Personal Business Cards » Contact Details

Personalized Business Cards – Why They Are Sales Boosters

admin — Sat, 26 Dec 2009 16:58:42 +0000

Business cards are described as “promotional text containing a person’s name, job title, business address, and contact numbers, usually printed on small rectangular pieces of thin cardboard or stiff paper, and measuring 3-4 inches in length and 2 inches in width.”

Customized stationeries and business cards are means to sell your business or promote your business to prospective customers. Believe it or not, personalized business cards can help your company’s growth not just externally but also internally. You could create good rapport with your employees through these cards.

How so? If you provide every person working for you with his own business cards, he would feel his importance as an employee of your company. The personnel would therefore be motivated to work on their sales and you’ll have one huge workforce working on handing out cards to potential clients.

You have to create a business card that is sort of like a smaller version of a business print ad campaign. And since this is the case, don’t even think about creating a business card using plain white cardboard ordinary black ink. Those types of cards are so ‘yesterday’. They will not have any impact on people; therefore, your business will have very few, if not zero, clients. What you need to do is:

1. Choose uncommon or unique colors, fonts, and messages for your business card.

2. Remember to include not just your business’ name and logo but also other important details. Add, too, relevant information such as your company name and contact details. It is also encouraged that if you have an 800 phone line, include it in your business card as well.

3. Write your company’s description in more than 5 words. This will make potential clients remember what is it your company does exactly.

4. You may also put an emphasis on the particular services of your business.

5. Make your cards legible. Do not mess them up.

6. Most importantly, create your own trademark. This is what will set you apart from all the other businesses similar to yours.

When handing out business cards:

1. Hand them out right away but only when the timing is appropriate.

2. Always remember to carry with you at least three business cards in your purse or wallet. You’ll never know who you’re going to bump into.

Bear in mind that handing out business cards is a two-way street. If you provide someone with your personalized business card and request his/her card in return, you will be provided with something to remember him by, but what’s more important that he can get hold of you whenever he needs to!

With the Current Credit Crunch Ensure You Have Quality Business Cards

admin — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 17:51:41 +0000

Business cards are a traditional yet effective tool used to provide the contact details of a person to possible customers or prospective partners. The importance of business cards has been recognised by most companies, and they provide business cards to all their employees. Even though business cards have always been important, their use and value has increased in this age where sophisticated marketing is in vouge.

Business cards are not just logos and names printed on a piece of paper. They are your contact point with people, both inside and outside the company. Today, many companies consider business cards an effective marketing tool, which not only communicates a person’s contact details but also reflects the type of company the person is working in. A glossy card normally reflects that the company in which the person is working values individualism and creativity. On the other hand, a simple traditional-looking card shows that people in the company work in a conservative environment. It is therefore important that your business card should reflect the type of company that you work for. In business, the first impression is made when a business card is given.

With the current credit crunch, ensure you have quality business cards – one which is glossy, made of hard paper and has good quality of printing, preferably colour printed. To get good quality business cards you need to sit with a graphic artist so you can create a card which can be distinguished from millions of other cards. Traditional companies, in an attempt to reduce the cost of cards, will give the responsibility of getting the cards printed to the purchasing department. This department, in an attempt to reduce costs, will try to come out with cards at the minimal possible price. In this period of economic slow down and credit crunch, a substandard card could set a bad impression of the company. Therefore it is advisable to give the responsibility of getting the cards printed to the marketing department. People in the marketing department will come out with cards that reflect the company’s mission and outlook.

Business cards are your first point of contact with potential customers. Today in most fairs and trade shows people prefer giving their business cards to potential customers visiting their stalls. This helps with better networking, as business cards are easier to keep when compared to pamphlets and brochures. It is common knowledge that when people browse through the cards that they have, they tend to select the card that has a nicer look. People usually associate nicer cards with a company that can spend money. Companies that can spend money are those that have a stable and prosperous business. In fact if the company does not have finances to spend on low ticket items, how can they afford to purchase items of higher value, or run their business?

In today’s competitive world, it is important that you have a quality business card. Imagine losing even a single client because you did not spend money on getting a good quality card. A good quality business card is not ‘expenditure’ but an ‘investment’ that you make for the growth of the company. A business card is similar to a lottery – the more you give the better are the chances of winning a customer.

By: Bella Harris

5 Tips On Making Your Business Card A Powerful Marketing Tool

admin — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 08:25:50 +0000

When used effectively business cards can be a great marketing tool. In this article we will discuss 5 of the most effective ways that you can use your business cards everyday.

1. Be Creative.

Be creative in the design of your business cards. Business cards do not just need to be bits of paper with your contact details on them. Be creative and give your business cards a use and purpose. Make them a powerful marketing tool in the promotion of your business.

Your aim is to make your business card something that the receiver will want to keep and make use of. This is the difference between a well thought out and designed business card and a piece of paper with your contact details on it that will probably be thrown into the trash.

Give the recipient of your business cards a special offer. For example if you are a school/training centre you may offer ‘first lesson for free with this card’ or if you run a shop maybe you will offer ‘10% of any purchase over $50′.

