What’s the most under-utilized of all marketing devices? Few people get this one…. Business Cards!
Think about it. When someone is even remotely interested in your company, product or service, what is the first thing they ask for? That’s right, your business card.
Often time, the impression a card makes on the receiver sets the stage for WHO the prospect believes you are. In fact, the prospect will many times categorize you based upon the type of business card you have. Are you a large company or small, conservative or liberal, arrow-straight or creative, high-priced or discount? It’s all on the face of the card!
I thought I’d take a moment to share with our Business Update readers some of the things we covered at our “Attract More Business Workshop” last week. By the way, thanks to everyone who attended. We had a fabulous day working on improving our marketing skills. Everyone left with a specific action plan and I have heard from some of some participants who have already begun to reap the rewards of their new marketing initiatives. Congratulations to all.
I have shown a few business cards below that follow the rules that we discussed in the seminar:
1. Become a bigger fish in a smaller pond – narrow your market by showing how you are more important to a smaller group of people
2. The problem is more important than the solution – customers are not interested in us they are more concerned about their problems
3. People don’t like to read so let design and color speak – Design the ad first using a single, compelling image
4. Don’t become a better solution become the only solution – Use powerful headline that expresses you exclusivity
This is a card developed by my associate Tom Vickers. Tom is an A and R man (that is, he is the Artist Relations person for music acts) In fact, Tom does work for ZZ Top, Brian Auger and other Classic Rock and Rollers. They remember him because his card is “literally” a beer coaster. And we all know that rockers MUST drink!
Max Parker, owner of the Dogs of Design is a designer and he has narrowed his market so that he specifically works with industrial and automotive product manufacturers. You will not forget his card nor mistake it when he hands it to you. You see, Max’s business card is made out of metal. It has all kinds of intricate embossments on it and it gets the point across that Max knows all about industrial fabrication.
There’s nothing more pedestrian than a real estate agent’s business card. They are all the same. Typically, they have a photo of the agent smiling showing off their pearly whites. BORING!! I love Rick Wilkinson’s card. It’s all about his best friend… Jake the Irish setter. If you know anything about the market today, you know that it’s not easy finding a home let alone finding a great home. Well I kind of like the idea of Jake sniffing them out for me.
Business cards are critical in connecting with and communicating to your prospects and customers. Often times we are completely unaware of how our business cards have served us even in silence.
We can accomplish great feats of networking with the right message on a business card. Our card can make a strong impression or relegate us to obscurity in the mind of the receiver.
If you would like to increase the effectiveness of your marketing, I am happy to tell you that you don’t have to spend a fortune on advertising or hire some self-proclaimed guru. You can do it yourself. That’s what our Attract More Business workshops and programs are all about.
In fact, I will be doing another full day workshop I Long Beach, CA in September. If you are interested let me know by registering here or emailing me at mark@markdeo.com.
In addition, my Attract More Business program is now available with 9 CDs and the 150 page color manual. Check it out here.