Understanding Importance of Business Card Printing

A business card is a crucial part of any company or personalized marketing strategy. Obviously, you can’t count on a business card to express the whole tale about yourself or your organization. Nevertheless, the real intent behind a business card is to offer a professional impression or perception to ensure that folks will keep in mind “who you are” after they meet you.It is evident that these cards could make or break a client’s initial opinion of you and your company. In fact, chances are that this tiny card makes as much of an impact as your visual appearance, the clothes you don or the cell phone model which you carry!So what are business cards?Business cards are cards displaying business details about a company or a particular person. They are shared during formal introductions for a convenience and for recollection purposes later. This card usually consists of the person’s name, business association (often with a company logo) and contact details such as addresses, contact number(s), e-mail addresses and website.These cards are nowadays a downright prerequisite, for considerably more than just a ‘calling card’, the business card is the socially acknowledged way of presenting yourself politely to a new or potential customer. It’s an expression of yourself, your business and as a reminder; since it performs a huge role long after you have met the person.If you don’t have business cards or have run out of them, there is really only one thing you could do – place in an order for business card printing right away. So what features lead to a well-designed business card? Prior to spending on card printing, it’s good to take stock first and find out if you really know everything about printing business cards.While you might have gone through several design ideas and in all likelihood browsed through a wide range of templates, there’s more to it than simply that. There are little facts no one will probably tell you outright.Here you five important things you should know.1.You are your business card- After looking through many designs on the market, you may get somewhat confused in regards to what style to make use of. With a myriad of fascinating choices available, choosing the most appropriate one for yourself may appear hard. The true secret in selecting is to be yourself.You are your business card. So pick the one which signifies you. Don’t pay attention to those ads that want you to put money into costly designed cards that don’t really characterize you. So long as you go with a design that embodies your professional image as well as your company’s image, you’ve got your design.2. Quality isn’t always the final and crucial aspect- Don’t fall for the idea that high-priced and good quality materials are invariably the top dogs in the business. There isn’t any truth to it. People don’t just assess cards by its quality. They appraise them because of the design, and by the details included within. As a result, you don’t have to invest more than what is required. As long as the look is great and the printing is something that suits your budget, you are performing effectively.3.You can be imaginative- It’s also wise to be aware that you could be creative. You don’t have to be restricted to layouts and corporate styles. These days, the wilder and more unforgettable cards are catching up with people’s minds. So let your imagination take over and be innovative with your cards.4.Upgrading is essential – It might also be useful for you to learn that updating is a vital. Don’t simply use the same card every year. Change your designs annually so as to update your details and improve your style to something fresher. This keeps you extra competitive with superior looking contemporary cards while at the same moment keeping your contacts up-to-date with all your updated contact info.5.Always have one significant selling element- Lastly, all business cards should have one big marketing variable. This may be a unique symbol, an appealing motto, distinctive metallic inks, special paper elements or other memorable attributes. As long as there’s something unconventional and authentic, people will recall it and you will be remembered as well. You’ll promote yourself much better this way.

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Smart Ways Of Using Business Cards In Networking

You can spend hours designing and printing the perfect business card. Getting that stage right is important, but it all is for nothing unless you get those business cards out there to the right people in the right way. Business cards sitting back home or in the office in their box aren’t working for you and yet you don’t want to just spread them randomly all over your neighbourhood like confetti. So come up with a few strategies to give them out to useful contacts.Always keep business cards on you. Keep some in your wallet and even have a special card-case – this looks professional and keeps them clean in your pocket. Keep a spare box of cards in your car glove box, in case you give out more than you expect one day. The idea is to be able to give out as many as will be useful without ever running out.Remember that the idea is to exchange business cards, rather than just give out your own. You are building a network which is a two way thing. So when you meet someone who you feel will be a good contact, ask for their card first and give your own in return. Treat their card with respect – read through it briefly and put it away carefully in your wallet or card case. It may give you further topics of conversation to pursue If you think you know others who will be interested in that person’s business ask for extra cards sp that you can refer them. They may well ask for more of yours too. Give them as many as they would like This is the start of a good networking relationship.One tip to give your card a better chance of being kept – hand-write an extra piece of information on the back of the card as you give it to them – perhaps your personal cellphone number, or an additional website address or email address, something that is relevant to your previous conversation. That will act as a memory jogger and make your card more memorable.Seek out potential networking partners for your business. Ideally you want a business that is complementary to your own with a similar group of clients but not direct competition. So if you were a sports nutritionist, for example, good potential partners might be a health food store, a gym, a physiotherapist and so on. Ask them if they will keep some of your business cards in return for you giving out theirs to potential contacts. Give them a stack of cards and perhaps a cardholder so that the cards can easily be kept available in their reception area.Check with your networking partners at regular intervals to see if they need more of your cards and to get a new supply of theirs. And of course any time you get new cards printed, go round replacing your old cards with the new ones and update your partners verbally on any changes and additions to your business.Use your business cards when making social connections too, for example at your children’s school. You can write your home number or cell-phone number on the back of the card to make it more personal, but you never know when there could be a useful business contact among your kids’ friends’ parents. This doesn’t mean you have to talk shop instead of cheering on the match – just promise to call each other in business hours to talk further and follow up on it.Send out a business card with every piece of mail that goes out from your business. This means that existing contacts will have new cards to pass on to others, and you never know who you may reach this way.The secret is to be generous in giving out business cards – give more than one to interested people so that they can pass them on. Never begrudge a few extra cards – the expense of printing them is minimal compared to the potential new business that they bring you. And you can always have more printed once you’ve given out your first batch – just remember to re-order in good time so that you never run out.

