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Effective Business Card Tips

Date Added.: Feb 23, 2011;

Business cards have a personal touch and can compliment your other marketing channels. Personally giving someone a business card after meeting them can be powerful; that potential customer retains direct contact details with a specific person within a company assumes that they will receive personalised service. This effect is much more difficult to achieve with other forms of advertising, because other ads do not have the ability to shake your hand or have an intelligent, interactive conversation with your clients. Only real people can achieve true customer service or consultation, and passing a business card is part of that process.

How Does Your Business Card Represent You?

Whether you like it or not, the business cards you hand out reflect on you and your business. There are a lot of business card printers out there that offer very low prices, but the quality of the finished product can have a huge impact on the effectiveness of the main purpose of getting them printed in the first place: convincing potential customers of the quality of your business.

Quality of Card Stock

Question: Where do most people put the business cards that are given to them?

Answer: In their wallet!

Many printers generate business cards on 210-240GSM cardboard. GSM (grams per square metre) represents the weight of the cardboard and anything lower than 350GSM can prove to be pretty flimsy. There is no better way to make business cards a wasted expense and effort if they are easily destroyed because they cannot withstand the rigours of being kept in a person's wallet.

Design

Don't underestimate the importance of the process of designing a good business card. This requires some real brainstorming, whether you are creating the design yourself or using an external designer, make sure that the design reflects your industry and visually communicates your desired message. Your business card should not just communicate your contact details; it should also create further sharing and buzz.

Ink Quality and Printing Methods

Home based entrepreneurs who have tried to design and print their own business cards with an inkjet printer probably know that the end result can be disappointing.

Even if your business card was printed professionally, the quality of ink is important. To pass the trash test, drop some liquid on your business card. If the ink runs, your cards are most likely to end up in the trash.

Why Print on Both Sides?

Many businesses make the mistake of not printing on both sides of their business cards. It's cheaper and besides, all the relevant information fits on the one side right? The problem with not printing on both sides is that people you give your one-sided business cards to are most likely going to write on the blank side and then end up in the trash, or their own contact details are written on the back and given to other people.

The last thing you want people to do with your business card is to write all over it. If this happens, you business card has failed in its purpose.

More Tips to Make Your Business Cards More Effective

Here are a few more quick tips. They may not be suitable for every business and you need to think about what is appropriate for you.

Your business card can double as a coupon or discount card
Can double as a loyalty card (e.g. Get your 5^th coffee for free)
Print useful information or powerful quote on the back (e.g. a health clinic could have CPR instructions and emergency numbers on the back of their business cards.)
Write a personal note and add your signature
Include a photo of yourself
Include your preferred contact details
Make sure the text fonts are readable