Whatever your business, there is a creative way to give your business card real value to the receiver. If you can think and implement these new creative ways before your business does, you will have an instant advantage in that area of business, and should definitely see a rise in business if you have promoted you cards correctly.

2. The 1 minute rule

The 1 minute rule basically says, if you talk to a person for longer than 1 minute they should already have one of your business cards in their hand.

This means in conversations you need to find a way to talk about what you do, and be in the position to be able to offer one of your business cards to the person you are talking to in the first minute of conversation. This can be likened to a conversation you may have with someone at the bus stop or on the elevator. The conversation will end in a very short time and you only have a very short time to get your message across, or in this case get your business card to the recipient.

The 1 minute rule is basically just practice to get your business card out there as much as you can. Many people go through all the trouble of ordering business cards just to let them sit in a corner of their office. To use business cards effectively you must be giving them out at every opportunity that you have.

3. Make them keepers

Once you have given your business card to someone what is going to keep it from being thrown in the trash or forgotten about. Unless you are selling necessities it is probably fair to say that most likely they do not need the product/services you are offering at the present moment. Hopefully though in the future will come a time when they are looking for that product/service and that is when your business card still needs to be in the hands of the person.

Why does someone want your business card? If you cannot answer that easily, maybe it is time to think about a new business card design.

Does your business card have valuable information on it? By valuable I mean a map, discount, calendar, measurements, charts or anything relevant to your industry? If it doesn’t, you may want to think about adding a value feature to your business card.

4. Leave them everywhere you go

During a number of trips around a number of businesses in my local area I have noticed piles of business cards on the counters of various businesses. For example a recent trip to my accountant I noticed they had a few piles of business cards on the counter for mortgage lenders, home loans, etc.

This can be likened very much to link swapping that goes on with webmasters looking for business referrals from similar businesses.

Every place that you frequent, you should ask if they mind you leaving a stack of you business card there for their customers. You could try this at your doctors office, your dentist, accountant, lawyer, beauty saloon or hairdresser.

For similar businesses (e.g. accountant > lawyer or money lender) maybe you can arrange to have a stack of their business cards displayed at your business when they offer your business cards at theirs. This can be a very effective way to use you business cards and can have great returns.

5. Ask for an opinion

‘Do you mind if I ask you a quick question? I’m looking for opinions on my new business card’. After asking the question and bringing the topic up hand them a business card. Make sure that they keep it, even if they try to hand it back to you tell them that you have thousands printed already.

Thank the person for their time, and if they ever need the product or service that you are offer that your contact information is on the business card. Even if that person may not directly contact your business, there is always a chance that they may pass your card or business name onto another party.

Even in the worse case they may go home and tell their friend how a nut just came and talked at the bus stop and handed them a business card for his lawn mowing service. That friend may say, ‘I’ve been looking for a good lawn mower’. ‘Here’s the business card I got’. And there is a situation where you may still even get business out of handing your business card to a stranger and even a disinterested stranger.

By following just one of the above five ideas each day, you can turn your business card into a great marketing tool, and see an almost instant increases in business.

By: John Harley

How Do I Customize My Business Cards?

admin — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 10:07:43 +0000

You may think that business card printing has rigid rules in design and production, but that is all in the past. Today’s color business cards are customized in so many ways that they almost transcend being business cards and turn into something completely different. In this article I will show you how to customize your business card printing to make your cards look more unique and original. There are five things that you can do to customize your color business card.

Taking the text for a spin. The main thing that you can customize of course is your text. Your name, job position, contact details and other kinds of text can be easily customized by changing their font style. There are many kinds of font styles out there so you literally can pick almost anything that matches your personality or your goals for your business card. Try more creative and wild fonts for personal business cards, while you can use more formal and elegant ones for business. Just make sure that you pick your font styles with a theme in mind so that there won’t be any clashes with background colors and materials.

Deciding on text inks. Besides the text itself though, you can also customize the ink of your text. Instead of using boring black, you can try to use more expressive colors like metallic inks that shine, or vibrant color inks that make the design glow. Again, the choice of your theme plays a big role in this and you should pick something that is very worthy for your chosen business card design.

Choosing a favorite color background. After the text itself, you can also customize the background color of your business card. This basically encompasses the whole color of your cards typically both the front and the back. In customizing this aspect of business cards, you must be aware of the color of your text and its style. This must patch the ink color of the text so that the text can “come out” of the background making it legible.

Playing with card materials. Afterwards, you can also try to customize the card material. While there is usually a standard paper stock for business cards that are a bit thicker than usual paper, there are also other rare or exotic paper stocks that can impress people. From textured business card stock, to unusual plastic ones, there are a lot of customization options in choosing your card materials. You should of course just choose the most useful and appropriate one for your theme.

Adding customized messages. Finally, as a good customization option for business cards, you can try adding in some customized messages into the business card itself. You can place in a tagline, a favorite quotation or even a marketing message into the back of the card. This can be a great opportunity to really personalize your business card as you can put in any kind of special message that you want.

