready for a card but not ready to get creative, head over to OvernightPrints.com and try out the Express Designer option.  You really can’t go wrong.

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You’d think that, as ubiquitous (there’s your vocabulary word for the day) as business cards are, that most business owners and salespeople would have a pretty good idea by now about how to use them effectively.  About what design elements are smart, and which aren’t.  About which contact specifics are essential, and which can be left out.

(Of course, if that were true, this blog wouldn’t be needed, but I digress.)

So I’m amazed when I encounter people whose business card practices, perceptions and assumptions are contrary to everything I’ve learned since I started writing about business cards back in 1999.

I have no way of knowing if these perceptions and assumptions are conscious or unconscious, or how they were developed on an individual basis, but I’ve spoken with enough business cards users in recent years to have some idea of the underlying thinking behind them.

In my next few posts, I’ll discuss some of the most common business card assumptions – business card MYTHS, in my opinion – that I believe can have a huge negative impact on the effectiveness of business cards.

Let me tell you right now that you may not agree with me on all of them.  Some of the business card myths I’m going to present have been hotly debated on my website and in my ezine.  That’s fine – my goal is to help you get the most from your business card investment, not win a “Miss Congeniality” contest.

First up:  Business Card Myth #1:  “Internet Marketers Don’t Need Business Cards.”

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Today, while not a government holiday that actually gives you days off, is actually a very important, very relevant and very awesome holiday.  Today, as you probably know by now, is Earth Day.

So, from all of us here at Business Cards Land and OvernightPrints.com, we want to wish you all a very happy, very green Earth Day.  Take today to make a few small changes in your life to help shift towards a greener, more eco-friendly lifestyle.  Instead of driving to work, ride your bike; instead of throwing away those bottles of water, recycle them and invest in a re-usuable stainless steel or similar bottle and fill it up at home.

Most importantly, recycle everything you possibly can, whenever you possibly can.  Take all of your paper waste, plastic waste, glass waste and aluminum cans and recycle them, always.  The more little things we all do, the better the BIG result will be.  So, from us to you, Happy Earth Day!

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Business cards are intended to be associated with people or with companies.  But have you ever run across a business card and thought to yourself, “I know I kept this card for some reason – but why?  What does she DO?”

That happens quite often, and it’s one of my own business card design “pet peeves.”  I hate it when I get a business card and cannot immediately understand what the person does.  That’s not only frustrating; it’s foolish on the part of the business card designer.

Here’s why.

Not all of us use business cards immediately after meeting someone, when the conversation is fresh in our minds.  Sometimes we’re in situations where we’re collecting dozens (if not hundreds) of business cards in a very short time, such as at a conference or tradeshow.  Sometimes we run across random business cards – say, tacked on bulletin boards – that appeal to us for some reason, even though we’ve never met the owner or patronized the business.

So if your business card says “Jane Doe Consulting” or “Prosperity Enterprises” and doesn’t provide any further explanation of your business, that can hurt you.  If I’ve forgotten you personally, and can’t tell what you do professionally, there’s no compelling reason for me to contact you or keep your card.

If your business or company name does not make it absolutely clear what you do, use a little of that precious space on your business card to explain.  A slogan or tagline can be very helpful, as can a bulleted list of benefits or previous clients.  Industry-related information on the back of a business card (such as a mortgage amortization schedule) can help clear up any confusion about what field you’re in.

You can also use artwork or images on your business card that are related to what you do as well.  For example, the business card backgrounds shown below (available through the Express Business Card Designer at OvernightPrints.com) make it quite clear that the business card is associated with a particular type of business.

Let’s see if you can guess the industry, just by looking at the business card design…

Construction or building industry, right???

Hmmm, not quite as clear – but something money-related, perhaps financial services?

Ah!  That background implies massage therapy or reflexology to me – possibly a chiropractor, too.

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Hello and Happy Monday!  Hopefully the weekend was a fun filled and productive one for all of you.  To kick things off this fine Monday morning, I wanted to show you 4 more business card designs that not only push the envelope for unique design, but they completely tear it up and re-invent it.  Talk about raising the business card design bar!

As we mentioned last week, sometimes the best option is to have a very standard, but still creative business card.  Sometimes, however, the best option to really stand out, really shine and really be remembered is to give away a select few of the most creative, most original, and most of all, Fun business cards.  These 4 that we found do exactly that.

First up, we have the air-freshner business card.  Not only is it shaped like the classic pine-tree air freshner, it’s colored and designed to look just like it.  If you could find a way to actually get it to smell like one, you’d really be onto something.  Next up, we’ve got the pop-out car business card.  This is a card that you can actually take apart and when done, have a created cardboard car to play with.  See, FUN.

Third on the agenda, we have a business card that can not only showcase your design business, it can actually come in handy to anyone and everyone you happen to give it to.  That’s right, it has a ruler built in, so anyone who carries your card, has a ruler anytime they need.  Last, but certainly, positively not least, we have my personal favorite.  A business card that is printed on a miniature whoopie cushion.  Yes, a whoopie cushion.  I’m fairly sure you can not get any more fun than that.

So, the moral of this story is, sometimes the best option is the most fun.  Bring fun to your prospective clients and you will stand out.

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