A business card should deliver the most important facts about you and your business in a clear and concise manner. That’s your card’s primary job. Be sure it does that well; then you can add something to the job description.

The Eyes Have It

Business card design is way beyond ink color and font selection but professional designers aren’t just artists, they’re commercial artists. Meaning they know they have to consider their audience – and the audience is getting older. Because Baby Boomer eyes ain’t what they used to be, savvy designers always consider the readability factor when they create an unusual card. (Suffice to say pink text on red card stock isn’t ideal for the over-50 crowd.)

Say It Right

Conventional wisdom says you have to put certain things on your business card, and in most cases, we’ll go with conventional wisdom. Just about any card should contain a business’s name and contact information of some sort. Political affiliation? Church membership? Not so much. But some business owners get a little extra mileage from their business cards by having them carry a “no downside” message.

Things like: “Smoke detectors save lives”, “We Support Junior Achievement“, “Proud Buckeyes” (or Badgers, or Broncos), and “We Support Junior Achievement” work for almost any business. “We ID” and “Have You Checked Your Tire Pressure Lately?” are somewhat more limited.

People who subscribe to the “no downside” theory say it creates a warm feeling in many clients and prospects, or none at all. Therefore, it’s a message with “no downside.” (As long as your prospect can read it!)

Keep it On the Up and Upside

Whatever your card says, a sloppy presentation can dilute your message. Like your mother’s best advice, you’ve heard all of this before…and it bears repeating:

• Present your card so the recipient can read it (text facing your prospect, right side up)
• Offer a clean card, not only wrinkle-free and literally clean (no smudges!) but also with current information – hand-written additions or updates mark you as disorganized, unprofessional, or both.
• Offer the card, don’t push it. “Here’s my card” can sound pompous, but “Maybe I could help you sometime, would you like my number?”  makes you sound like a partner with something to offer.

Your business cards are crap according to this guy. He is quite the character, check it out:

What do you think? Is he just full of himself or what?

Have you been laid off or furloughed? Are you retired? A stay-at-home-mom? If you don’t have a “real” job, why in the world do you need a business card?

The answers are as obvious as the ones basketball coaches give their players when they ask, why do we have to tuck in our shirts?

Because it looks good.

Because other people will take you seriously.

Because you only have one chance to make a first impression.

Whether you’re networking at a chamber of commerce function (and if you’re looking for work, you should be networking) or requesting donations for the PTA, having a contact card increases your chances of being contacted.

And that’s why you need one.

If you doubt your ability to present your card with confidence, there are two things you need to do. First, make sure your card looks good, and second, practice.

How do you use a contact card? Just like a business card. For starters, if the person you are speaking with offers a card, say a polite and sincere “thank you,” read it over, and then offer one of your cards.

To really prove you know what you’re doing, ask for permission to make contact. It may seem perfunctory, but your good manners will mark you as a professional. And that’s exactly how you want to be remembered. (One way to handle this is to ask how your contact prefers to be reached, by phone or by e-mail.)

But what if your contact doesn’t offer a card? With a little tact, you can make the first move. Again, asking a polite question will help you make a good impression. “May I give you my card?” is a simple, effective approach.

Finally, don’t apologize for your card. Ever.

You should never, ever apologize for presenting a contact card (vs. a “real” business card) because you’re doing the right thing. In any situation where a business card would be useful, anticipated, expected, offering a contact card is the right thing to do.

Put yourself in the other guy’s shoes. His hand is poised to accept a card. Beyond just meeting his social expectations of the moment, you’re doing him a favor by making it easy for him to reach you later. Making it easy for him to recommend you to a friend or colleague, making it easy for him to see you as a partner, and making it hard for him to forget you.

Do you need a contact card?

Only if you want to be remembered, and contacted.

Isn’t a business card always about business? Well, that’s debatable in the case of the widely publicized business card of Abraham Lincoln. Millions have viewed it online. Often this single caption will accompany the image – “Abraham Lincoln’s business card as an attorney.”

That explanation would seem to be the logical one. The story passes innocently online from one source to another. But historians believe that Abraham Lincoln’s business card has more to do with politics than business.

The card is believed to be just a joke created by political rivals. The joke, however, stopped at the end of the political campaign. Abraham Lincoln became the sixteenth president of the United States.

It is almost certain that Abraham Lincoln had an attorney’s business card. Abraham Lincoln practised law for almost twenty five years. In nineteenth century USA, business cards were used widely to promote one’s services or goods.

Business cards of that time, however, were a very serious business. Savvy professionals wouldn’t joke about themselves or their occupations. Abraham Lincoln had a keen sense of humor. It is doubtful, however, that he would display humor on his business card.

Abraham Lincoln had gone to great lengths to become a lawyer. He had studied on his own to gain his lawyer certification. The signage from his law partnerships never showed any hint of humor.

Abraham Lincoln’s “business card” appears to be just part of a political prank. Is his real attorney’s card out there somewhere – minus the humor?  Maybe someone should make it their business to find the “real deal.”

Abraham Lincoln’s attorney’s card would probably have a simple, direct message. It would put his best face forward. In the words of Abraham Lincoln, “If I were two-faced, would I be wearing this one?”

