Bringing Business Cards Back To Life

A couple of years ago, I went to a political convention in Lansing, Michigan. It was an election year, so there were hundreds of people there. I met more people than I could possibly remember: the governor, senators, congressmen, county commissioners, political lackeys, you name it.

Recently, I was going through my attic when I found the portfolio I had taken with me to that convention. When I opened it up, about two dozen business cards fell out of it and onto the floor. I had gathered all of those cards that day, but not once had I actually used one of them.

Business cards are one of the oldest marketing techniques out there. You give your card to someone, hoping that they will hold on to it and call you when they are in need of your product or service.

The problem is, they have become so commonplace that they have lost some of their effectiveness. Many people just put them away in their portfolios and forget about them.

But that doesnt mean that you shouldnt use business cards. In fact, you should take the opportunity to use them to your advantage. If you think differently than your competitors, you can gain the advantage. That means you should make a business card that is unique, and makes an impression on the customer.

Business card printing has become an automatic, run-of-the-mill task for many businesspeople, but that shouldnt be the case with you. You should take this task seriously. Be as creative in designing your business cards as you are at designing your ads or brochures. Think of ways to add value to your cards that your competitors are not adding themselves. Put more on your cards than the usual name, address, number, and website. Use it as a mini-brochure. Put real information on them. You can even put a coupon or a special offer on them!

Above all else, think quality over quantity. Your custom business cards are important enough that you should entrust them to professionals rather than printing them at home.
Find a good, reputable company that will produce quality, full color business cards for you. Choose colors that fit with your companys image and feel. Try to create a brand identity for your business.

Business cards, as old as they are, can still be a great tool for your business success. You just have to be creative with them.