Cheap, Effective Marketing with Business Cards

What is a business card? For some, it's the very first thing that's asked of you when you meet new people. For others, it's the first reflection on your company. Either way, it's one of the least expensive forms of advertising possible. Your business card is your introduction to potential clients and prospects. It's your opportunity to let others know what you have to offer them and your unique opportunity to make a positive first impression. But what does your business card really say about you?

Include contact information

When deciding what to include on your business card, remember that you want to entice people, not bore them. People want to know how to contact you, so your name, company name, address, phone, fax and website are a necessity. Also include a single line, a tagline, which describes what your business does. Make your tagline a selling point.

Skip the hard-to-read fonts

Avoid fancy print that's hard to read or very small print that's equally hard to read on your business cards. You want people to be able to read and recognize your company and your business quickly and easily.

How many should you order?

When ordering your business cards, it's natural to think that you'll never need 1,000 business cards; however, consider all the places around your community where you could leave your business card and increase awareness of your business. Here are 10 tips for getting your business card into as many hands as possible:

1. Tell your friends and relatives about your business and give them a small stack of business cards to hand out to their friends.
2. iPlace your business cards on bulletin boards in stores and restaurants.
3. Hand out your card to anyone you meet during your day. If you are at the grocery store and strike up a conversation with another shopper, hand them a business card. If you're at the park with your kids, hand out business cards to the other parents.
4. When you mail your bills, always include a business card with your payment.
5. When you write thank you notes or correspond with clients or potential clients, add two business cards; one for them to keep and one for a friend. Make sure that your stationery and envelopes match your business card in print type and quality.
6. Give all of the vendors from whom you buy products or services your business card and ask if they can use your product or services. If they have stores or areas where business cards are displayed, ask if your can be added to the board.
7. Send out sales letters to everyone you think might be able to use your product or service, and be sure you include several business cards in each letter.
8. Give people a reason to hold onto your card. Print something important on the back of it - a calendar, a list of your services, something relevant to your industry. Also, you could print a coupon on the back of the card that they have to return with their order.
9. As a business owner or manager, have business cards printed for all staff members. The novelty of the cards for those who usually don't have them will entice employees to hand them out. At the same time, you'll make them feel appreciated.
10. Use your cards as scrap paper when you need to jot down a note. Instead of a napkin, use the back of your business card to write down a cell phone number.

Above all, store your cards in a nice holder so they don't get bent. Keeping your cards in a ]]>stylish business card]]> case will make for a better presentation when you hand your cards out.