Allow me to set a familiar scene…
You’re in need of a certain service. You know what you want, and you hit Google to do a search. On the first page of results, there are about 4 or 5 entries that seem to fit what you’re looking for. You click on the link, and based on the first 5-10 seconds on the home page, you decide whether or not that company gets your business.
Now, let’s go to another familiar scene…
You’re at a networking function, and have talked to 20 or 30 people. You are getting ready to leave, and take a quick look at the business cards you’ve collected during the evening. Some you can match with a person you remember talking to. Others are so generic – you can’t help but feel that the person they represented must have been too. You can’t remember a thing about them.
Online Rules in the Offline World
How much time do you spend optimizing your home page or landing page for your online business? Do you take that same approach to your offline landing page?
This can be the role of your business card. Often, it’s all a prospective client has to work with. The goal is to make sure the card is memorable, informative, clean, and professional – just like a good Website landing page.
Think about the last time someone handed you a business card. What was your first reaction?
Let’s try an experiment. What is your initial gut response when you see a card?
If you’re like most people, you judged the business – even just a little – based on what was on the card. We do judge books by their covers. Otherwise thousands of book designers and marketing experts would be out of a job.
Fortunately, most times you have more than a business card to work with. But there are other times, when it’s all we’ve got. Wouldn’t it be nice if your card represented you well?
A well optimized card can be:
- A tool,
- A canvas,
- A tiny direct marketing piece,
- Reflect your personal style,
- Good quality, yet reasonable priced.
It can also be forgettable, or worse, make it on a list of annoyances.
So, while you’re tweaking your online presence, and following the rules of a well optimized site, don’t forget your offline landing page.
Otherwise, a potential client might just forget too. Forgetting you in the process.
Coming up next, your offline flagship content. Because, a landing page will only get you so far.
Some good points. I would just suggest that people not wait to get business cards until they can make something “cool”. Go to Staples and get a set of 500 cheap business cards for $14 just to have with you while you try to figure out the coolest card possible.
One of the biggest uses of business cards is just to help people remember your name if they forget during your conversation. Sometimes having a personal calling card with just your name and maybe your email address is sufficient. These cards can stand out because they are so simple–even if they aren’t fancy.
Thanks for the reminder to do something about my business card.
Tony,
Here’s two great articles about Business Cards. They are must reads.
http://www.psychotactics.com/artpsycho3.htm
http://www.psychotactics.com/artaudiologo.htm
Success shall follow.
Regards
Shane
Well, for those who are not into business as yet (I’m a student), do carry networking cards like I do. It is similar to and in between a business cards and resume, and you can never be too sure when you are going to meet up with some prospective employers.
Mark – If you’re not in business yet, I think the cheap ones would work. But if you’re already up and running, creating stopgap cards may still give the wrong impression – just like an “Under Construction” page. I’d say go with a more professional, high quality look, even if it’s not the coolest, rather than the Staples special. IMHO
Trevor – I do what I can to keep you moving forward 🙂
Shane – Those are excellent articles! Thanks for sharing them.
Lyndon – That’s a terrific idea. I’ve actually seen some of those at networking functions, and I always get the impression the person is on top of things. Ultimately it comes down to selling who you are, what you know, and what you can do. Whether you’re a student or an entrepreneur.
Tony- Thanks for pointing out such an underutilized tool of marketing-branding-networking. These days, $100 can get you a ridiculous amount of bang for the buck. My big thing is USE BOTH SIDES! (yes I was yelling). For a few more bucks you can have twice the info. Use the back for your mission statement, your key services, a short bio … anything … just use both sides. You’ve inspired me to post on this topic, thanks.
Yup, a business card did make an impact.
I’ve been in insurance sales for a few years an I can testify that a strange or unique card could get you new prospects
Business cards are a good thing to have, even if you have an online business or blog. Distribute them, get some networking going on, and then opportunities will come. maybe someone will contact you for your services, or to offer a partnership. get some, give some, rinse wash & repeat.
Great idea, Tony. I went to VistaPrint 2 days ago to get some cards made up for SOBCon 07. Cards for EVERYONE!! LOL.
I think it will be so fun for everyone to exchange cards and leave with 250 blogs to watch and link and converse with.
Great write-up on the how-to and what’s-good of business cards.