by John Harley
© 2006
http://www.thebusinesscardshop.net
When used effectively business cards can be a
great marketing tool. In this article we will discuss 5 of the
most effective ways that you can use your business cards everyday.
- Be Creative.
Be creative in the design of your business cards. Business cards
do not just need to be bits of paper with your contact details
on them. Be creative and give your business cards a use and
purpose. Make them a powerful marketing tool in the promotion
of your business.
Your aim is to make your business card something that the receiver
will want to keep and make use of. This is the difference between
a well thought out and designed business card and a piece of
paper with your contact details on it that will probably be
thrown into the trash.
Give the recipient of your business cards a special offer. For
example if you are a school/training centre you may offer 'first
lesson for free with this card' or if you run a shop maybe you
will offer '10% of any purchase over $50'.
Whatever your business, there is a creative way to give your
business card real value to the receiver. If you can think and
implement these new creative ways before your business does,
you will have an instant advantage in that area of business,
and should definitely see a rise in business if you have promoted
you cards correctly.
- The 1 minute rule
The 1 minute rule basically says, if you talk to a person for
longer than 1 minute they should already have one of your business
cards in their hand.
This means in conversations you need to find a way to talk about
what you do, and be in the position to be able to offer one
of your business cards to the person you are talking to in the
first minute of conversation. This can be likened to a conversation
you may have with someone at the bus stop or on the elevator.
The conversation will end in a very short time and you only
have a very short time to get your message across, or in this
case get your business card to the recipient.
The 1 minute rule is basically just practice to get your business
card out there as much as you can. Many people go through all
the trouble of ordering business cards just to let them sit
in a corner of their office. To use business cards effectively
you must be giving them out at every opportunity that you have.
- Make them keepers
Once you have given your business card to someone what is going
to keep it from being thrown in the trash or forgotten about.
Unless you are selling necessities it is probably fair to say
that most likely they do not need the product/services you are
offering at the present moment. Hopefully though in the future
will come a time when they are looking for that product/service
and that is when your business card still needs to be in the
hands of the person.
Why does someone want your business card? If you cannot answer
that easily, maybe it is time to think about a new business
card design.
Does your business card have valuable information on it? By
valuable I mean a map, discount, calendar, measurements, charts
or anything relevant to your industry? If it doesn't, you may
want to think about adding a value feature to your business
card.
- Leave them everywhere you go
During a number of trips around a number of businesses in my
local area I have noticed piles of business cards on the counters
of various businesses. For example a recent trip to my accountant
I noticed they had a few piles of business cards on the counter
for mortgage lenders, home loans, etc. This can be likened very
much to link swapping that goes on with webmasters looking for
business referrals from similar businesses.
Every place that you frequent, you should ask if they mind you
leaving a stack of you business card there for their customers.
You could try this at your doctors office, your dentist, accountant,
lawyer, beauty saloon or hairdresser.
For similar businesses (e.g. accountant > lawyer or money
lender) maybe you can arrange to have a stack of their business
cards displayed at your business when they offer your business
cards at theirs. This can be a very effective way to use you
business cards and can have great returns.
- Ask for an opinion
'Do you mind if I ask you a quick question? I'm looking for
opinions on my new business card'. After asking the question
and bringing the topic up hand them a business card. Make sure
that they keep it, even if they try to hand it back to you tell
them that you have thousands printed already.
Thank the person for their time, and if they ever need the product
or service that you are offer that your contact information
is on the business card. Even if that person may not directly
contact your business, there is always a chance that they may
pass your card or business name onto another party.
Even in the worse case they may go home and tell their friend
how a nut just came and talked at the bus stop and handed them
a business card for his lawn mowing service. That friend may
say, 'I've been looking for a good lawn mower'. 'Here's the
business card I got'. And there is a situation where you may
still even get business out of handing your business card to
a stranger and even a disinterested stranger.
By following just one of the above five ideas
each day, you can turn your business card into a great marketing
tool, and see an almost instant increases in business.
Credit:
About The Author:
http://www.thebusinesscardshop.net
Written by John Harley of 'The Business Card Shop'. The cheapest
full color business cards guaranteed!!
Related
Information:
NBA
Benefit Provider - Sir
Speedy
NBA
Resource Article - Make
Your Business Card Your Best Salesman
NBA
Resource Article - 3
Strategies to Market Your Business Even When Where's No Money
Reprint
of this article does not constitute an endorsement by the National
Business Association; the article is for informational purposes
for our members and viewers of our Web site.
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