| One of the most important building blocks of | | | | your basic contact information is conveying |
| a good marketing plan is your business card. | | | | your Most Important Sales Message. According |
| It is far and away the most likely item to | | | | to Cesar Crespo of Free Card Business Card |
| find its way into the hands of your most | | | | Opportunities, "Business people often miss a |
| important business contacts. And it is the | | | | golden opportunity to make their business |
| one thing that is likely to remain when all | | | | card a powerful sales tool. Our clients are |
| your other marketing materials are long gone. | | | | often surprised at how much more effective we |
| | | | can make their cards." |
| In other words, your business card is much | | | | |
| more than just a piece of paper with your | | | | If you don't have a "Most Important Sales |
| name, address and phone number printed on it. | | | | Message", you should create one. It is a |
| It is a powerful sales tool. And it should be | | | | brief, succinct statement of what your |
| designed with that purpose in mind. | | | | company is about. It is the answer to the |
| | | | question: "What does your company do?" If you |
| What can a business card do for your | | | | don't have a "Most Important Sales Message", |
| business? | | | | you should create one. It is a brief, |
| | | | succinct statement of what your company is |
| Before asking the inevitable questions about | | | | about. It is the answer to the question: |
| the design of your business card, you should | | | | "What does your company do?" |
| ask what its function in your overall | | | | |
| marketing plan is supposed to be. A properly | | | | Sometimes this kind of answer is called an |
| designed business card has at least four | | | | "elevator speech". You're on an elevator and |
| important marketing functions. Here they are: | | | | somebody asks you "What does your company |
| | | | do?" You have six or seven seconds to give a |
| 1. It helps you to introduce your company. 2. | | | | memorable reply. Good elevator speeches go |
| It provides critical contact information | | | | beyond hackneyed answers like "We do web |
| about you or your company. 3. It conveys your | | | | marketing" or "We make bowling balls." They |
| most important sales message. 4. It | | | | are confidence-inspiring marketing |
| communicates your corporate image. | | | | statements: "We create websites that sell |
| | | | tons of products for people." or "We make the |
| An introduction to your company | | | | world's most beautiful bowling balls." |
| | | | |
| This may seem obvious, but think about it for | | | | Your MISM (Most Important Sales Message) will |
| a minute. Think of your business card as a | | | | often be a "product" (as in the bowling ball |
| tool for opening doors. Think of yourself at | | | | example above), but it should always be |
| a meeting, or even at a social event. What | | | | accompanied by a "pitch" of some kind or |
| better way to introduce yourself to a person | | | | another. Often this will be what we usually |
| than to hand them your card? | | | | think of as a slogan. |
| | | | |
| I'm not talking about shoving your card on | | | | For your elevator speech you need a seven |
| people who don't want it. I'm talking about | | | | second slogan. For your business card you |
| using your card as a tool to make useful | | | | will need the same slogan in four or five |
| connections with people who are likely to | | | | words at the most. It must be boiled down to |
| appreciate the introduction. | | | | an string of words that not only sounds good, |
| | | | but looks good on the card: "Websites that |
| This suggests you should think of appropriate | | | | Sell Like Crazy", "The World's Most Beautiful |
| introductory "openers" to accompany your | | | | Bowling Balls", "The Discount Real Estate |
| card. For instance, say you're at a business | | | | Guy", "The Source for Cottages and Summer |
| connections meeting. Since the purpose of the | | | | Homes", "Beautiful Color Vinyl Banners." |
| meeting is to meet people and do | | | | |
| "networking", you might try a simple card | | | | Be Consistent with your Corporate Image |
| swap strategy: "Hi, I'm Harriet Phillips. I'm | | | | |
| swapping business cards with as many people | | | | Finally, make your card consistent with your |
| as I can. Here's my card. May I have one of | | | | corporate image and the rest of your |
| yours for my contact file?" | | | | marketing materials. Usually this boils down |
| | | | to basic things like your choice of colors, |
| Every situation will be a bit different, but | | | | typeface, and layout style. And of course you |
| the function of the card remains the same: it | | | | will want to include your company logo. |
| provides you with an excuse to introduce your | | | | |
| business to people who might be able to use | | | | Usually your marketing consultant or graphic |
| your services. | | | | designer will want to plaster your logo on |
| | | | all your marketing materials, using the logo |
| Provide critical contact information on your | | | | as a substitute for real marketing design. |
| card | | | | "We must convey a consistent corporate image" |
| | | | is the usual mantra. What ever you do, don't |
| Before you put your card into the hands of | | | | ask "Why?" That question opens the way for |
| prospects, you want to make sure it | | | | tedious theorizing about "the long term |
| communicates the most important things about | | | | importance of developing a corporate image." |
| you and your company. | | | | |
| | | | You would be better to agree. "Yes, by all |
| Deciding what information is "critical" will | | | | means, we want to present a consistent |
| vary from situation to situation. The basics | | | | corporate image." And then add, "But I want |
| are pretty obvious: your name, your company | | | | this card to do some selling for me, so I |
| name, your business address, and the most | | | | would like to give the sales message a bit |
| effective way for people to get hold of you ? | | | | more prominence than usual." |
| probably your telephone number and email | | | | |
| address. | | | | In other words, use the usual corporate |
| | | | colors, typeface and layout style. Include |
| Rather than putting your cell or pager number | | | | the logo too. But give prominence to the |
| on all your cards, you might make a point of | | | | sales message. Show a picture of your |
| writing it on the card when you think it is | | | | product. Or if you think you are the product |
| appropriate: "Here, I'll give you my cell | | | | (as most real estate agents seem to think), |
| number, just in case you can't reach me at my | | | | then include your own picture. But don't |
| office number." That gives the impression | | | | forget to enhance the photo with that slogan |
| you're giving this person special treatment. | | | | we talked about in the previous section. |
| | | | |
| Include Your Most Important Sales Message | | | | And now that you have a killer card, get out |
| | | | there and start handing them out. |
| Even more important than giving prospects | | | | |