Is Your Business Card Working for You?

One of the first things anyone starting a business does is to either make or order business cards.  But seldom do we stop to think about the fact that this simple little rectangle of paper is going to be a representative of us and our business.  The majority of business cards are simply your name, the name and address of the business and contact information.  Perhaps there is a business logo thrown on there for good measure.  Now don’t misunderstand me, there is nothing wrong with a simple business card.  It does what it was intended, and that is to pass along contact info about you and your business to potential clients and business associates.  But it could be doing so much more.

With a little bit of creativity and ingenuity, your business card could not only pass along your contact info, but let the recipient know what it is you offer or do.  If you’re a dog grooming service, how about adding paw prints as a watermark?  Or do as I do, and list your most popular services on the back, along with a discount offer if they mention a keyword, the card or something of the sort when they make that call to you.  In fact, on the back of my card, I have a watermark of my logo beneath the list of services and the discount offer.  And I also have my identifying ‘slogan’ which appears on all of my advertising. 

Just what does all of this additional information accomplish?  Well, when that contact I gave my card to at the Chamber of Commerce event reaches in his pocket and pulls out my card, he may not remember me or what I do immediately.  There were a lot of people networking at that event and he received several cards.  But when he turns that card over, then he remembers that we discussed the possibility of creating a business blog to add to his website.  The possibility of his calling to discuss it again just increased in probability.

But adding information to the back of your card isn’t the only way to jog the memory or gain the attention of your business card recipients.  Perhaps you could draw your attention to the card by changing the shape or composition of the card itself.  There are lots of great examples if you search Flickr for “creative business cards”, like this card for a divorce lawyer that is perforated to split into two separate cards. With a little imagination your business card can become as unique as your business is.  And an attention getter to boot. Someone receiving one of these unique cards in not likely to forget who you are or what you do.

But what about those situations where you want to pass along information in a more personal form.  Like at a family reunion or one of your children’s school functions.  It seems way too stuffy to hand them your business card, plus it has your work contact information not your personal info.  Over at Build A Solo Practice, LLC  the concept of a “Mommy Card” is the Tip of the Week.  It’s the perfect solution for parents to pass along personal information as well as the URL of your business website.  A two-fold purpose.  And even if you’re not a parent, or your children are well past the age of play dates and school functions,  a personal card still makes sense for those situations where a business card doesn’t quite work.   I like the idea of using a MOO mini-card for this purpose.   First, they are inexpensive at 19.99 for 100, you can choose up to 100 different images for the front of the cards and put up to six lines of text on the back.  Some people have been known to use them as their primary business card as well.  How great would this work for a photographer, showcasing his work on one side and his contact info on the other?

So take a look at your business card.  Is it a reflection of your business?  Does it tell people what you offer?  Is it really working for you?