I love networking and meeting new people. I enjoy the pleasant etiquette of exchanging business cards. Unfortunately, I have seen some poorly designed business cards in my travels. I have been handed a boring dull business card from someone claiming to be a professional graphic designer. I have been handed a torn and frayed off-size card by someone claiming to be a marketing consultant. I’ve seen cards with outdated contact information and scribbled corrections.
This article is intended to help business owners create and design a business card they can be proud to present – a card that will pass the trash test. The goal is to be memorable. What I want for you is for prospects to remember who you are days, weeks, and months after the networking event and for you to make loads of money because of your business card!
Please use the tips listed here to design a card that makes money:
1. Don’t use plain white card stock for your business card. There’s nothing more boring than a white card.
2. Don’t use raised printing also called thermograph printing. This is considered passé.
3. UV coating is the shiny coating you see applied to many business cards. Make sure you coat only one side of your card as people like to write on cards to remember who you are and where they met you.
4. Make sure there are 3 methods of communication on your business card. Prospects have a preferred method and if you don’t include it, you may not hear from them. List your phone number, email address, and mailing address.
5. Use your business card to drive traffic to your website. Advertise on your card “download my free report” at www.yourwebsite.com.
6. Use a nice quality card stock for your card. There’s nothing that screams unprofessional as a thin card.
7. Don’t list your fax number unless your business regularly receives faxes as a normal part of your business workflow. This is extra information that doesn’t need to crowd your card if not appropriate. And you won’t be bothered by fax advertising.
8. Include a Tagline on your business card. Tell your target clients what it is you do for them. This will serve to polish your image and create a brand for your company. Put your Tagline on the front of the business card.
9. Maintain a consistent brand by utilizing your unique design on both your business card and your website.
10. Keep your business card simple. Don't try to cram too much information on your card. You need some “white” space to even out the design.
11. Use no more than two fonts in your card design. Fewer fonts make it easier on the eyes.
12. Don’t use all caps on your card. All caps are difficult to read.
13. Don’t use odd sized cards. Prospect keep regular sized business cards after networking events. Odd sized cards eventually end up in the trash.
14. Use the back of the card for something useful, like a listing of the benefits your clients receive from utilizing your services.
15. If you really want to be cutting edge, use the new video business cards available today. This technology is said to be the wave of the future and especially useful if you exhibit at tradeshows.
16. Do utilize a photograph of yourself on the front of your card if you are in a relationship building profession. This helps to make you more memorable.
17. Do utilize a four color photo of your creations on the back of your card if you are in the creative professions.
18. Make sure your business card fits who you are. If you’re an artist, include a photo of your work and make sure the card has an artistic feel. If you are in a conservative field, keep the design simple.
19. Make a digital version of your business card and include it in your email signature.
20. Use a professional email address on your cards: yourname@yourdomain.com. Foxylady@yahoo.com is not appropriate for the business environment.
21. Add certification titles to your card to add credibility.
22. When handed a business card, make sure to study the card and ask questions about the prospect. This makes you a more “interesting” person.
23. When giving out business cards take them from a case and hand them to your prospect so that the card is facing up. I don’t know how many times I’ve been handed an upside down business card.
24. Include an offer on the back of your business card such as a free consultation, or free service offered in the form of a call to action.
25. Include a card with all correspondence.
26. Use a logo that is visually appealing and tells prospects what it is you do for a living.
27. Use a 4-color business card. They are not expensive and are more memorable.
28. Make sure you list your title near your name.
29. Hand out your business card as much as possible. Keep a supply in your car so that you never run out!
Professionalism Counts
The best advice I can give you is to use a professional to design your card. This is a one-time investment in your company identity. Just think about the additional fees you can command when you are perceived as an expert. How much is your professional presence worth to you? A well-designed business card shows that you are a successful entrepreneur and not a fly-by-night. It also positions your business for success by presenting a clear image of a company that can be trusted.