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The Quintessence of Having a Good Business Card

Never down play the power of a good business card and the leverage you can gain from it. Your business card is a representative of you when you are not there. It epitomizes the image and personality of your organization. A well-made business card can be the difference maker between success and failure in your job. Having the perfect business card can bring you good clients and customers because it speaks well of your work. No matter the degree of your financial capability, these great points listed below will help you create beautiful business card that positions you and your business on the gainful road to customer acquisition and retention.A. Use the Right Colors: The color of your business card should be chosen in accordance to the kind of industry you are into and your target audience. Make sure the color is eye-catching. Have your card classically designed to represent what you stand for. Remember, colors have meanings.B. Use the Right Font Size: Cards that makes readers strain their eyes or reach for their eye glasses will only cause irritation to the people and automatically makes you loose clientele. It is great to be stylish, but avoid using excessively fancy fonts that are on the brink of being unreadable. Always use the right card size while making your business card.C. Avoid Jerry-built Cards: The texture and weight of your business card is the first thing people notices when you hand them your card. A badly built, wobbly and inferior card signals that you put little thought and even less effort into the progress and success of your business. Use high-born and high-quality cards with matte or glossy finish for an exquisite look that will ginger the beholder of your card to do business with you and your company.D. Add Logo to Your Card: The key to a lasting and beneficial business relationship is trust. Use a logo/image that conveys the message of what your organization stands for and people will easily identify your products with that logo. Be very careful when choosing a logo for your organization.E. Maximize the Spaces on Your Card: Business cards are small and they have a limited space for you to write all you want. Use the little space to write the important things you want people to know about what you do. The space at the back of the card can be used for product information, quotes that convey your organization’s vision or customers testimonials.F. Perfect Your Business with High-quality Card: Put on your creative thinking cap when creating your card and give it the Midas touch that attracts great clients. Anyone can hand out a flimsy business card, but as an expert you express your organization’s vision and mission through your card to the world and this gives you an edge over your competitors.G. Hand out Your Card with Joy: The messenger is very important as well as the message. Now you have a great business card, hand it out to people with confidence and smiles on your face. The confidence you exude signifies whether you walk your talk.You don’t have to break the bank to have a good business card, all you need is creativity. Those magnificent business cards you see around didn’t cost much money to produce. You need a business card because it serves as an identification card for you and helps you make statements without saying a word.©IFEANYI ENOCH ONUOHA

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Business Card Printing

One of the most difficult steps that every business needs to take in order to be successful is to make a name for themselves. There are many ways to advertise your business, but perhaps the most cost-efficient way is to purchase some business cards.Make You Look ProfessionalThe single best thing you can do to promote the professionalism of your business is to purchase cards for your business. While it might not seem like an obvious choice, business cards have a tendency of appealing to both your clients and potential customers. Your name and logo on a card prove that you’ve spent a little money on improving the image of your business, which indicates that you’re established and have experience in your field. Clients love to work with businesses that they feel are well established.Networking To A Targeted AudienceMany businesses also hand out cards to clients who found their work to be of particularly high quality. Passing out cards to clients gives them an opportunity to advertise for you. In fact, many clients are found through networking rather than through flat-out advertising – it is surprising how effective word of mouth can be. If your client is particularly pleased with your work, there’s no doubt that they will recommend you the moment that a friend has a similar need. Many businesses stay afloat on business card networking and advertising alone, so it can be very advantageous to give your clients cards as well.Very CheapYou might think that passing out multiple cards to each and every client can become a very expensive operation, but it’s simply not true. You can print hundreds of cards for your business for a low price. In fact, many businesses choose to order in very high numbers since bulk orders tend to net better deals. Compare the cost of printing out business cards to funding a television or radio ad – it’s so much cheaper to print out your own personal set of cards, and the advertisement often falls upon a very targeted audience. The use of business cards can send your business forward in leaps and bounds at a very low cost.Highly CustomizableIf you decide to produce cards for your business, keep all of the various customizable features in mind. In addition to mass producing your card, you can choose what kind of font you want to appear on the card, vary the color scheme, and even add a graphic. Your own personalized cards are so customizable that you can even choose what kind of material you want to use for the backing of the card. Catching the client’s eye is the key to successful advertising, so if you want to make sure that your cards are a hit, carefully consider what you would like to put on your business cards – there’s no limit to the choices!Designing and distributing cards for your business can be a great and cheap advertising method. Don’t fall victim to more expensive forms of advertising when you could just purchase business cards. Business cards have the advantage of looking professional, being easily mass producible, and being highly customizable to fit the needs of your business. Before you try any other form of advertising, give business cards a chance – you might be very surprised with the results!

