Business Cards Land

Last Friday we gave you the little treat of a video that taught you a magic trick that could just impress your potential clients or customers while you give them your business card.  Let’s face it, when it comes to handing out your business card, you’re giving a piece of yourself away and you want to impress the people you’re giving it to.  What better way to do that than a brief, interesting and memorable trick.

This Friday, since it’s most likely nice out and you’re ready to start your weekend, we have another video that will teach you to do another, easier, and arguably COOLER business card trick that will be wowing the people around you and making you stand out in their minds from that point forward.  You went to all that trouble to make and design a unique business card, don’t waste the opportunity to give it away by just handing it over.  Follow the steps in this video and watch how people respond!

Trust us, try this trick out, and leave us some comments to let us know how it went when you did it!  Have a great weekend and we’ll see you bright and early Monday Morning!

How To Give Your Business Card – Click here for another funny movie.

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In my 10+ years of writing about business cards, I’ve become more and more convinced of one key fact – it’s not JUST the business card.

Sure, study business card design, read this blog, visit sites with cool business card templates all you want – it’s a great idea – but the fact remains that some people use ugly or generic business cards and do quite well.

Others spend enormous amounts of time, energy and cash to come up with the coolest, most innovative, most targeted business card they can dream of, and get very little return for all their efforts.

In my next few posts I’m going to talk about three key factors that influence how your business card will be received – whether it’s ugly or “ho-hum ordinary” or not!

And yes, these factors ARE something you can control.

Stay tuned!

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Just saw another business card that completely altered my perception of the business.  And not in a good way.

Here’s what happened.

I stopped into a local “MedSpa & Laser Center” – we’re talking pretty high-end cosmetic procedures – that I’ve seen a lot of ads for, lately.  Gorgeous facility.  Very professional receptionist.  And high-end services, with pricing to match.  Wanted to invite them to visit my local business networking group.

After a great conversation, we swapped business cards – and inwardly, I cringed.

To begin with, I’m fairly certain that the card was printed out on a laser printer.  The card was thin, no coating, the background on the back side of the card was skewed to the right and the card edges showed wear.

To make things worse, the email address on the business card was a Yahoo! email address, even though they have a website and could certainly use an address such as diana@theirsitename.com.

You don’t have to be an expert on business cards to notice details like that.  Whether or not you articulate it, and whether or not you’re conscious of the fact, that business card is conveying an impression of the business itself to you.

In this case, that business card is giving prospective clients a negative first impression.  You see the ad or visit the spa, think “Wow, this must be a top-notch place” – and the business card you leave with looks like something a high school student printed out for a project in their Economics class.

There’s no way you could look at that card and NOT wonder, at least briefly, how long they’ve been in business and how professional they REALLY are.  They can’t afford $40 for quality business cards?  C’mon…

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When it comes to designing your best business card, you don’t always have to get extremely extravagant.  Sometimes, a simple but striking design can go just as far as an elaborate, ornate and highly unique card.  We’ve discussed that before on this site, but today we’ve found 3 extremely attractive business cards, with one extremely difficult design that should, at the very least, get you extremely inspired.

We’ll start with the most difficult and arguably the most unique business card we’ve seen.  We all love fortune cookies, and it might just be the best part of ordering Chinese Food.  What if your business card was inside the fortune cookie, and allowed your prospective clients to enjoy a treat AND find out about your business…that’s exactly what this first card does.

Next up we have the beautiful circle cut business card that in addition to having bold standout print, is in a unique circle design.  Sometimes, holding something other than a square can do a lot.

Finally, we have the most simple of the bunch, but one that shows how much design and style can account for.  You don’t always have to have a crazy shape, crazy design or odd idea, sometimes a striking fontface with bold colors on dark backgrounds can be stylish, simple and powerful.

Remember, make your business cards work for you.  Design them to fit your business, your personality and your style.  Overnightprints.com can help you accomdate that quickly and easily, head over and start designing today!