©Copyright 2007| Suzanne Muusers | All Rights Reserved
Reprint Rights: You may reprint this article as long the article is printed in its entirety including the about the author information, you leave all the links active, and you do not edit the article in any way, and include the copyright statement.
29 Perfect Business Card Tips That Will Make You Loads of Money - To learn more about this author, visit Suzanne Muusers's Website.
Like this article? Share it with your friends
 |
Related Articles |
|
 Business card tips
|
| |
This article provides dot-points on how to professionally hand out business cards so that they have a positive effect on various people.
|
|
How to Make your Business Card Unforgettable
|
| |
One of the best ways to make a connection with a prospect is a business card. Not only can you use them as reminders to your clients, but also to spread your information! Read on for some tips to maximize your poten...
|
|
29 Perfect Business Card Tips That Will Make You Loads of Money
|
| |
This article is intended to help business owners create and design a business card they can be proud to present – a card that will pass the trash test. The goal is to be memorable. What I want for you is for prosp...
|
|
Cool Customer Clincher
|
| |
Today's mail included a card-sized envelope with my name and address handwritten, and a regular stamp, from someone whose name (in the top-left corner) I didn't recognize. Was it a belated Valentine, or what?
|
|
Credit Cards: Business Necessity or Trap?
|
| |
Many people consider that a credit card is, in many ways, something of a trap. They are concerned that they will spend more than they can afford without even realizing it, and that when they do so, they will be ente...
|
 |
Related Businesses - Evan Elite Authors |
|
George Ludwig
George Ludwig is a recognized authority on sales strategy and peak performance psychology. An international speaker, trainer, and corporate consultant, he helps clients like Johnson & Johnson, Abbott Laboratories, Northwestern Mutual, CIGNA, and numerous others improve sales force effectiveness and performance.
Though it's George's strategies and processes that help corporations increase productivity and performance, it's his tremendous energy and dynamism that spark the transformation. Again and again, clients remark on his amazing ability to unleash human capacity and inspire men and women to break out of their comfort zones. The result is a whole new type of salesperson.
His customized presentations teach achievers to make stunning advances in their lives. From helping salespeople realize cherished dreams to helping corporations exponentially accelerate revenue streams, George Ludwig leaves audiences and individuals empowered, emboldened, and clamoring for more.
George is the best-selling author of Power Selling: Seven Strategies for Cracking the Sales Code and Wise Moves: 60 Quick Tips to Improve Your Position in Life & Business. - Visit George Ludwig's Website |
|
Vwodek Wojczynski
Business Coach and Consultant Vwodek Wojczynski (pronounced Voy-chin-ski) brings fun, awareness, accountability and fresh perspectives based on his diverse experiences in life and business.
Born in Poland and educated in Greece and Canada, he is trilingual with 8 years experience in business development with clients in Canada, USA, Switzerland and Poland.
His approach is systematic and process-driven. He fuses the know-how of proven business methods with his commitment that entrepreneurs experience satisfaction and joy based on their values, motivations and strengths. He believes that businesses succeed based on their ability to generate value by providing what’s needed and wanted.
Ultimately, he trains executives and true business owners - people who work less, produce more, own businesses that run automatically after a while and make a difference globally.
His current research focus is the development of intelligent business systems and the application of emerging artificial intelligence technologies in business.
He is also an avid traveler, spoken word performer and visual artist. He resides in Toronto, Canada. - Visit Vwodek Wojczynski's Website |
|
Kim Castle
With nearly two decades in the advertising and design business, with clients like Domino's Pizza, General Motors, Direct TV, Pedigree, Wolfgang Puck, Higher Octave Music, Hollywood Celebrity Products, Disney, and Paramount, as well as thousands of entrepreneurs around the world define, structure, communicate, and position their business for greater profits, BrandU(R) co-creators Kim Castle and W. Vito Montone discovered that entrepreneurs could experience the same power that big brands command for a fraction of the cost with the world's only process-based results-drive Integral approach to business creation.
BrandU(R) is helping entrepreneurs grow with the power of extreme clarity from idea...to brand...to market(TM) and helping one million entrepreneurs become successful and whole so that they can make a difference in the world. Are you one of them?