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Tutoring Business Cards: Pitfalls to Avoid

Business cards play an important role in growing a business and every tutoring business owner should make the necessary investment to print their own cards. A well-crafted business card can do wonders for a business whereas a poorly designed tutoring business card can have little impact or can actually hurt your business. This article will focus on what can go wrong when your tutoring business card is not well designed and discusses five pitfalls to avoid.How a poorly designed card can hurt more than helpDespite its small size, a business card can speak volumes about your business. It can communicate information such as your attention to detail, focus on quality, how to contact you and what your business does. At the same time it can communicate your lack of attention to detail, it can project an image of poor quality or and it can provide recipients with incorrect contact information. Because recipients of your tutoring business card have little other knowledge of your tutoring business it’s important that your card makes a good first impression and makes it easy for them to move to the next step of contacting you for more information.Pitfalls to AvoidSpelling and Grammatical ErrorsThis is especially important for tutoring companies since education is the focus of your business and most parents won’t entrust their child’s supplemental education to a company or tutor that can’t even spell correctly on its business cards. So remember to always double-check for spelling and grammar before sending your card design away to be printed. If you’ve already printed your cards and noticed an error, it’s probably a good idea to reprint your cards since giving out cards with an error can do more to harm your business than to help it.Unprofessional designYou don’t need to hire a professional designer, but you do need to know how to create a professional-looking card. If you have design experience you can likely do this yourself, if you have very limited or no design experience you might still be able to create a professional-looking design if you keep it simple. Otherwise you should hire a professional to design your card. An unprofessional-looking card can cause the recipient of your tutoring business card to think that your tutoring company is also unprofessional. This may not be the case, but so far the person who has received your card has very little else to go on except your business card at this point. Having a professional-looking card will help them go to the next step and contact you for more information.Don’t use out-of-date contact information on your card.The whole purpose of a business card is to provide people with an easy way to contact you for more information. If the phone number, email address or address listed on your card isn’t up-to-date, you might as well hand them a blank piece of paper. Even if one method of contact is incorrect you should print new cards. If the recipient of your business card tries to contact you with the out-of-date information and can’t reach you, you shouldn’t expect them to try the other methods. Keep all of the information on your card up-to-date in order to maximize the number of card recipients that can reach you on the first try.Don’t create a business card that is missing your contact information.This should be obvious, but some people create business cards without any contact information – or maybe only a website. While some people might visit your website where they can find more information for contacting you, you should make it easy for people to contact you without going online to track down your contact information.Don’t create a card that doesn’t clearly communicate what your business doesIf your business name communicates what type of service your business offers, this shouldn’t be much of an issue; however, if your business name does not explicitly state that you offering tutoring services or a specific type of tutoring services, then you should include a line about this.By avoiding these 5 pitfalls above you will drastically increase the effectiveness of your business cards. More people who receive your tutoring business card will have a favorable impression of your business and will be able to contact you for more information on the first try. This in turn will help you grow your business and begin building a strong tutoring brand.

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Hire Reliable Business Card Printing Companies For The Most Appropriate Card Design

The business card is considered an effective way to promote a business. In today’s time, when every business has to face a tough competition, it is overly essential to reach out to your target customers and make them aware of your services and products. Having your own visiting card can help your customers remember your services and contact you whenever they want to. There are various reputed business card printing companies to help you design and print cards that would be appropriately customized in accordance with your business requirements.Some of the various advantages of using trading cards as an effective advertising strategy. Let us discuss in brief how it can help you in reaching out to customers and thus promote your business:
The greatest benefit of using business cards is that they are small in size and can be carried anywhere with convenience. You can carry your trading card with you at all times and give them to your target customers whenever needed.
Business cards come at reasonable prices and can be almost equally effective in promoting your business as other expensive advertising strategies.
It is found that people are less prone to throwing away trading cards than flyers, leaflets or brochures. Visiting cards seem to be with people for a longer time. And whenever they look at the visiting card they would be reminded about your business and services.
However, in order to make your business card effective and impressive, it is important for you to keep in mind certain important aspects:
It is important to avoid a printing service that offers template designs for your trading card. It is always beneficial to hire a company that can efficiently design a business card that would represent your business messages in the most unique way. Every business has individual values and principles that need to be conveyed to the customers in an appropriate manner. A good printing company should be able to design and print your trading card exclusively for you.
In case of an online printing service, it is important that you check their previous records before hiring them. You can check their website for customer reviews, testimonials and feedbacks. This helps in preventing any future disappointments.
Always try to keep the messages on your visiting card brief, simple and attractive. Writing too many things on the card should be avoided.
Decide on an attractive and appropriate logo for your company. This is the first thing that your customers would notice in your trading card. The logo helps in creating an identity for your business that your customers can relate to whenever they see the logo somewhere.
Choosing the right design and color for your business card is important. It can be a wise idea to choose a color and design that would reflect the theme and message of your business.
Including certain special features on your trading card can be highly beneficial to create an impression on your customers, such as UV coating, lamination, embossing, etc. These features help in providing your card an exclusive look and also distinguish them from other business cards.

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Business card basics: Who are you?

