I was recently asked “What kind of business card gets noticed now? Flat, multi-colored, embossed? I want our card to stay in my clients’ possession longer than our competitor. Have you noticed a trend? Any tips?” Which got me thinking, do you really want people to keep your card? I say no. You want them to call you.
Sure, they need to keep your card in order to have it when they are ready to call, but we really want action from that card. If they keep your card because of a unique design or a special shape, most likely it will sit in a drawer with a pile of other cool cards that barely get looked at again. Don’t misunderstand me here, great design can be part of it. In fact it should be part of it. Get noticed, stand out and be different. But that’s just the first part of it. Now you need a call to action.
Adding marketing oriented text and graphics to business cards pays off. Some companies like to put phrases like:
“Visit Today!”
“Stop by and see us!”.
I ask, why? Why should someone visit you? People are busy. They know you want them to come see you, check out the lated models and leave hundreds of dollars poorer. Give them a reason to come in.
These phrases are much more powerful:
“Present this card for a free ring cleaning.”
“Ask for Steve to get your first oil change free!”
“Log into MyWebsite.com for special savings!”
The last two can tend to be overused and are almost meaningless. What are they really saying to your customer?
Do you promise to return calls within a given time? Do you offer free loaner cars while theirs is being serviced? Do you offer free watch battery replacement while you wait, or a free warranty extension with every purchase? You need to say it on your cards.
Using a business card to simply exchange contact information is just plain wasteful. Your business card can be the most powerful, affordable and versatile marketing tool you have. And it’s convenient size fits in a purse, wallet or pocket. It’s portable!
Designing a full color business card that gets attention, appears more valuable and has a call to action will get you more business. Your customers will love them and you’ll enjoy handing them out.
What works for you? Please leave your comments below.
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