88% of business cards handed out get thrown away in less than a week. This means that getting a potential prospect’s attention with your business card won’t be easy. Follow some simple rules below so you can improve the effectiveness of your business card.
1. Include a Photo
You go to a networking event, and you come home with 35 cards in your pocket. If one or two cards have photos, you’ll remember those people. Put your photo on your business card to make it stand out in the crowd.
2. Add a Call-to-Action
Call-to-action is what you ask your prospects to do once they’ve read your business card. Lead recipients to your website, email or to call you. If you don’t tell people what to do, they are less likely to do it. So let them know their next step.
3. Opt for Simplicity
Your business card is a snippet of information about you — it doesn’t have to tell your whole story; just inspire people to learn more. Leave off your street address and include only e-mail or phone number. Or you may want to include only your website.
4. Consider Color
A colored card typically lasts 10x longer than the standard white card. On average, that will give your prospects nine more weeks to call you back. Take advantage of this knowledge and add a little color to your business card designs.
5. Direct to Your Social Accounts
If you’re not on social media, you don’t exist in the eyes of your customers. Quite literally. Be strategic about your social media listings and list only a few channels where prospects can get a good taste of your work.
6. Use the Back
Instead of leaving the other side blank, though, include relevant information that’s useful for your prospects and clients, such as product pictures, services listing, offers, discounts, company or product reviews, fun facts about your company or industry.
7. Put Logo on the Card
Your logo is the first thing that your audience will look for when they see any communications from your brand. If you don’t have a logo, then you are missing an opportunity to make your business stick in the minds of your audience.
8. List Your Services
Be clear about what you have to offer. It is not necessary to include a complete listing of services or products on the business card. Keep it to the essentials. Use brochures to disclose the full range of services or products offered.
Conclusion
Don’t be average. Make them laugh, intrigue them, let them fill in the blanks. Get creative. And if you can’t think of any good ideas for exclusive cards yourself, don’t worry. You can always get in touch with us to help you create something unique and custom.
Whatever you decide to do, and for the sake of everything that’s good in business, don’t be bland! Give people a reason to contact you—even if just to say “I loved your business cards so much I just had to call you!” You can always deepen the connection from there.