Social media and the internet have created new ways to market your business, but the old stand-by business card is still needed on many occasions. How many times do you find yourself traveling or shopping or at a get-together where you meet a good prospect for your service or product? You could pull out a piece of paper and write your information down for them, but it would be much easier and look more professional to hand them a business card with all your pertinent information.
When designing your business card, you should include certain information. The necessities are your name and title along with your business name. Include your full business address and phone number. A website address and email address should be added also.
The options for your card include a slogan or logo if you have one. For a personal touch, you may want to include a photograph of yourself. If you proudly support a cause include a line saying so. If you would like to see how well your business cards are working for you, print a code your customer can use for a discount on products or services. Make sure your card makes your service or product known.
You can buy your business cards in many places. Your local printing shop can offer a wide variety of choices, and you will be supporting a small business in your community. They will have a catalog of selections to help you choose. They can design and build your business card right from scratch. When in a pinch, you can use computer software to design your card and print them on your printer.
Business cards are inexpensive and easy to carry around. They fit in your pocket or wallet and make great bookmarks. These little marketing pieces are your billboard and represent you and your company. Whenever you are out and about and strike up a conversation about your business, hand one out. You never know who your next customer could be. Give out more than one if that prospect mentions friends or family that might be interested. One thing you should never do is just hand out to people randomly. Make sure there is a conversation involved where the person shows an interest. Otherwise, your card could wind up in the trash. Also feel free to pin them up on public bulletin boards or hand out to businesses affiliated with your own.
Make sure business cards are part of the marketing plan for your business. Keep them professional looking with all the pertinent information your customer will need to contact you. Go out of your way to talk about your business with the people you meet and slip a card into their hand. You never know from where your next customer will come.