Whew! I’ve finally finished the final draft of my manuscript. I really want it to look good so I better find an editor to make sure it’s as clean as possible. I could go with Mysti Powell, I’ve used her before, but wait a minute, I have a whole drawer full of business cards from attending the Independent Book Publishers Association conference (courtesy of a scholarship from Florida Authors and Publishers Association). Let me see what my conference contacts have to offer.I open my catchall drawer that has a collection of nearly empty packs of gum, seriously deformed and dehydrated rubber bands, rusty paperclips, expired coupons to local fast-food joints, and a jumbled assortment of cards.After stacking them like a pint-sized deck of playing cards, I riff through them to find potential editors. About halfway through the cards, I realize that not one of them has a picture of the editor (or businessperson) and many are missing critical information like web site addresses, phone numbers, and emails. One card simply has the person’s name! And shivers! Many of the cards are cheap office supply store versions printed at home with rough edges and type that is poorly aligned.I don’t know about you, but I like to know what the person I am working with looks like. Being able to put a face to a business card also helps jog my memory of when we met and what we discussed while at a seminar or conference. The quality of his/her card gives me an intuition into the level of professional I may choose to help me.I scare myself every morning when I look in the mirror, so putting my face on my business card was a dicey proposition. I had to spend several hours on Photoshop “enhancing” my business card photograph enough to keep from scaring clients away. I ended up with a picture that makes me look like a Pug, so ugly that I am actually kind of cute.After reviewing my stack of business cards, I came away with a few suggestions you might want to incorporate when creating or updating your business card.
Use a professional designer for your business card, letterhead, brochures, website, etc.
Your business card represents you. Make it the best it can be by using a professional to design it and keep it consistent with other branding efforts you may employ in your business.
KISSU: Keep it short, simple, and understandable.
In the Internet age, people tend to scan more than they read. Make the information easily accessible. Make it easy-to-read.
Use standard business card size.
Fancy folding cards, cards of different shapes, cards of different sizes, do not easily fit in standard business card holders, files, or wallets. Cards made from CD materials may get erased and jump drives require some kind of reader: stick with a heavy stock paper card.
Critical Information on every business card.

Name / Company Name / Title
Your picture! Use a professional photographer and make sure you own the rights to use the picture wherever you want for promotional purposes.
Phone number
Email address
Website URL
Mailing address
QR code?

Book cover graphic on the back of the card

4-color, 300 dpi jpeg of your front cover
Include ISBN underneath the title
Include the notice: Available at Amazon and BN.com! (or wherever)

Your card represents you!

Include 4/4 color (at least on the side with your picture)
Glossy laminate on front, matte finish on the back
Heavy card stock (nix homemade cards)

Proffread your business card. (Get it?)
Print in quantity?
Always, always, always have a large supply of business cards at hand whether you are on vacation, out to dinner, involved in intimate activity, or at a business event. (The last two could actually be the same!) Keep a box of business cards in your laptop case, your car, and certainly in a specialized case or your wallet.I have found that I make frequent changes to my cards based on what aspect of my business I am promoting, so I will order 500 to a thousand cards at a time. You can order more or less based on your needs. I have found the online company VistaPrint to be a quality provider of business cards and other marketing items.                                                          *****Well, that little side journey into business card basics helped fulfill my word count for the day but got me no closer to finding an editor for my manuscript. I better stick with the tried and true and send Mysti Powell my document. I know what she looks like and more important what kind of editor she is.If just one business card had a picture on it that reminded me of an editor I had met earlier at the conference, they just might have my business right now.P.S. Always ask for the other person’s card first. “May I have your business card, please?”

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Make a Lasting Impression With Plastic Business Cards

Plastic cards are easy to identify, easily fit in your wallet, purse, or pocketbook, work like a credit card, and just need to be swiped at point of sale. What can be easier? Apart from that, they can be distributed to friends and coworkers, they make easy gifts and also create positive connections of your brand with your clients. Check out their usefulness:Keep your Customers Engaged To Your BrandA quick scan of a smartphone can bring a customer to your website with the printed QR codes on your magnetic stripe cards. It can keep them updated about your business, and notify them about any promotions you are having.Wildly PopularFrom restaurants and hotels to gas stations and student loan programs, gift cards have fully spread into the consumer market. They also allow people freedom to pick their own products and services, which is probably the most appealing feature of all.Eco FriendlyMany plastic cards can be made from recycled materials. They are easily re-entered into the recycling process, separating them out of the waste stream. Renewable materials are also being included into gift cards, which make them doubly green.Popularity of Plastic Cards in BusinessBusiness cards have long been an effective and affordable way to communicate, advertise and market a business. While each card has got significant amount of potential, not every business card make a great business. The fate of many plastic cards ends up getting tucked into glove compartments, folded into wallets or crumpled into pockets. Plastic business cards are fast changing the ways and creating lasting impressions by offering more durable, memorable and interesting options.The potential of a business card starts to pick up speed as soon as you hand over a business card to someone. It is the beginning of accumulating a relationship with the person you have passed it to, and also the starting of its journey into other hands as you and your business are mentioned to colleagues and friends. To have a card that would withstand the journey successfully would set you ahead from the rest.Among the key advantages of plastic cards the most notable are:DurabilityCards made of plastic do not get folded or crumpled, hold up in your purse or wallet or and look new for years. Connections steadily build over the long term. It can take months or years for a potential client to get in touch. Therefore, your card needs to last.DesignPlastic cards let you design opportunities that paper cards don’t. Explore the exciting possibilities to strengthen your brand by benefiting more from your business cards.AppearancePremium quality card for business or membership cards are the cherry on top of your marketing efforts. Your business card should receive the same attention that you give to the design of your company’s logo, brand and advertising. Your business card is an extension of your brand, and one of the most accessible, exchangeable marketing tools you have access to.

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50 Surefire Business Card Tips

Business cards are one of the most powerful and inexpensive marketing tools you can use. Here are 50 surefire tips to make the most out of your business cards:
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.

Keep your business card simple. Don’t use too many fonts or try to cram too much information in it. Try to use a pleasant layout and make sure that your main message (your tagline or your unique selling proposition) doesn’t get lost.

