What do you think happens to your business cards when you hand them out? Unfortunately some of them probably end up in the trash. So how do you make your business card stand out that will actually make the recipient want to contact you or keep your card on file for future reference?
There are tons of boring business cards out there, mainly because people don’t put much thought into it, but 
also because it is just one of those things that seem to be the first item on a to-do list when people start a business. You need to remember that your business card is a marketing tool just like your website and brochure. If you put some thought into it, make it creative and unique, then it can be a great tool to market your business.
Here is my own personal list of how to make your business card stand out without much effort or cost:
1. Go double-sided! Contrary to what you might think, it doesn’t cost much more to print on both sides of your card – just a few extra dollars with most printers. And what do those few extra dollars get you? First, it is an opportunity to double your marketing efforts and second, it allows you to be much more creative than having the same old boring business card that everyone else has. What can you have printed on the back of your card? How about:
- Listing your services
- Adding a referral promotion or how one can become an affiliate
- A condensed version of your company bio or mission statement
- One or two of your most popular products, like a book/eBook you wrote
- A link to a free report, eBook, or podcast to download from your website
- Listing your other websites that are related to your business
- A link to your blog
The possibilities are endless really. If you aren’t keen on adding any of the above items then one of the things I like to do when a client just wants the usual contact information is to cover the entire front of the card with their logo and/or tagline, and then list their contact information on the back.
2. Don’t be a crammer! Your business card is not a contest to see how much information you can actually have printed. Don’t try to cram everything imaginable on your card and don’t use a font that is unreadable or use font size 4. You’re not going to get anyone’s attention unless you are including a magnifying glass. Make sure the important information is easy to find and easy to read.
3. Don’t forget the information highway. Include your website and email addresses. Don’t make it difficult for people to get in touch with you or locate you in the Internet. These are just as important as your phone number and mailing address, especially if you are primarily an online business. But even if you’re not, when I come across a new contact or company, the first thing I do is go to their website to check things out.
4. Clean, Crisp & Clear. Be sure to include your logo, but more importantly, that it is readable…that means a clean, hi-resolution image. Every single piece of marketing material that you hand out for your business should include your logo to help establish your image and branding. Your potential clients need to be able to recognize your business and your logo is the key to accomplishing this. If there is one thing that turns me off, that is seeing a business card or other marketing piece handed to me donning a pixilated or jagged looking logo. What that tells me is that this person takes no pride in their business or their image and couldn’t even take the time or the effort to produce a quality business card or marketing piece.
5. Don’t forget your tagline. Your tagline should be an extension of your business name. It should create curiosity; draw in the client, all while getting them to ask: ‘How do you do that?’
6. Be crystal clear! Make what you do clear to your recipient. Your business name is not an instant tell-tell of what you or your business can offer, unless of course your business name is Dell, Google, Yahoo, or Microsoft. If you want people to do business with you, then don’t make them guess. Look at your business name and ask yourself, “If I were a stranger, would I know what XYZ Solutions LLC does?” Remember that your card may be sitting in their desk drawer for 3 or even 6 months so your card needs to remind them what you and your business can do for them.
7. Flaunt it if you’ve got it! Include any accreditations or awards that you’ve earned as this may prompt people to contact you. If someone is looking for an Adobe Certified Expert or a Microsoft Certified Provider and they see that you are one of them, your chances of them contacting you just increased.
8. Se habla espanol? Do you speak more than one language? Then promote it on your business card. If this is a major part of your marketing strategy, then duplicate your contact information in another language on the back of your card.
9. Are you too square? Then go rounded; rounded corners that is. One of my favorite things to do that adds just a little bit of uniqueness is to have business cards printed with rounded corners. It isn’t an extreme change, but just enough for people to take notice while being fairly inexpensive. This won’t work with every design, but it will for many.
10. Don’t be a cheapskate! For me, this is really the first rule you should follow, and technically it should just be a given. Don’t have your business cards printed on cheap paper, printed with cheap ink, and for goodness sake, don’t print them on your home personal printer with perforated edges. I know it is an easy (and cheap) fix, but your business image depends on it. And if you don’t think people will notice…well, you’re wrong because they do know the difference. If you MUST print them at home, I hope they are just temporary and you are just waiting on your permanent ones to arrive from a commercial printer. Also don’t be afraid to hand your ‘temporary’ card to someone and let them know you will send them your permanent one as soon as they arrive from the printer.
11. Why you? Highlight the benefits of doing business with you. If you don’t tell people what they’ll get from doing business with you, then how will they know? Remember, features equal qualities of your product/service, and benefits equal what those features mean to your customer.
12. Give them the wow factor! If you can afford the extra cost, then think outside of the box and just simply WOW your recipients with your business card. Are rounded corners not enough for you? Then try a magnetic or folded business card for just a little extra personality. But if you really want to add in the “wow factor” then think about having your cards custom die-cut such as a circle or a shape that compliments your industry or business, printed on something other than paper like clear plastic or metal, add embossing, etc. The possibilities are endless.
If you’re looking for great online commercial printers that provide a quality finished product, view my favorites here.
Now that I’ve armed you with some great tips to help make your business card remarkable, there is one last thing…hand them out! Your business cards won’t do you any good sitting in a box on your desk. Pass them out to everyone you meet, drop a couple in each envelope of your outgoing snail mail, leave a stack at local business establishments that you frequent, and don’t forget family and friends. They may know what you do and have no need for your services or products, but they may meet someone who does.
———-
Do you need help refining your company image, marketing materials or promotional items? Do you yearn for that much needed freedom from administrative and technical tasks in your business? Whether you need a new design, an overall image makeover, fresh copy for your marketing pieces and business communications, or just an amazing assistant to keep your business on track, Signature Worx can help.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Connie McVicker is Owner and Creative Director of Signature Worx LLC, a virtual assistance company specializing in business identity & branding, print & web design, and Internet marketing. To learn more about Connie and how she can take your business image from drab to fab with an overall business brand that stands out and gets you noticed, visit any one of her business websites: Signature Worx Business Solutions, Signature Worx Designs & Branding , Signature Worx Web Design & Internet Marketing, Signature Worx Portfolio, and In The Worx Blog. You can also follow her on Twitter and connect with her on LinkedIn and Plaxo.
