What’s your business card saying about you and your business? Cheap, flimsy or poorly printed business cards do little to create a favourable first impression, so consider these five ways of enhancing the impact your card has on everyone you meet.
The humble business card is probably the most underrated form of marketing on the planet – business professionals spend thousands on glossy marketing and well crafted brands only to cut corners on the design and print of the introduction cards they hand out to prospective customers. However dynamic you are at a networking even or business function the only left in the hands of the people you meet is your calling card – how will they remember your encounter a day or so later when they come across your low cost, low impact business card?
So let’s recognise and embrace the power of the humble business card and look at five ways to enhance its impact on everyone you meet …
- Double the impact!
Why print on just one side of business card when you can print on two? Use the back of your card to list your products, services or specialties that way people will be reminded of what you can do long after they’ve met you. There is nothing worse than a future customer telling you that they went to your competitor because they didn’t know you offered that product or service – list it on your card and you’ll never miss a sale again. The best news is that printing on two sides instead of one should cost you only an additional 20 to 30 percent not double so it makes great economic sense too!
2. Add impact with full colour process
We live in world of colour – from digital TV to glossy magazines, the internet to high definition photography. Single colour or black and white cards can look bland, boring and somewhat outdated. Add a splash of colour or a picture to your business cards for more impact. 500 full colour cards can be printed these days for as little as $70 or so and look a million dollars. If you want to look slick and corporate and only use a limited palette of one or two colours then work with a designer or quality printer to choose some specialty stock to print on. Recycled stocks are becoming quite popular and can contrast well with their rustic look against a sharp, sophisticated design layout.
3. Book in for a ‘design face lift’
When was the last time your card was professionally designed, when was even the first time? So many business people in today’s hectic would opt for cheap online templates, get their printer to design a quick card or even worse, design it themselves using a free Publisher software program. How much business are you actually losing because of an ineffective business card? Your business card should be on brand and compliment your market position. Work with a graphic designer or design agency to develop a complete brand strategy for you where your business card plays a key role in carrying your message to market.
4. Add a professional finish to your card
What do you do the minute you receive a business card from someone? You touch it, feel it and examine its quality – a flimsy, poorly printed card on cheap stock creates a very clear and often unfavourable first impression of the holder.
Add a professional matt or gloss laminate to your cards on your next print run for around 30 percent more, try applying some high gloss spot UV to one side, emboss your logo or add full metallic foiling for glittering results.
5. Move with the times – go digital!
Finally, the pinnacle of the humble business card – the all new, multimedia USB business card. Take your business cards to a new level by adding video, audio and pictures with a multimedia digital business cards. You can start simply by adding a ‘QR’ or Quick Response code to your existing cards. When scanned by a smart phone the user is taken instantly and seamlessly to an online web page, video clip or enquiry form – it’s where traditional print meets the online world.
A new USB business card takes things to a whole new level – you card can be attached to a computer or laptop via the USB connection and instantly load and play a personal video greeting from you, launch a web page or direct people to your social media pages.
Enhance the power of your business card and unleash the potential of this underused marketing tool – speak to BrandManager on 1300 55 30 33 or email your current artwork PDF to info@thebrandmanager.com.au for a complete ‘facelift’ of your business card.
