22 replies
Business cards are not dead .. buy a boatload of cheap ones, and leave them everywhere you go. Make sure your website it on there, and make them stand out (no plain white ones!0
leave them at restaurants, clubs, on shelves in the book stores near books about your service or product. In the airport. Visit places that would be related to your products and leave your business cards there. Restrooms, waiting rooms, all good places! If you buy 1000 cards for $10 and get one sale it's working. tack them up on bulletin boards - - leave them in your car when you're getting it washed ... You get the idea. Don't litter - but spread them around! You can do this as you go about your everyday life, or you can take time and do the targetted dropping!
#business #cards
  • Profile picture of the author Doran Peck
    Originally Posted by Slickest View Post

    Business cards are not dead .. buy a boatload of cheap ones, and leave them everywhere you go. Make sure your website it on there, and make them stand out (no plain white ones!0
    leave them at restaurants, clubs, on shelves in the book stores near books about your service or product. In the airport. Visit places that would be related to your products and leave your business cards there. Restrooms, waiting rooms, all good places! If you buy 1000 cards for $10 and get one sale it's working. tack them up on bulletin boards - - leave them in your car when you're getting it washed ... You get the idea. Don't litter - but spread them around! You can do this as you go about your everyday life, or you can take time and do the targetted dropping!

    I'll second that opinion
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  • Profile picture of the author gigim17
    Originally Posted by Slickest View Post

    Business cards are not dead .. buy a boatload of cheap ones, and leave them everywhere you go. Make sure your website it on there, and make them stand out (no plain white ones!0
    leave them at restaurants, clubs, on shelves in the book stores near books about your service or product. In the airport. Visit places that would be related to your products and leave your business cards there. Restrooms, waiting rooms, all good places! If you buy 1000 cards for $10 and get one sale it's working. tack them up on bulletin boards - - leave them in your car when you're getting it washed ... You get the idea. Don't litter - but spread them around! You can do this as you go about your everyday life, or you can take time and do the targetted dropping!
    Agreed. It works.
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    • Profile picture of the author garyfromdurham
      While I agree that business cards are not dead, I don't agree with all what the OP said.

      Business cards are a great tool but they need to be used wisely, and distributing them like that is not very effective at all.

      Business cards are given out when you have made a connection with a person and the card is a reminder of who you are. When you trade cards with a person you have extended the relationship with the person you spoke to beyond the initial meeting.

      Cards distributed freely and cheaply all over the place don't make the necessary impact you require for a non-contact situation. You need a 'call to action' flyer or postcard if you want the potential appointments from notice boards etc..

      Gary
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      • Profile picture of the author Doran Peck
        Originally Posted by garyfromdurham View Post

        While I agree that business cards are not dead, I don't agree with all what the OP said.

        Business cards are a great tool but they need to be used wisely, and distributing them like that is not very effective at all.

        Business cards are given out when you have made a connection with a person and the card is a reminder of who you are. When you trade cards with a person you have extended the relationship with the person you spoke to beyond the initial meeting.

        Cards distributed freely and cheaply all over the place don't make the necessary impact you require for a non-contact situation. You need a 'call to action' flyer or postcard if you want the potential appointments from notice boards etc..

        Gary
        So if a call to action works on a flyer or postcard...then it will work on a business card.

        I like to think of it as "a call to action found all over the place" rather than a paper name tag all over the place.

        A call to action can be effective no matter where it is.

        I agree that business cards which only contain a name, logo and contact info being pushed around are going to be less effective.

        I believe those kinds of cards are inherently ineffective and severely crippled. That is why I advocate getting away from that mindset, favoring a much more aggressive approach to their use.

        DP
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        • Profile picture of the author garyfromdurham
          Originally Posted by Doran Peck View Post

          So if a call to action works on a flyer or postcard...then it will work on a business card.


          DP
          Hi Doran

          Statistically, yes it would. If you put enough out, you are bound to get a call......BUT....it's the wrong tool for the job.

          It's like digging a hole with a spoon. Yes, you will eventually be able to dig a big enough hole but you would be better off using a spade.

          Gary
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          • Profile picture of the author Jeremy James
            Originally Posted by garyfromdurham View Post

            Hi Doran

            Statistically, yes it would. If you put enough out, you are bound to get a call......BUT....it's the wrong tool for the job.

            It's like digging a hole with a spoon. Yes, you will eventually be able to dig a big enough hole but you would be better off using a spade.

            Gary
            Gary,

            So far, I am not really wanting to do SEO/Google Places, but, just to start selling websites to local businesses without one.

            Will your report help me do that?
            Signature

            Have you ever been a ticked off customer? My reports gets you Satisfaction and Resolution! Click HERE to check it out!

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            • Profile picture of the author garyfromdurham
              Originally Posted by Jeremy James View Post

              Gary,

              So far, I am not really wanting to do SEO/Google Places, but, just to start selling websites to local businesses without one.

