Business Cards are often overlooked as something everyone in business has, but which most people pay little attention. You should!
Business Cards are probably the simplest and most powerful way to introduce yourself and your business to prospective customers or clients.
Everyone in business practices their “elevator speech” – that 30-second pitch or description of what your business is all about. In the real world you have precious little time to capture the interest of a prospective investor, or client, or customer. Because every salesperson knows (and we are all selling something) that if you can grab a prospect’s interest in the first 30 seconds, then they may give you more time to explore what you are pitching. If not – you may be out of luck.
Consider the businiess card a one-second advertisement of your business. Maybe you use it to initiate a discussion. Or maybe you like to use it to punctuate the pitch. Either way it can help grap attention.
When you give your business card to new people you meet, do they actually study it or even look at it? Do you hear: “Nice card!” Or do they simply glance at it and then slip it into their pocket or purse or desk drawer? Does your card tell the story of your business? Or is it just a generic listing of your contact information? If the latter, then you are missing a great opportunity to make a better first impression.
Today’s business cards tend to be graphical, glossy and creative. Of course, you have to include the necessary contact information – but if there were no contact information listed at all, do the graphic elements capture interest by themselves? The eye wants to be captivated. It wants something noteworthy. It needs a reason to pause and search for more information. Captivating graphics or a unique logo may just do the trick.
Speaking of contact information… as a modern company have you included your company’s web address? Do you have a professional e-mail address such as yourname@yourcompany.com – or a less professional looking address like item99@freewebmail.com? Establishing a web presence and a professional e-mail address is not as complicated nor as expensive as it sounds and having them helps create a more substantial first impression.
If you have not looked at your business card recently - then do yourself a favor and take a long, hard, objective look. Does your card stand out from the crowd? …then maybe you will too!