Marketer Shel Horowitz understands the value of voice communications. Horowitz wants more business owners to develop an appreciation for relationship building, using voice communications. For that reason, Horowitz encourages every business owner to follow up on each presentation of a business card.

If a business owner happens to present a business card to a member of the media, then that follow-up becomes even more important. According to Horowitz, when a business owner takes the time to make a follow-up call to someone who has received that owner’s business card, then there is a good chance that the same phone call could lead to distribution of a press release.

As a former reporter, this writer can expand on the claims made by Horowitz. This writer used to receive follow calls from a man who had presented her with a “business” card at a City Council meeting. That retiree was no longer a business man, but he wanted to gain some PR for certain non profit organizations.

This writer had only a limited ability to select the focus of articles in the paper that asked her to attend the weekly Council meetings. Still, this writer did do ghostwriting for various web sites. Any information that she received from the “business” card giver could eventually get posted online. Such a posting would certainly provide that information with added publicity.

Carolyn Howard-Johnson, a book promotion specialist, knows a good bit about publicity.

She has compared publicity to “planting bulbs.” Carolyn has witnessed the ability of a bulb to sprout in places where it has received little, if any attention from a gardener. Business owners need to watch for unexpected, sprouting bulbs. Business owners should thus stay in touch with each person to whom they present a business card.

At this time when no business can ignore its financial health, there is one more reason to follow-up on the presentation of a business card. Any form of follow-up can help a business to alert a potential customer to price changes on the products or services of that same business. This writer receives occasional email notices from a “paid to publish” company. Those notices let this writer know when that company has elected to offer some type of special.

This writer welcomes those follow-up emails. While this writer does not plan to self-publish a book, she knows that her husband might soon need the services of a paid to publish company.

Are you whimsical and creative? Serious and trustworthy? Maybe you are passionate about a particular charitable cause, animal or sports team. Or you have an unusual business or hobby you want people to learn more about.

As a marketing tool, nothing beats a business card. An interestingly designed card can spark numerous conversations about your interests, skills and your organization. However, just like deciding on the right name for your business, the type of business card you choose says a lot about you. The wrong card stock, color, layout or font can mean the difference between someone keeping your card for future reference or tossing it into the circular file.

Before you go to print up new cards, here are some things to consider:

• Weight of the card stock. Sure flimsy paper is less expensive than a more substantial stock – and that’s the impression that it leaves about you: cheap.
• Overall design. Is your name, logo and contact information clear? Are too many design elements – graphics, logos or photos – interfering with someone’s ability to read your card? How do you want your information to run – horizontally or vertically?
• Font style and size. Again, it’s all about readability. Classic fonts such as Times New Roman, Helvetica, Arial and Verdana are easier on the eye than flowing script or trendy fonts in 8-point text.
• Color. If you choose to use color, don’t go overboard. And make sure that the colors you choose are complementary to your business. Unless you run a Halloween costume shop, you might want to steer clear of black and orange combinations.
• Consistency. Your card is just one element of your overall brand so it is important that your business card have the look and feel of the rest of your stationery and Web site.
• The back of the card. Don’t overlook the back of your card to provide additional information. Many companies include a mission statement or a list of professional organization memberships. A meaningful or funny quote on the back can give people insight into your personality.

The bottom line: No matter what design, color, type or cardstock you choose, a professionally designed business card can do wonders to boost your business.

image by ininedesign.com

An advertisement highlights a certain product or service. Publicity uncovers a business before the eyes of one or more people. Media coverage can provide a business with added exposure. The presentation of a business card might be viewed as an advertisement, a quest for publicity or an effort to gain more exposure. Yet the presentation of a business card ought to be seen as something much more.

A well-designed business card helps a business owner to showcase a “brand.” The person who receives a business card looks at that card for a hint as to what that business is, or what it does. By placing a tagline on a business card, the business owner can reveal more about his or her business. By placing a tagline on a business card, a business owner can influence the public perception of his or her business.

A tagline should serve as the identifying mark of your business. Even if you have a logo for your business, and even if you put that logo on your business card, you still need a tagline. In order to appreciate the importance of a tagline, one needs to reflect on some observations made by General Colin Powell.

When Oren Harari, the author of Leadership Secrets of Colin Powell, met with the General, Powell had only round tables in his office. Harari later learned that Powell had discovered the ability of a symbol to either encourage or discourage communications. Powell did not want to be seen as sitting at the “head” of a table. He wanted anyone who spoke with him to feel free to share whatever was on his or her mind.

Powell understood the power of a symbol. A wise business owner never fails to consider the power of a symbol. A logo on a business card can send a message. The business owner wants to be sure that it sends the “right” message. When a tagline complements a logo on a business card, then the person who receives that card can better perceive of a business in the way that matches with the goals and intentions of the business owner.

A tagline might be seen as a “mini bio.” Like business cards, a tagline does not need to follow a particular style. Today, a truly effective tagline should include information that motivates the viewer of that tagline to visit the website for whatever business has been mentioned in that tagline. A business card is not the only place to put a tagline. A tagline can go on business stationery, on an advertisement or at the conclusion of a news article on a particular business (hopefully your business).

If you decide to put a tagline on your business card, remember that you are moving towards creation of a “brand” your business. Do not ask the printer to include a tagline that will make it hard for you to expand your business. You do not want to have the public perception of your business work as an obstacle to any planned diversification.