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On this site, we’ve covered just about everything from unique and crazy business card designs, to myths surrounding the use of business cards, to some tips on how to make yours work better for you.  Today, we have even more tips that should help you re-envision how you use your business cards, and how they can actually do more work for you than you ever thought possible.

I found an article packed with 50 “surefire business card tips” and I have to say, some of the information and ideas in there were absolutely genius.  Keeping some of these in mind on every step from design to ordering to the actual handing out can help you change the way you think of your business card, and the way others think of you.  Try on some of these ideas for size:

• “Your business card must communicate more than just your contact information. Make sure that your card includes a tag line that explains what you or your company do.
• Order them in large numbers. By ordering 1000 your cost per card will be significantly lower than if you ordered 500.
• Even if you can produce your business cards at home using an inkjet printer, have your business cards professionally made by a printing company. Your business card will be the first impression your prospects receive of your business, so let them convey the best possible one.
• Avoid using standard clip art as your business logo. A logo brings credibility and brand awareness, so before you invest in business cards have a logo professionally made for your business. Nowadays, there are online companies that can produce a professional logo for as little as $25, so there is no excuse for not having one made.
• Put up a website and use the URL in your business cards. If you don’t have a website, people will notice the absence of a web address in your business card and, depending on the business you are in, it may make you lose credibility.
• Keep all the information in your business card current. If you changed address or phone number, don’t scratch the old number and write down the new one by hand; get new business cards.”

Some of those might seem like absolute no-brainers, we know, but the funny thing is, a LOT of people neglect to even keep their information current.  What  might seem like the most basic idea sometimes can run away from us while we’re creating our cards.  Don’t forget, if they can’t find YOU, they can’t work with you.

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It’s Friday, and I’m guessing each and every one of you is ready to go spend a weekend enjoying SPRING.  The weather is changing, the birds are singing, and you should be out there enjoying it.  That said, today on this fine Friday, we’re going to be showing you something a little more fun!  How about a video of how to impress just about anyone you’re going to be giving that business card to?  After all, first impressions are key, you should make them want to keep that card forever, and this method can certainly help facilitate that.

So, without further ado, check out the video as to how to magically make your business card disappear right in front of your potential clients and customers eyes.  Then bring it back, magically, and let them hold on to it.  They’ll not only be keeping the card, but the memory of you standing out.

Check it out, and enjoy your weekend!

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I’d like to challenge you to think beyond the traditional “single” business card design strategy and consider the idea of designing multiple cards for multiple users and occasions.

Rather than cramming every bit of info a client or prospect could possibly need onto one business card, design business cards to fit specific needs.  They’ll be much more effective for you, and there are certainly inexpensive business card printers that make this idea feasible.

For example, prospects and clients often need very different information.

Someone who does not yet know much about you and what you do, or who is not yet convinced that you’re the best person or company for the job, needs very different information from you than a long-time customer does.

The text on business cards given to prospects should be much more benefit-laden, and might include testimonials, certifications, and other language that bolsters your credibility.  Make sure that all the information is clear, legible, and unambiguous, including your slogan or tagline.

An existing customer, on the other hand, is presumably already convinced about the advantages of doing business with you, so they don’t need to know about benefits.  Instead, they might appreciate customer service phone numbers or access to private resources.

You could have a separate business card designed to encourage referrals, different business cards for members of different departments within your company, even fun cards or holiday cards that are used for a limited time.

You’ll most certainly stand out from your competitors if you use an array of business card designs rather than forcing a single card design to fit all your needs – and you’ll probably reap financial rewards that far outweigh the extra cost.

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Monday we went over the first 4, of 8, great ideas on how to actually get creative without having to take on a second job just to pay for your new line of business cards.  We all know the importance of the business card, and we’re learning every day just how important it is to be unique.  Today, we’re going to go over the second and final 4 ideas on how to think outside the box without destroying your bank account.