If you live in the US, limit your business card size to 3.5″ x 2″. Anything bigger will not fit in standard card holders and your card may end up in the trash. Business cards in Europe tend to be larger, but so are the wallets and card holders.

Make sure that your business card reflects your image. If you are an artist or a graphic designer, it is OK to use trendy colors and fonts. If you are an investment banker, a sober layout and colors such as blue or gray work better.

Your business card is an integral part of your brand or corporate identity strategy. It should follow the same graphics standards as the rest of your communications material (stationary, brochures, letterheads, etc.).

Find a way to make your business cards stand out. I’ve seen business cards with one of its corners cut in an angle, or with an interesting texture, all of which makes your business card stand out of the crowd. The best one I’ve seen is from an interior designer, who used a hologram to show a room before and after a redesign.

Make your business card easy to read: use high contrast between the background and the type. Light background with dark type works better.

After your logo, your name should be the largest piece of information on your card.

Make sure that all the information on your card is printed in a large enough typeface to be easily readable.

Run your business card copy through a spell checker and double-check your contact information.

Keep your business cards with you at all times. Keep a stack in your car, in your house, in your office, and in your wallet.

Leave your business cards in billboards at supermarkets, schools, stores, libraries, etc.

When giving away your card, give two or three at a time, so that your contacts can in turn distribute them to other people. This will not only help you distribute them faster, but will generate a beneficial “endorsing effect”.

Include a business card with all your correspondence. People may throw away the letter, but will usually keep the business card.

Make your business card go the extra mile: use the back of the card to print more information: special offers, checklists, schedules, etc.

Throw in a business card in every product you ship.

Send a business card with any gift you send, instead of just a card with your name.

Scan your card and use it as an attachment to emails.

Use your business cards as name tags. Get a transparent plastic cover with a pin, and attach it to your lapel. Wearing it on your right side tends to make it more noticeable.

Use your business card as a name tag on your briefcase. Make sure that your company logo and tagline are visible. This way, your business card will turn into a “conversation piece” during plane rides, which may help you meet interesting people and good business contacts.

Use your business card as an ad: many publications offer “business card size” classified ads. If you design your business card properly, it can double up as an ad in those publications.

Don’t give your business card too quickly. It may be perceived as pushy. Try to establish a conversation with your prospect first. For example, ask them what do they do. That will usually prompt them to give you their card. That is the perfect moment to give them yours.

Don’t try to give your card in situations where many people are giving them to your prospect. Wait for a moment when you can capture your prospect’s attention span.

Another tactic you can try when your prospect is overwhelmed and can’t pay you enough attention is to send your card by mail. Pretend you ran out of business cards and ask for theirs. Then, mail them your card and take the opportunity to drop a follow up note.

If you have a mobile phone number or a direct phone number that is not listed in your business card, write it at the back of your card before handing it out, and tell your prospect that you are giving them your direct number. This will make your card more important, and less likely to be lost or thrown out.

Another way of increasing the chances that your prospect will keep your card is by printing valuable information on the back, for example important phone numbers (local police, hospitals, etc), a calendar, or a football schedule.

Offer to hand out cards of complementary (non-competitive) business people in exchange for them distributing yours. An example of non-competitive businesses is real estate brokers and mortgage brokers.

If somebody gives you their business card, you should give them yours in return.

Always give your business card face up.

Take a cue from Far East business people, who hand out business cards with both hands. It helps give the impression that your business card is something very important.

If you conduct business internationally, use the back of your card to print a translated version of your business card in your customers’ language. Even if they have no problem reading English, it will be a classy touch and they will appreciate it.

If you sell different product brands and want to put their logos on your business card, print them in only one color. Using each logo’s brand colors could make your business card look chaotic and busy.

Create a business card in magnet form. Magnets are widely used, to hold important papers on the refrigerator door at home and on file cabinets at work. They are always visible and always get read.

When receiving somebody else’s business card, don’t put it away immediately. Instead, keep it in your hand for a while you talk to your prospect, or place it neatly over the table, and try to develop a conversation based on the information on the card.

Use the back of the cards you receive to write down important facts about the persons who handed them to you. It will help you enormously when you follow up with them.

If you are in a profession where relationship selling is important, it may be a good idea to include your picture in your business card (i.e. real estate brokers).

Even if your business is a sole proprietorship, you can still use “account manager” as your title instead of “owner” or “president”. If you do sales (and we all do) “account manager” is a perfectly appropriate title, and it will give the impression that you work for a larger company.

Use logos of organizations that you or your business belong to in your business cards. They are an easy way to provide instant credibility to your business. For example, if you operate a repair shop you can display the logo of the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) or the Triple A (AAA). (Check with them first about the terms of use).

If you participate in affiliate programs online, you can still use business cards to promote your affiliate links. Use the name of the affiliate company as the company name, use ‘partner’ or ‘associate’ as your title, and the URL of the directory or web page where you have placed your affiliate links as your web address. Just because affiliate programs are online doesn’t mean that you can’t use off-line marketing methods to promote them.

If you need to give cards to different kinds of prospects (for example if you are a student looking for work), make business cards with just your name and contact information, and attach custom made self-adhesive labels at the back with information of interest to each specific prospect.

Include an information email address (for example: [email protected]) that is set in autoresponder mode, that automatically triggers an email message with full information about your product, service or company. This will increase the effectiveness of your business card since you will give your prospect much more information that you can fit in a card.