              Will your report help me do that?
              Sorry Jeremy, I'm afraid it wouldn't.

              It is the perfect tool for helping SEO offline marketers to get their foot in the door without doing any selling whatsoever, but the method I use targets businesses who already have a web site.

              Thanks for your interest though and good luck with your ventures

              Gary
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              • Profile picture of the author Tonyrustin
                I use 123 print for my cards they have a pretty good selection & prices.
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  • Profile picture of the author LudVanDaal
    I like business cards.
    I don't distribute them like flyers but I give one to every potential customer or partner I meet. I think it looks more professional having business cards.
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    • Profile picture of the author Jeremy James
      I wonder what a "call to action" business card for a web design/hosting company would look like.
      Signature

      Have you ever been a ticked off customer? My reports gets you Satisfaction and Resolution! Click HERE to check it out!

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  • Profile picture of the author gmscreative
    **********
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  • Profile picture of the author georgem1234
    I agree with that, business cards are still effective, and it depends on you on where you will give that.
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  • Profile picture of the author GrowConnect
    Business cards are important when you meet potential clients at anytime and anywhere. And specially when these people are in a hurry since their time is gold, they don't have the time to take note of you contact number, email, web address, etc. So a business card is handy and helpful. Be sure you have your business cards with you anywhere you go. A simple one would do just as long as you have all the important details.
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  • Profile picture of the author dremora
    If you really want to make an impression and eliminate the risk of your business card being thrown away, here is a cool alternative: printing, Wall Printing Company High Point, NC Business Cards Look at the video. This is the kind of business card that will not end up in the trash bin! It's not cheap but it definitely gets a lot of attention.
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    • Profile picture of the author Will Perkins
      Originally Posted by dremora View Post

      If you really want to make an impression and eliminate the risk of your business card being thrown away, here is a cool alternative: printing, Wall Printing Company High Point, NC Business Cards Look at the video. This is the kind of business card that will not end up in the trash bin! It's not cheap but it definitely gets a lot of attention.
      To a certain degree I see this working, but if I'm trying to find a website and it's going to require me to unfold something and then turn it and open it...

      That's more bound to piss me off than make me curious, just saying...
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  • Profile picture of the author beenobama
    Just got to Microsoft word or another word processing program and search for a template for business cards. They are easy to use, just enter your information and you are done. They have step by step instructions. Search "template business cards" in your help section of Word.
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  • Profile picture of the author saralim
    .Whenever I attend networking meeting, this is what everyone does when they meet a new contact-hand out their business card.I myself have handed out thousands of business cards, but I really have no way of tracking what the conversion rate is; but I keep doing it anyway because thats what people do in business circles!
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    • Profile picture of the author Rus Sells
      Put a QR code on your business card, then you have something to track. At least you'll know some stats on people who are smart device users. That could give you some information.

      As for the tactic of just spamming business cards all over the place I don't bother with it, its a waste of time and money in my experience and I did it where I knew almost every one in the area who saw my card needed my service and didn't have to pay for it with their own money. Still got dismal results if any at all.



      Originally Posted by saralim View Post

      .Whenever I attend networking meeting, this is what everyone does when they meet a new contact-hand out their business card.I myself have handed out thousands of business cards, but I really have no way of tracking what the conversion rate is; but I keep doing it anyway because thats what people do in business circles!
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      • Profile picture of the author wgeiger
        This is all very encouraging. My business is imported Italian leather, and I would be able to target stores/restaurants that cater to a higher SES.

        The business cards I made are very simple. Just my logo and an abbreviated web address I bought.
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  • Profile picture of the author build
    I know some people who have great success with business cards, it depends a bit on the industry you are in.
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  • Profile picture of the author Carlinrayenz
    Banned
    [DELETED]
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  • Profile picture of the author AubreyWebWhiz
    Originally Posted by Slickest View Post

    Business cards are not dead .. buy a boatload of cheap ones, and leave them everywhere you go. Make sure your website it on there, and make them stand out (no plain white ones!0
    leave them at restaurants, clubs, on shelves in the book stores near books about your service or product. In the airport. Visit places that would be related to your products and leave your business cards there. Restrooms, waiting rooms, all good places! If you buy 1000 cards for $10 and get one sale it's working. tack them up on bulletin boards - - leave them in your car when you're getting it washed ... You get the idea. Don't litter - but spread them around! You can do this as you go about your everyday life, or you can take time and do the targetted dropping!
    I definitely agree to this.
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  • Profile picture of the author SuzyBlack
    The back side of your business card can be used as a great refferal tool.

    Like a flyer, you can can add a special offer on the back side of your card (it might be 10% off a service or a free add on - obviously make it something high value to the customer, with little cost to you)

    You can even add a line to write the name of the person or business where the card came from, so you can track where your best leads come from.
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