If you want to experience clarity all the way to the bank(TM), get started now at http://www.brandu.com. - Visit Kim Castle's Website |
|
David Barr
David Barr is the President of Venture Opportunities, Inc. David has been a professional business broker/intermediary since 1980 focusing on General Business Brokerage and Mergers and Acquisitions representing client transaction value from $400,000 to $20,000,000. Mr. Barr has handled the sale of over four hundred and fifty companies. David earned a university degree from the State University of New York majoring in economics and business.
David holds the Mergers and Acquisition Master Intermediary and the Certified Business Intermediary designations from the International Business Brokers Association. He is also a Senior Business Analyst and a Texas licensed Real Estate Agent. For more information about David and Venture Opportunities, visit www.bizdealmaker.com. - Visit David Barr's Website |
|
Accessible Business Consultants
Dave Turkin, President, of Accessible Business Consultants is a full service business consultant that has over 32 years of experience working with small-medium size businesses. Dave has designed and implemented numerous business and marketing plans, designed internal programs for accounting and operational procedures. He has analyzed businesses and prepared strategic plans setting budgets for growth, expansion and business restructuring.
He currently sits on the Board of Directors of various corporations as an advisor. For many years he has been the Business Coach to many executives offering advice and guidance from old and established companies as well as new companies just getting started.
Dave has the ability to analyze a business quickly and get a strong indication as to the necessary steps to improve operations, productivity and profitability. - Visit Accessible Business Consultants's Website |
|
Jeff Foster
WebBizIdeas.com is a Minneapolis website design company founded to help people start an internet business by providing them with website, business, and internet resources that help foster the growth of successful online businesses and develop innovative Internet business ideas. - Visit Jeff Foster's Website |
|
Anne Barr
Anne Barr has over 26 years experience in sales and marketing, six years as a franchisee. She has assisted over 367 business owners and purchasers to achieve their goals in career change, transition and exit strategy. She holds the designation of Certified Franchise Executive from the International Franchise Association, Certified Business Intermediary from the International Business Brokers Association and Board Certified Broker from the Texas Association of Business Brokers. Anne is active in professional organizations,
networking groups and volunteers for non-profit entities. As owner/operator of four successful businesses, Anne has proven people skills and enjoys helping clients find the right "fit" in business
ownership. Visit www.FranchiseOpportunitySpecialist.com for more information about me and my company. - Visit Anne Barr's Website |
|
Leanne Hoagland-Smith
Are your sales where you want them to be? Will you be one of the few who achieves sales success or one of the many who have failed to change? So what are you doing to change those results? Let’s be honest, with companies moving globally and at lightening speeds, the traditional business solutions are outdated and dead. My approach moves your business out of its comfort zone and secures your competitive advantage now. If you are seeking to increase sales, build customer loyalty, create a culture of great attitudes or just achieve some sleep filled nights, then we should talk because my clients have experienced exactly those types of results. Learn more about customer loyalty at http://www.processspecialist.com/customer-loyalty.htm Give me a call at 219.759.5601 for a free strategy session. P.S. If you are seeking a motivational speaker, sales trainer or small business expert that will leave your audience smiling and remembering, please feel free to contact me at 219.759.5601. - Visit Leanne Hoagland-Smith's Website |
|
The Evan Elite Authors program is currently in beta phase. For details please contact us.
|
|
|
Suzanne Muusers
(Visit Suzanne's Website)
Suzanne Muusers is a Business Coach and
Business Expert based in Scottsdale,
Arizona. She is a credentialed member of
the International Coach Federation and has
owned or managed a business every year
since 1981. She is the creator of The Two
Page Mini Business Plan™, The Six Step
Guide to Creating a Business Plan That's
Short, Easy, and Gets Results! Visit her
site:
www.prosperitycoaching.biz
|
|
|
|
![[Get Copyright Permissions]](http://license.icopyright.net/images/icopy-w.gif){kind=small}
