You may not know it, but you already own the most important tool in your marketing arsenal. It is the business card. The "3.5"x 2" Miracle" that tells a person who you are, what you do, and how you can be contacted. The business card is a powerful ally in your fight to get a bigger market share. The key is to knowing how to use the business card.
In many businesses, the business card is rationed off like gasoline during World War Two. You have your 1000 cards and you are sent out to do business. What questions would be raised if you came back a month later asking for more? What if it was only two weeks?
The Zen of the Card. To understand the philosophy behind the business card, you must accept that business cards are almost free advertising. Yes, they do have an associated cost, but typically, if you get only one or two sells per thousand cards, you have paid off your expenses. Most importantly, you can judge your ROI (Return on Investment) by those that contact you through your business card. Can you precisely calculate the ROI on a trade magazine or the Yellow Pages?
What makes the business card even more formidable is that half of the people who have called you from your business card have a face to put with the number (and hopefully a few moments outlining what you can do for them). Only half? Read on…
The Anatomy of the Card. After you learn the Zen of the card, you must master the anatomy of the card. There are several schools of thought on this aspect. The most widely used format is the one you should run away from. You know this card. You have dozens of them. It is a white card. There is a logo in the upper left corner in one color. There is contact information in the center in black type. Maybe, you can find a slogan on the card.
This card is boring. Remember, this is your foot in the door, your first impression in some cases and you are telling your prospective customer that you are just like every other company vying for their business. Make the card stand out. Make sure they know the most important details. If you grab their attention, they will want to find out more.
You want the following information to grab the card holder:
Other ways of grabbing the attention of your potential customer is to put color on the back of the card with your information or logo again. The more impressions you give a potential customer will bring them one step closer to making them one of your customers.
Hitting the Pavement. You have your cards. Now it is time to give them all away. You want to give them all away. What good are they on your desk or in your wallet? They are better on someone else's desk or wallet. The following rules should be used in your broadcasting of business card communication:
1. Never give anyone just one business card. They are "free" remember? Give them out with gusto! People won't understand why you just gave them a half-dozen business cards, but tell them to feel free to give them to someone else. Maybe they will throw them away, maybe they will overhear someone who needs your services. You never know…2. Everyone is a potential customer. They might be a waitress, a gas station attendant, a janitor or a store clerk, but every person is a potential customer. If they don't use your service, they may know someone who does need you and they will exclaim, "Hey, this person was just in here the other day and gave me a handful of cards. Here you go!" Everyone you meet should walk away with your business cards. Don't let an opportunity pass.
3. Everywhere you go, you see bulletin boards and fishbowls of business cards. Carry a pack of thumb tacks with you and put them up everywhere you can. Clubs, restaurants, colleges, telephone poles, lunch rooms, and offices are all great places to post your business cards. There is nothing wrong with putting a stack of business cards on tray holder at your favorite fast food joint or on every restroom sink. Use your imagination and put them wherever people stop and may take notice.
4. Put business cards in every letter or package you mail. This way, when a person receives your post, they will know exactly how to reach you, even if they threw the packaging away months earlier.
I hope all of these ideas will make you take notice of your business cards as a vital part of your advertising. The business card is compact, informational, and insightful. It is a reflection of how you want the world to see you. It is a "3.5"x2" Miracle" for your business.
James Fowler is the owner of http://www.mywebsource1.com, a web design and marketing firm located in Wadsworth, Ohio. |
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