How to use business cards
Posted on November 23, 2009
Filed Under Biz Start-Up | 2 Comments
Sound like a stupid statement? It’s often one of the first things people do when they start a business or go self employed; get some business cards printed. Seeing a little bit of card makes it all suddenly seem real and you give them to your friends and family to show them how important you are. For some people that’s as far as it gets but despite the massive move towards all things online, for many traditional starts (i.e. anything offline, which still includes the majority of you out there, and certainly the majority of clients that I meet with) business cards are a vital business tool and one that you can use to your advantage. So here are my top 10 tips for using business cards to win more business:
- Get some business cards! Remember to include at least your name, mobile, email and what it is you do – imagine someone finds your card in the street – can they tell what it is you do? Think about adding your Twitter or LinkedIn account too.
- Watch the costs – Make them expensive enough that they look good but cheap enough that you’re not going to grudge handing them out.
- Keep the reverse side blank – Any seasoned networker will write a note or two on the reverse to prompt the memory – no room for a note, no prompt, no prompt, no sale.
- Keep them on you at all times – at least in public. Have you ever met someone and not had your card to give them? This is the cardinal sin and will never happen again, will it? Do you already have enough business that you can afford to miss out? Thought not.
- Keep them everywhere – in your wallet, in your car, at the office even with your spouse or family.
- Give two out at a time - I’m not going to try and tell you that the majority of business cards aren’t chucked within a day or two but for the minimal cost per card it could be worth it. Imagine the contact you pass your card to is in a meeting later that day and the conversation turns to your specialism, the contact suddenly remembers he has a spare card and passes it on. Chances? Unlikely. Possible? Yes. Worth it? I’d say it was.
- Leave them with clients – At the end of any project or sale, give the (hopefully satisfied) customer a few of your cards and ask for a referral. Most satisfied customers are more than happy to refer you, they just don’t think about it. Ask them and give them some cards to make it easier for them gives you a much better chance of winning more business.
- Give them to all your friends and family – I’ve already said that this is the first thing many people do but if you haven’t then make sure you do, give them a few. Who’s a better refferrer than someone who really likes you?
- Mail them – writing to a prospective client? Include the card with the letter and it gives them something handier than an A4 letter to keep
- Bookmark them – A bit of a sneaky one but how about going to your local bookshop or library and slotting your card into the books relating to your specialism. You might get banned from coming back but there’s always Amazon isn’t there?
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[...] Get some business cards. To win work you need people to have heard of you. Get some business cards and give them to everyone you meet. For best practice on using business cards, see my earlier post on how to use business cards. [...]
[...] How to Use Business Cards – 10 quick, useful tips. [...]