Category Archives: business card

The Great Two-Sided Business Card Debate

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A business card is one of the most important marketing pieces that you’ll develop
for your company, since it is typically the first piece of your marketing materials that
a new client will see.

One of the most debated points in business card design is whether to print
information on just one side of the card or to use both sides. There are many views
on this controversy, and here are some that we frequently hear.

The arguments for keeping the back of the card blank are that printing on both
sides has the following disadvantages:

o Not having a space to take notes while networking: Many business
people use a system of writing notes on the backs of the business cards they receive
while networking. They do this to remind themselves of the commitments they
made or to later jog their memories about the conversation. Too much printing on
the back can make this difficult or impossible. Glossy coatings on the backs of cards
can also prevent note writing.

o Rolodexes, business card filing systems, and card scanners: These are
widely used in business today, and many models don’t allow for the back of the card
to be viewed. For this reason, you should not put vital information on the back, so
that the card can still be functional when only one side is visible. Also, if your
prospect uses a business card scanner to store business cards, they might not scan
both sides.

o Greater printing expense: Printers charge more to print a two-sided card, because of the additional work and ink involved.

o Ink smearing: Some inks are more likely to smear or rub off on
neighboring sheets of paper than others; for example, blue Pantone inks are
especially prone to this effect. If you do choose a two-sided card with a field of
color on the back, then it is best to also varnish or clear-coat the back of the card in
order to seal the color in and prevent this. The varnish also adds drying time and
expense to the

The arguments for putting information on both sides are that you can use the back
to:

o Add more information: If you have a lot of contact information, putting
it all on to the front of the card will often make the font too small and the text too
dense to read comfortably. Putting some of that information on the back will free up
the front of the card and make it look better.

o Make your business card more valuable: By including interesting
information like a calendar of events, tip, or quote on the back, you can make your card more likely to be kept. Other things that you can put on the back include
coupons, appointment information, or directions to your store or office.

o Enhance your brand: The back of the card is often the perfect place for
graphical treatments and pieces of your Visual Vocabulary.

o Maximize your message: Use the back to add more information about
your business. It might not be clear to everyone receiving your card what you offer,
so you might try listing that on the back.

And it might not cost that much. Some printers will print a two-sided card for as
little as $20 extra per 1000 cards. In that case, the low price for additional “real
estate” really makes it worth the cost.

With all of these points in mind, the most effective card for small businesses is often
a two-sided card. The next question to address is what to put on the back of the card. We recommend:

o Not putting vital information on the back of the card: Since the back of
the card might get hidden or ignored in a filing system, it’s best to put all of the
most important information–like your name, logo, phone number, email, and
website–on the front of the card. If you have a physical office, you should also
make sure that your address is on the front of your card.

So what’s left to put on the back? You could put your tagline, a couple of lines that
explain your offerings, a list of your services, or a short testimonial. Or try one of
the suggestions from “Make your business card more valuable,” above.

o Try graphics: You can print a field of color, small graphic, or a simple
pattern on the back. A card with graphics on the back looks more sophisticated and
high-end, and is more memorable as well. If you don’t print in a color that is too
dark and you use a solid color field, people will still be able to take notes on the
back of the card. Just don’t forget the varnish!

If you use these tips, you’ll be able to maximize the effectiveness of your business card. Your card will go from being just a thing to hand out when you meet someone
to being a strong marketing tool.

Business Card Alternatives That Build Business

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As an entrepreneur and business owner I am always on the prowl for creative and effective ways to capture the attention of potential customers. During a long flight from Seattle to Columbus Ohio I was seated next to an executive from a large marketing firm with whom I’d managed to strike up a conversation. Her questions and responsive interest indicated to me that she was genuinely interested in the services I offered so I handed her my finest business card which she tucked into her pant pocket while gather her luggage from the over head compartment; as she did this I suddenly thought of all the paper wads I had found in the bottom of the washer that had been business cards I really wanted to save. So I decided to scientifically measure the value of this age old marketing / networking tool. Here are the results:

Over 600 people interviewed

Subjects sampled more than 29 states

(a very scientifically substantial and relevant sampling)

40% said they discard cards received because of no value.

So what happens to the other 60% of cards we hand out?

40% said they usually lose or misplace business cards.

10% said that most cards are difficult to spot in piles, files or organizers so they turn to resources like yellow pages.

Less than 5% said they have secured services from a business card.

Let’s sort through the data. By the way if you search the web you will find studies that conclude the business card is your most vital business investment. So, who’s right and who’s wrong? Actually no one is entirely wrong. Business cards have their place and uses. What research and experience tell me is that business cards are a great value when used well and in a timely fashion.

Business cards are seldom a good front-end marketing tool. This is true because most of them are discarded, lost or avoided due to obscurity. The exception to this rule is the creatively valuable business card.