Take good care of your business cards. Keep them clean and crisp in a cardholder. Don’t give away cards that are bent or damaged.

Try to get a cardholder with two pockets. That way, you can use one for your business cards and the other one for the business cards you receive.

Keep all the business cards you receive neatly organized in a rolodex. It will save you time and will provide you with a database of contacts with whom to build positive business relationships.

Collect all the business cards you can find, even if you don’t need them. Together, they will act as an “idea file” that will provide you with valuable tips that you can use to design your business cards.

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Design Your Business Cards So They Help You Continue “Selling” To Your Prospects After You Leave

Why Are YOU “Really” In Business?”I wanted to be an editor or a journalist, I wasn’t really interested in being an entrepreneur, but I soon found I had to become an entrepreneur in order to keep my magazine going” – Richard BransonIf you are a true entrepreneur, you will know that to succeed, it helps that you enter a line of business that you naturally enjoy, and would gladly do even if you did not get paid(as tends to happen during start up). The truth however is that you are(I hope) in business to make money in a manner that is profitable – which will in turn enable you stay in THAT business you enjoy, for the long term. To achieve the foregoing purpose, you will need to do cost-effective and results-focused business marketing. One very important – but I believe grossly underutilised tool – for doing that is the Business Card.I discuss in this article how you as a business owner, can better design your own business cards, to significantly improve your ability to market yourself to those who really need your services and/or products.Marketing is about creating an impression – a positive impression – in the mind of your intended customer – that YOU or YOUR BUSINESS are more capable of meeting his/her perceived need or want than any others. The more successful you are in creating this impression about yourself/business in the mind of your target audience, the greater the chances that they will choose you over others who may offer the same products and/or services you do. This in effect means, you will be better able to achieve your major business goal of making MORE money, MORE profitably.This Article Is Meant MAINLY For Non-Employees Just before I continue, I wish to make the following clarification. The ideas I offer here are mainly for use by self-employed individuals (independent contractors, consultants, entrepreneurs/business owners) – i.e. people who are their own bosses and therefore take decisions that affect how their company is perceived or operates.For those who work as employees in companies, it is likely that decisions about the type and design of business cards used will be taken with considerations relevant to the company’s preferred mode of operation and business vision. I will therefore only say that persons who fall into this latter category, if they find what I say here of potential usefulness to their organisation(e.g. sales/marketing personnel) explore the possibility of bringing it to the attention of appropriate decision makers for consideration.Is There A Rule Book For Business Card Design? I am not aware of any rule book that actually spells out what information or details should or should not be on a business card: But if you know of any, I would appreciate your sending me a note about where to find it. :-) It appears instead, that most people seem to have come to some tacit agreement on the most relevant pieces of information and features to adorn their cards with. Or maybe they just adopted what they found others doing when they entered into business for themselves. Either way, the point I’m making is that I believe each person needs to try and design a business card that works for him/her.What Does The Conventional Business Card “Say”?What I would call the conventional business card typically contains information that “says” the following(in addition to some graphics such as a logo, or artistic effects for aestetic appeal):1. Who you are: Your name/title/business name, and possible qualifications that lend credence to your claims.2. Contact Info: Phone numbers, postal/physical address, web URL/email(you do have these don’t you?).3. A Tag Line: Punchy phrase about your biz. BUT will these help achieve your purpose?But the question could be asked: Does the conventionally designed business card work as well as it could be made to? I say NO. I say NO. In fact, after thinking about this issue, I have come to the conclusion that one word best describes the conventional business card – and that’s “Passive”. It’s contents are not designed to be response-generating or action-inducing. I however believe one can adopt a card design that is more “Active” — hence my efforts at finding an alternative that works, which eventually led to this article being written.I have always been a bit of a non-conformist – with a penchant for “playing devil’s advocate”, “rocking the boat”, “stirring things up” etc in a bid to challenge others to re-evaluate accepted norms for possible refinement – or total replacement. :-) If I find that the status quo does not offer me what I consider optimal returns towards achievement of a set goal(s), I immediately begin exploring alternative options to adopt, till I find something that gives me the results I want.Based on the above, the question, for me – as a performance enhancement advocate – on the issue of business cards and how to get the most value from them is: What information do business persons NEED to put on their business cards, to help them MORE successfully achieve their intended purpose for handing such cards out to prospects ?By the way, with a few possible exceptions, I assume here that the reader – like most people who give out business cards – does so because s/he expects that the cards will further impress(or remind) the recipients to make contact at a later date in relation to the product or service discussed. In my view the business cards many business persons give out are not properly equipped to achieve the full marketing impact potential they possess. Business cards, I believe, can be designed to play a more active – even though silent – role in the marketing and/or selling process.Think about it this way. Someone you speak with about your work could say “Can I have your card?”, possibly because your conversation is interesting enough to them, that they want to be able to contact you at a later date to take it further. However, whether or not you do end up closing a sale with that person could depend on what your card “says”(if at all it has anything to say) to him/her AFTER you’ve parted ways.Now, if s/he runs into ANOTHER person who “appears” to offer something similar to what you told him/her you could, s/he might just give that OTHER person the job. But if your card is THE type that “tells”(or reminds) her about specific unique benefits you provide that the OTHER