What SHOULD be printed on your business card?

by hayfj2

Posted: 11 years ago 16 replies

OFFLINE MARKETING

What say you, warriors?

What should be printed on your business card?

regards

Fraser

#business #card #printed

ewenmack 11 years ago

I have no business cards.

People ask for one.

I say I don't believe in them.

If they are serious in wanting what I have,
they give me theirs and write down my phone number
or key it into their Smartphone.

Gotta be the prize who is persuerd, not the pursuer.

Best,
Ewen

Originally Posted by hayfj2

What say you, warriors?

What should be printed on your business card?

regards

Fraser
- [ 1 ] Thanks
- 1 reply
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- Hesster 11 years ago
  
  I have business cards, but I only really use them for my thank you cards.
  
  Sometimes I call and get prospects who don't want to give out their email addresses for one reason or another. I was doing some follow up calls and got a lady I had left a voice mail for on my last round of calls. I only leave a number on my voice mail messages because I don't trust people to write down longer verbal information correctly. She asked if I had left a message, and I said I had. I offered to email her samples of my work, but she declined and said she had enough information and would keep me on file.
  
  She didn't sound like a strong prospect, but who knows? I sent her the thank you note and cards as a sneaky way to make sure she had my info.
  
  As for what I put on my cards...
  
  Business name
  A short tagline
  My name
  What I do
  Address
  Phone/Fax
  Email address
  Web site URL
  
  Next time I order cards I'll probably drop the address since all of my clients are remote.
  
  Thanks
  
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hayfj2 11 years ago

ewen, supposing you did have a business card, what would you have printed on it...?

Anyone else with thoughts on what should be printed on a business card

Fraser
- Thanks
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bob ross 11 years ago

I'm somewhat of a business card junkie. The paper and finish mean just as much as what's printed on it as well.

For paper, use at least 14pt stock (NOT flimsy card stock from staples or vistaprint). Outside of the USA this means 300gsm minimum. I don't use uncoated stock unless it's printed on a letterpress or on very very thick high quality paper (which I LOVE).

For finishes, it's just a matter of personal preference but there's:

-aqueous gloss(slightly glossy)
-aqueous satin coated (smooth finish that offers some protection)
-uv coated (ultra glossy and highly durable)
-silk laminated (amazingly soft and smooth to touch, elegant, and extremely durable).

for design, it's best to avoid the following mistakes that are on about 90% of cards out there:

-don't use center alignment, always align text to flush left or right.
-don't use 12pt type, use 9pt or 10pt (looks small on screen but is perfect in print).
-don't feel the need to use every bit of space on the card available
-don't use more than two fonts

Here's a great video on how to design an aesthetically pleasing card fast:

How to design a business card fast - YouTube
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hayfj2 11 years ago

thanks bob.

Anyone have their linkedin profile url on their business card?

regards

Fraser
- Thanks
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Rachel911 11 years ago

Hi hayfj2,
From my experience, you should minimize the inofrmation on you business card.
It should contain:
1 Name
2 Title or descriptive text
3 how to contact you.
best regards
- [ 1 ] Thanks
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hayfj2 11 years ago

anyone else?

regards

fraser
- Thanks
- 1 reply
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- MrJeff 11 years ago
  
  Don't fill it up with useless stuff but definitely use both sides.
  
  Thanks
  
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hayfj2 11 years ago

what about QR codes? Any use?
- Thanks
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dave147 11 years ago

Logo

Business name

Headline

Call to action...phone number

Your name
Your position
Website

and on the back...

Headline

website...probably inner page for more details

Business name

email address
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dave147 11 years ago

or you could do this...

Your business card is CRAP! - YouTube
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- Claude Whitacre 11 years ago
  
  Originally Posted by dave147
  
  or you could do this...
  
  Your business card is CRAP! - YouTube
  
  Darn you! I was hoping I could post that video!
  
  I have two business cards. One to hand out to people who can book me to speak, and one to prospects for my online services.
  
  Both are mini sales letters.
  The back of the one showing my online services has a headline, a list of hard questions I ask prospects, and a website that is another sales letter.
  On the back (these are oversized cards 50% larger than normal) is my actual Google search results for my retail store. Every listing is mine. THAT grabs their attention, if they are a prospect.
  
  My card gets about 1% (Yes, I've tracked) to call me and convert to a sale.
  I only hand them out if I feel it's a match, and I have a little talk I give when presenting it.
  
  I have to be in "work mode" to prospect using cards. Conventions, business gatherings.
  
  And Ewenmack has the core of the whole idea. I make them ask me for a card. I never ask if they would like one.
  
  I've even used my cards as a way to show marketing technique. Everything is a sales presentation to me. Nothing is "just information".
  
  But just walking around? I don't carry them. And you would be hard pressed to get me to discuss business in a social gathering. Most friends and relatives don't even know what I do. Most just think I write books.
  
  But that video that Dave147 posted? Joel Bauer is the single most captivating speaker anywhere. You simply cannot take your eyes off him. In his book he has three ideas that are gold (and a lot of nonsense filler too)
  
  How to present your business card.
  How to use a guarantee to sell.
  How to use a USP and really get results.
  
  Look him up on Amazon.com to find his book. I forget the title.
  
  Thanks
  
  Signature
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  What if they're not stars? What if they are holes poked in the top of a container so we can breath?
  
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HorseStall 11 years ago

I would look some existing business card examples to get ideas. Take a look at those on Business Card Store some people are starting to include twitter accts/facebook pages or similar social channels.
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hayfj2 11 years ago

On the reverse of their card, many people add a killer qualifying question and a link to a Free item of value on their website. This serves to qualify the recipient and to help build the card owner's list.

what do you have on the back of your business card?
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misterme 11 years ago

I don't have a card and haven't had a card, for the same reason as Ewen.
- Thanks
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RyanJ 11 years ago

First you cannot have a business card thread without this classic...

AMERICAN PSYCHO - BUSINESS CARD SCENE - YouTube

I do have business cards. Like others I only hand them to those who ask. I do that for a couple reasons, first, it is part of qualifying. Second, they are expensive.

I started with not handing out cards at all but that really became quite a hassle. Now because I am who I am I couldn't have a card that looked like everyone else's. My cards are partially clear, die-cut, and plastic. We are a marketing and design company so I figured we should show what we can do right in front of them.

They always get great reactions and I have even had a few prospects who kept my cards for a number of years then called and became clients.

They may be an expense that a lot of marketers on here don't agree with, but for me, they are well worth it.

We used to have a QR code on them but that started to become a focus of our conversation that was useless. It took up way too much room and absolutely no one knew what the heck it was.
- Thanks
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