Some examples of creative business cards include: calendar cards, magnet cards, coupon cards, info. Cards, etcetera. I will never forget the first business card I had ever actually kept and used; it had been handed to me by the owner of a print shop, on the back was a years calendar, so I placed it in my wallet and referenced it often for nearly a year before I was asked to lead a project at work that involved securing printing services, you know who I called first. Another example was a magnet card I picked up just because I thought it would be nice to secure notes to the front of my file cabinet; several months later I needed to buy tires for my car and the first call I made was the tire shop on that magnet. Another card I held onto for months was one that had some interesting facts and statistics that I thought I could reference in the future. The bottom line is, be creative and come up with a reason your potential customers should hold onto your card.

Business cards make great back-end marketing tools. Once you have you foot in the door they can and should be used frequently to ensure the customer knows how to contact you. I include a card with all correspondence. At the front end and back-end it is important to make sure your business card stands out.

Precautions and Tips

oAvoid depending on the business card to get the potential customer to contact you.

oAsk for the potential customer to give you their contact information in exchange for yours.

oMake notes that will be helpful for the potential customer on the back of the card.

oA photo of yourself is a nice personalizing touch.

oFollow up with card recipients within five days if they’ve never done business with you, ten if they have.

oInclude a card with every correspondence.

oPersonalize the business card by writing on the card what you can offer in your own handwriting.

The same precautions and tips may apply to the business card alternatives I’ll suggest next. If business cards aren’t all they’re cracked up to be what are the alternatives? There are actually many, and here we’ll explore just three that I have found are powerful.

Promotional Items

Instead of carrying business cards consider carrying a book of promotional checks. I like to ask this sales question, “If I could give you a blank check that you could fill in the -in the amount of- blank with any amount and cash it with guaranteed payment would you be interested in hearing more?” I then give them a check from my “special” checkbook that contains my contact information, a hand written expiration date, unique authorization code (the check number) and states that it is valid for a FREE 30 minute coaching session with me via telephone. They tend to generate second hand leads because the person I give it to finds it so interesting that they talk about it to others and they then contact me as well. You can order your checks from Current checks. Obviously you will not want any account information on the check. You will want your contact information and Key selling information or services on the check. You may also consider ordering look-alike checkbooks from a printer; unfortunately they may lack authenticity and resulting novelty as well as the unique check numbers.

Brochures & Booklets

Brochures and booklets are a great alternative to cards because they provide valuable information that encourages the receiver to keep it or better yet pass it on after retrieving your contact information. Brochures can offer research information, tips, innovative ideas, interesting facts or even fictional writing. Because brochures are relatively inexpensive you can distribute them liberally.

The most important rule to follow is, make sure your brochures are content rich. Put time and effort into brochure design to make them stimulating and attractive. You may consider having several different brochures to ensure you have a brochure that will best meet the potential customer’s need.

Consider including coupons, special offers and free gifts that must be claimed by an expiration date. You may also consider providing space where you can add handwritten notes to customize the piece for the customer.

Create A Pen Drive Business Card

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Want to save paper, save money and wow your business contacts at the same time? Use a cheap key chain “pen drive” (a small flash memory card that jacks to a USB port) to create an interactive “business card” that will stand way out from the crowd.

Upload the drive with your filled-in Outlook/Plaxo contact or virtual business card and add a few free offerings such as an short MP3 demo of a class or training, a white paper, workbook, ebook – whatever is pertinent to your business. Keep the drive with you and whenever someone is talking to you about your work and has access to gear that will accept your drive (PDA, laptop, pocket PC, USB-capable smart-phone, etc), you can just offer to download your inclusive package into their device.

No more agonizingly expensive waste of newly obsolete business cards whenever you need to update or change your contact information. One less “what do I do with this” business card for your contacts to have to deal with when they get home from whatever networking event you’ve connected at. And you can constantly tweak the content for relevance, change seasonal discounts, update with limited special offers, and so on!

A few caveats:

1. Choose your selections carefully. Opt for high-value, high-return options that will benefit the receiver, not just the giver. You can include a brochure, if it seems appropriate, but make the bulk of your offering valuable, pertinent and something they’ll want to pass on to friends (taking your information with it)!

2. Respect your contact’s time and available memory! Make sure that you don’t pack it so full that it will overload smaller devices or take 20 minutes to download! If you have large-file offerings you’d like to share, consider creating a single html “web page” to download instead, with the links embedded in it. Your contact then simply opens the page, logs onto their ISP and clicks through to get all the great stuff you want to share!

3. Don’t push! Not everyone is comfortable letting just anyone download stuff into his or her devices. If this is a concern, offer to take their card and send them the information via email. You’ve already made a good impression just by being ready and willing to pass on valuable items on the spot. Anything beyond that is pure gravy.

With just a bit of careful decision-making and common sense, a pen drive business card can be an amazingly successful vehicle for generating greater interaction, creating an environment of valuable informational exchange and providing a source of interesting conversation. It can include anything from a PowerPoint presentation to a multi-media product demo to an audio/video clip of your services or presentation skill – all condensed into one tiny, cigarette lighter-sized bauble. You can even buy them in designer shapes and colors, or imprinted with your logo. And, while we have been discussing mainly business applications, it is a technology that lends itself to a nearly infinite variety of adaptations. How many ways you can think of to use this idea?