person may not be able to match, s/he is likely to tell the other seller “NO”, and come back to you. I say the foregoing here on the assumption that you do actually have a Unique Selling Proposition(USP).In essence, my argument is that business owners can do a little more thinking to MAKE MORE OBVIOUS, the TANGIBLE BENEFITS they offer, which prospective – and existing – clients would find attractive, and therefore be willing to take ACTION to get. The business owners can then highlight those benefits in form of keywords and phrases on their business cards. Such business cards would subsequently have a greater marketing “impact” on those who receive them, increasing the chances of the prospects making contact at a later date.A Comparative Analysis Of Two Similar Restaurants With Different “Sales Pitches”Let’s do a little comparative analysis. Say it’s 12.30pm and you are driving on a major highway to the next city to do a presentation scheduled for 2.00pm. If you keep driving at the same speed, you estimate you should get into the city in another thirty minutes, leaving you just enough time to check into “Clear View International Hotel”, take a shower, change clothes and move into the conference hall on the ground hall of the hotel where the presentation will hold. But you are feeling a bit thirsty and hungry, and worry that there might not be enough time to quickly order something to eat at the hotel(Please bear with me: for some reason, I could not think up a better “excuse” :-) ).Suddenly you get to a junction and notice road signs for two different fast food outlets poisitioned next to each other. For the purpose of this example, we assume that both places actually offer equally quick services and more or less the same variety of foods and drinks. The difference is in the way they describe – on their road signs – what they offer the prospect(traveller), who needs to make up his/her mind.One sign says “Quik-Caterers! Get Our Quik Travel Meals & Drinks Pack(TM). Wait Max 15 Mins – Or We Pay!”. The other says “Welcome To Jazzy Jaff’s Fast Foods Restaurant And Bar”.You will agree with me that if many travellers – who are in a hurry – had to decide which fast food restaurant to stop at, they would pick “Quik Caterers” – not because the name sounds better, or more appropriate, but most likely because their road sign offers MORE information – using catchy keywords/phrases – about TANGIBLE BENEFITS the prospective customers can relate to.Customers are likely to PERCEIVE that “Quik-Catering” is more capable of meeting their NEEDS than “Jazzy Jaff’s”. Now, imagine the information said to be on the road signs(or some of it) is used on business cards given out by the respective owners of the two restaurants. Chances are that Quik-Catering MD’s business card would raise more eyebrows, and probably result in one or two additional queries or comments to him/her(regarding the service described) – creating “openings” for sales conversations to take place.Look at it this way: Wouldn’t you be curious to know(and test?) if Quick-Catering could really deliver on its Wait Max 15 Mins – Or We Pay! promise? It’s an attractive – though unusual – offer, but if Quik-Catering only put it on flyers placed on the drinks counter in the restaurant(and not on the road sign or on business cards), less people would get to know about it and stop over.What Does Your Business Card “Need To Say”?A business card that keeps “selling” you to your prospect long after you’re gone, needs to say what you do in a way that makes those fitting your customer/client profile more likely to realize they actually NEED your product(s) and/or service(s).You can design your business cards such that they cut down the amount of “work” you need to do to generate potentially valuable sales leads. This is particularly important because many times we come across people who qualify to be our “perfect customers or clients” in first time meeting situations that do not permit lengthy discussions or interactions. So, often times we end up using an elevator speech, answering one or two questions that arise from it, then exchanging business cards.Some days later, the executive you gave your card to(and who at the same event went on to receive not less than four additional ones from “others like you”), sits in his/her office staring at your card. Among other things, s/he may struggle to recall where/when during that cocktail dinner s/he met you, and what again it was you said you could do for him/her that sounded so good!This kind of dilemma faces many people who receive the conventional cards I earlier described. Of course s/he sees on the card that you are a CPA, or Certified Coach etc. What s/he does not see on THAT type of card is something(keywords, phrase etc) to help him/her see or recall the “slant” in your offering that sets you apart from others who may offer anything like you do. The result? S/he puts the card back in the desk drawer(or worse: the round filing cabinet – aka “Waste Paper Bin”) and (probably) forgets it. Why? Because s/he cannot find a compelling enough reason to take the relationship further by giving you a call.Think back to the two fast food restaurant signs comparison I did earlier and imagine you are a decision maker for a large company that’s trying to choose a caterer to supply snacks to be served at their Annual General Meeting. Looking at the business cards given to you by the MD of Quik-Catering and that of Jazzy Jaff’s, all other factors being fairly constant, you are likely to get the “impression” that Quik-Catering will be able to meet your needs more readily, because they sound (from what they say on their road signs and business cards) that they’re already thinking along the lines of proving the value YOU seek.What It Could Look Like: A business card that “sells” you looks different from any your prospect has seen, and creates a lasting impression that sets you apart from the crowd. You can print your information on the front – and leave the back blank, or print on both sides. From testing various designs, I have found that it is useful to leave some blank space on the back for writing answers to “Date We Met?”, “Where We Met?”, “Notes/Comments” etc prompts that are printed on it.Actually Jeffery Meyer([http://www.succeedinginbusiness.com]) suggests that you write answers to the earlier listed prompts on the back of cards you get from others – so YOU can remember them, and what they are about. I have taken it a step further and designed cards that let me, “the giver”, write that information on the back of cards(which I take with me, as Meyer advises, to important meetings/events) I’m giving out, so as to “help” my prospects remember ME.Click here to view a web page showing images of sample business card designs that incorporate the features I have discussed in this article(I also offer a FREE downloadable copy of the Corel Draw template I used to create them). Incidentally, my business cards have sort of “evolved” over time as I played around with the ideas I had – until I settled for a particular design/layout. You may also find it useful to let your creativity loose