Using Your Business Cards Effectively
Contrary to what your grandfather may have told you (as mine did!), business cards are not simply an expensive replacement for the Yellow Pages. They are a brand-building opportunity. Business cards are a way to personalize your contact information to a greater degree, at a lower price than phone directories can offer. They are a way to jog memories in your contacts, and can be associated with your pleasant, professional personality. Today we are looking at tips for creating your cards, business card printing and use that can make your business cards a profitable part of your marketing strategy.
Contact information best practices
Some elements of contact information on a business card are completely necessary, others are negotiable depending on your industry and role. Necessary elements include:
- Full name
- Business name
- Job title (helps jog people’s memories and file your card appropriately)
- Phone number
- Email address
- Tagline – but keep this related to your unique selling point
Negotiable elements include:
- Physical address
- Website address (although in some industries, leaving this off your business card printing could harm your credibility)
- Mobile phone number
- Fax number
Business card design tips
Unless you’re a designer yourself, your business card design will be a trade-off between quality and price. One of the cheapest ways to get a professional design for your cards is to use your business card printing team to do the layout – they are professionals who have usually seen thousands of different business cards, and know what works and what doesn’t.
You will need to have some input, even if you decide to use your business card printing service or a professional designer for the layout. Think about asking them to:
- Include a photo of yourself with the card – many people recognize faces much more easily than names
- Ensure that the size is a standard one that will fit in binders without folding
- Find a way to utilize the back of the card (while still leaving some space for your prospects to write notes on). A map to your business, or a special offer on presentation of the card are good ideas.
- Keep the design consistent with any other corporate materials you have – this will be the easiest design strategy for most business card printers
Business card printing tips
Your business card printer can often help out with ideas to make sure your card stands out from the crowd. You can use strategies like:
- Cutting one corner on an angle, or an edge on a curve
- Ask about stock options including texturing, glossier laminate and very high weight cards.
- Ask about shaping options – you can create a custom cutting form for an extra price with most business card printers.
Quality business card printers should have a turnaround of less than 5 days. Some offer hard copy proofs, so you can see how your design looks in ‘real life’ – a good business card printer won’t charge for this service.
Sources:
http://www.digital-women.com/how-to/howto5a.htm
http://visualaccentsdesign.com/designtips/50surefire.htm
http://scobleizer.com/2006/07/05/business-card-best-practices/
http://www.businesscardscenter.info/blog/business-cards/business-cards-tips/are-you-making-this-mistake-with-your-business-cards/
