As we all start to fill up our diaries getting meetings organised and networking events booked in it’s a good time to revisit the smallest marketing tool most of us have – the business card!
A business card can often be the first marketing tool that our prospects are given. In fact, it might be the one that people hang onto for the longest. Even in this digital age of emails and tweets, when we meet people face to face, there’s nothing like an effective, memorable business card to make the right impression and increase the chances of them keeping it and more importantly, remembering you when they need you.
So what makes a great business card? here are 5 things to consider;
1. Make your primary contact details easy to find.
So many companies give equal billing to a land address and a phone number or email. People will more often than not use your business card to find your email address or phone number so make sure they stand out. A business card may be small but there’s no need for tiny type that people have to squint to read!
2. Use the back of the card.
Double sided print costs very little extra and gives you twice the space on your card. For what? Time for point 3…
3. Use the card to explain what your business does and how you, your products or service make a difference.
As business cards are kept by people for a fair amount of time generally, it makes sense to do this. Someone who met you at a networking event several months ago is unlikely to remember every thing you told them in a brief conversation. But a well worded card with a short paragraph, bullet points etc will jog their memory so they can either get in touch themselves or pass on to someone else they know. A card that just has your name and contact details really is missing a trick.
4. Match your brand.
Make sure that the overall layout and style of the card is in line with all of your other marketing materials. Goes without saying really but sometimes designers and printers get a bit lazy with business cards probably due to their size and think they can’t be full on brand or interesting. Not so!
5. Be different – to really stand out.
Consider other features such as a folded card (which you can fit more information, images onto), a card cut into a special shape or with more unusual design and finishing features such as a spot varnish or a really heavy weight card. The example below is given flat but when it’s squeezed it pops into a cube shape and stands well on a desk.
So if you think your cards can be improved think about the points above. And yes, I bet you still have quite a lot of your current ones but a better card that stands out more could help to clinch that next deal!
If you’d like to talk to tent about really creative business card design just give us a call.
Dominic