so as to arrive at the best design for your work.A Business Card That Works Will Help You Market More Effectively & EfficientlyJeffery Meyer once wrote that to avoid the “feast-famine” syndrome that can plague a business which fails to ensure steady inflow of new work, one must continually search for new customers – and “weed out” hopeless prospects who cost you marketing effort, time and expense, but give you no jobs. For instance, he advises that you take the repeated non-return of your phone calls by a prospect as a sign that s/he does not feel a compelling need for your product or service. Instead, divert that marketing energy and expense towards recruiting NEW prospects.I believe a business card with the right balance of USP information and aesthetic appeal, can help a business owner use his/her business marketing time/effort more effectively and efficiently. This is because s/he will be able to use the card to create opportunities for discussions about useful benefits of the products and services s/he sells, in a way that will impress a prospective client or customer who happens to be looking for such returns.It is true that “buyers” tend to be undecided when considering a purchase, but when the “seller” points out the USP s/he offers, AND IF they coincide with the buyer’s felt needs, the buyer can become quite “sure” of what s/he wants, to the point that other “sellers” would be unable to influence him/her. Think about some products or services that many people use year in and year out(inspite of the presence of many competing brands), and you will find that they do so because certain needs they consider important are being met through the continued use of those products and services.Designing your business card the way I describe is more likely to result in the card continuing to “sell” you to a prospect, even after you’ve parted ways with him/her. The card – each time s/he looks at it – will through its contents remind him/her that you offer THAT unique benefit s/he wants or needs. Of course not everyone you give your card to, will call you back to give you work! Life itself is about percentages. So, what I am saying is that a higher percentage of those you give out your cards to, are likely to get a better understanding of what you can do for them(or for someone they know), and so call(or recommend you). You’ll consequently get more sales leads, and/or opportunities to close more sales.Your Cards Cost Money – Aim To Get A Return On Your Investment In Each!Print Them Cost-Effectively: I believe most individuals who work for themselves might find it more useful to design and print their own business cards in the quantities they require them. Due to the unpredictability of business generally, one or more bits of information on the card you use may change in a way that will make it necessary for you to re-print another set. If you already have thousands of cards printed, and suddenly discover a need to re-print, all the money spent producing the obsolete set would effectively go down the drain.You can avoid this. If you have a template setup in Corel Draw to print ten standard size business cards on an A4 sized embossed card paper, for instance(and have used colors economically in the design) your home/office printer should be able to generate a set of cards for your use over a few weeks at a time. As your business operations grow, and you become more certain for the long term about the information you have to put on the cards, you may be able to more safely produce larger quantities of cards.Think Before Giving Them Out: Considering that you would want the cards you give out to have a pleasing appearance, that complements the USP information printed on them, one expects they will not be “cheap” to produce. That’s why you may want to make sure every one you give out counts.If you can form the habit of thinking of your business card units in monetary terms(each of mine costs approximately $0.143 US Dollars equivalent), it might help you decide whether or not to put it in an envelope to just about anyone you’re mailing something to, even when you don’t know who they are or what they do. That would be like shooting in the dark – only this time you would be doing so, with MONEY!If I send out twenty five letters in envelopes to different prospects for instance, and put a card in each, I know it implies I have spent at least $3.575 US Dollars(aside from the cost of envelopes, paper, stamps etc).Business marketing yields better results when properly targeted at the right audience. You could for instance staple your business cards, to letters you are sending out to CEOs of certain organisations you hope will find your products and services potentially useful. Every time I want to give out a card, I ask myself: Am I sure this is going to help me get increased marketing exposure for my work, that could lead to more business? You might want to ask yourself a similar question periodically.ONE LAST THING: Read Michel Fortin’s Ten Commandments E-book What I have proposed in this article will require anyone who wishes to try out my ideas to re-visit his/her business concepts and philosophies with a view to distilling the “value” s/he is truly capable of delivering to customers. To do this successfully, I want to seriously suggest you download and READ Michel Fortin’s “Ten Commandments of Power Positioning” e-book.Visit his website at http://www.successdoctor.com and learn how you can get a copy of his excellent e-book(I got mine about 4 years ago). It offers many very practical and tested ideas about how you can market yourself or business more effectively to customers, so that they see you as their preferred provider of your product and/or service range.To accurately define keywords and phrases that best capture the VALUE you can deliver to your customers, the “Divide and Conquer” concept described by Fortin in his e-book, when properly applied, will help you arrive at the most appropriate ones. Fortin also provides practical real-world relevant tips for crafting YOUR OWN tag lines and elevator speeches; developing press kits etc.Read that e-book(I actually printed mine out and had it sprial bound) from first to last page as many times as you need to fully understand it, and try applying what you learn to your business through the exercises suggested. By the time you are done, you will know what to say about your business(and also HOW to say it) in your speech, and on any of your business marketing media such as business cards, signs, flyers, letterheads, website etc.Question: How will you judge whether it’s working or not?Answer: (1). If more prospects make contact with you as a result of your re-vamped business marketing – which incorporates your re-designed business cards – THAT will be evidence that it’s working. (2). When your newly acquired clients/customers continue to patronise you and DO NOT express any regrets for doing so(by way of product returns or unwillingness to give referrals/repeat business), THAT would reasonably suggest they are satisfied you deliver the value you “promise”.

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