Thanks again to sitepoint.com for these great ideas.  We couldn’t agree more.  Without further ado, here are your final 4 ideas to get creative and stay wealthy:

1. Die Cut – “Just like mini cards, business cards in a different shape can be especially memorable. You can try something as simple as a circular card or create a custom shape. “
2. Rip Cards – “Rip cards are traditionally used as door hangers or rack cards with a tear-off piece at the bottom that can be a coupon or business card. But you can create your own rip cards in business card size. Use it for a tear-off basic HTML cheat sheet, a hex code color table, or even a list of resource sites for your clients. You can do this by using the back of your cards, too.”
3. Plastic Cards – “For a stand-out card, try a clear plastic design. Not only are they creative and different than most other cards, but they are extremely durable.”
4. Recycled Cards – “Recycled cards are a great way to lessen your carbon footprint while creating a unique image for your business. There are a lot of options out there from recycled paper, to soy-based ink, to reused paper and materials.”

There you have it!  Follow any of those 8 ideas and I’m sure you’ll have an awesome line-up of business cards without completely breaking the bank.  Remember, creative doesn’t have to mean expensive, there are ways to kill two birds with one, very inexpensive, stone.

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Business cards are inexpensive enough to be handed out freely – but that doesn’t mean that they SHOULD be.  That’s the subject of today’s article about business card myths.

I would never advise someone to hoard their business cards.  In fact, one of the biggest business card problems I see is that people don’t develop the habit of keeping business cards with them at all times – in a purse, briefcase, glove compartment of your car, desk, et cetera.

And yes, I DO know people who distribute business cards in every location and by every method they can dream up, and who claim it helps their business.

But I do think there’s an argument to be made that it devalues your business card if you give it out too freely.

The primary objective of a business card is to help someone remember you in a professional way; to make a positive, personal impression.  If you haven’t actually had the opportunity to talk to someone, smile at them and shake their hand, a business card is a poor substitute – especially if you’re stuck with some generic company card!

So I suggest seriously considering the profitability of strategies such as:

~ Putting business cards on bulletin boards;

~ Setting out stacks of business cards to be picked up by random visitors to a desk or booth or table; and

~ Laying a business card on every chair in a conference room.

In fact, see what happens to your bottom line if you don’t give out business cards at all to people who haven’t specifically requested them.  You might be pleasantly surprised.

If YOU treat your business cards as if they were precious, not given out to just anyone, they might be more highly prized by the recipients – and seen less as “spam” than as the marketing gems they truly are!

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On this blog, we’re frequently coming up with some fantastic ideas on how to come up with the  most creative and unique business cards imaginable.  We often find brilliant designs that must have taken forever and cost a fortune.  Sometimes, however, that’s jus tnot reasonable.  Sometimes, you need great ideas that Don’t take up a lot of your time and Don’t take up a lot of your income to produce.  Today, we have part 1 of 8 great ideas that can increase your originality, without decreasing your pocketbook.

So, as per usual, feel free to head over and check out the full article, but for starters, here are the first 4 ways to make unique and original business cards without spending a fortune:

1. Rounded Corners – “Having all or some of the corners on your business card rounded can make a huge difference in the overall look and feel of your cards. “  OvernightPrints.com does this perfectly, you can get 500 cards for only $45.  Believe it.
2. Magnets – “It’s not a new idea, but making magnets out of your business cards is a way to create a useful product with your contact information. And they are more likely to be stuck on the fridge and less likely to be tossed in the trash. “
3. Folded – “Folded cards let you stand them up like a table tent on an exhibit or display, and you can make them mini brochures with additional information about your company or services.”
4. Mini Cards – “Mini cards are business cards that are smaller than the standard size. This can make the cards stand out, yet those receiving them can still stick them in their pocket or stack them with other business cards.”

Those first 4 ideas cost very little to achieve, but leave very large impressions.  Remember, unique doesn’t have to mean expensive.   Think outside the box!

(image via theclosetentrepreneur.com)

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