So that is how you customize your business card. You just alter the text, the ink, the background, the card material and of course add in a personal message. Doing this should let you customize your business cards in a very extensive way making it more original and personal.

For comments and inquiries about the article visit: Business Card Printing, Color Business Cards

By: Lynne Saarte

Understanding Business Card Networking as a Marketing Strategy

admin — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 17:51:22 +0000

Normally, business cards are given at the end of the appointments or conversation about the business that you offer. Most of the time, it is the closing part of the prospect conversation. However, do you know that you can use business cards even before you actually think of any prospect? You can actually use it as a starting point to create prospect. This is what is called a business card networking. By using your business cards for impact, you create a network of contacts who may be interested with your business.

A business card networking is not really new. It is a simple marketing strategy that has been applied even before it was not really broadcasted as such. It’s a matter of giving out business cards for impact to a prospect client or partners who in turn use those cards as basis of referrals to those who are interested. At least with a business card on hand, the person who is being referred to knows that a person really exist because the name and the contact details are reflected in the business card.

Guide To Business Card Networking

A business card networking is one of the most effective marketing strategies that can reach out to prospective customers or partners. One good thing about it is that it is easy. You don’t have to make too much effort convincing and prospecting people to talk to you. If you follow these steps, you are already good as using business cards for impact. Here’s how you can make business card networking work for you.

If you already have an existing prospect, you can give one or two business cards and ask for referrals. You can request them to give your business card to the person that they are referring to. Most probably, the person that they want to refer to you has high chance of interest so giving your business card will give the interested person an opportunity to contact you immediately.

You can place your business cards in restaurants or canteens. It can be placed on the table or at the counter wherever the owner of the place allows you to do so. The idea is to expose your business to places where people meet and hang out.

You can also put your business card in invoices, proposals and brochures. When you give the proposals or distribute brochures with your business card on it, you are providing opportunity for an interested person to contact you right way if they find your offer interesting.

When you are sending business cards without a person on sight, you should place a small note at the back of the card. The note should carry a marketing message for the receiver to be interested. This is important because people who see a card alone will not find it interesting if they do not know what the card is for in the first place. At least by placing a small note at the back, you can also customize the message to the people that you are expecting to get your card from the place.

Finally, be sure to respond when someone contacts you for an inquiry or question. You never know when the person who contacted you is interested even though, at first contact, the sender of the message or the caller may not be interested. Its important that when you do business card networking, you are prepared of what may come if you expose your business cards for impact.

By: Vikram Kumar

Benefits Of Best Quality Business Cards

admin — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 04:56:00 +0000

Business cards give informal introduction about the owner and company. So for flourishing of business it requires regular clients along with new customer. By using the resource at right time business cards are very important. Business cards includes name of person, company, contact information such as telephone number, e-mail address and location of company, to provide potential customers with a means to contact the business or representative of the business. New contacts can occur anytime at that time business cards can do wonders by giving small description about the firm. Business cards are used by people in big and small time business. It reflects who the person is. It gives people an idea of what the person is capable of doing in the event that the service one offers is needed in the future.

It saves a lot of time and trouble for the other person to jot down one’s contact details. Business cards leave an everlasting impression in the mind of people. Business cards help in finding new suppliers, prospective employees, and other business contacts on the basic promotional level. For business cards are very helpful in gaining reorganization, by establishing good contacts through business cards. People tend to forget the name of person or contact details business cards help them to get the contact detail. Then the customer can call and ensure to get business from the person.

Business cards are good for marketing and promotion of company. It can be given to friends and relatives to give knowledge about the company. It reveals type of business, owner of business and who knows when luck can be favorable. Business cards are important for people who are new through these cards they can get detail about the company. Business cards should have limited numbers and should have all information in detail. Any misprint can be harmful for promotion of company.

Business cards are key for successful business. It is not easy in today’s world to remember each name and contact of all people. Business cards can help in recalling the person’s details. In few seconds many important deals can be signed. There are many ways that a person can attract customers to one’s business. Some do this by launching a marketing campaign in the form of an ad in the paper or on a billboard. Some don’t use marketing at all and just flourish through word of mouth. It helps in noticing by people. So business cards are helpful in gaining profits as it enables who the person is, type of business and whether the person is able to do the business. It gives the chance for proving oneself.

By: Sanjeev Kumar Singh

Create Personal Business Cards Online in 5 Easy Steps

admin — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 08:01:18 +0000

You can be less than an hour away from having your next batch of business cards printed. And the best part is that you don’t have to spend a cent on the design and proof. All you have to do is to order your personal business cards online.

Anybody can do it

Some online printing companies offer plenty of ways to make this business card printing easy. Their online services have such user-friendly and complete functions and features that you can have your business cards by mere copying, pasting, typing and clicking. You can forego asking the assistance of professionals like graphic designers and layout artists, should you choose to use the online tools of printing companies. This automatically saves you plenty of time and plenty of money.

It all starts with choosing the right online printer for this job. Make sure that the printing company you pick offers free design and pre-press services so you can cut down on your expenses.

Done in a jiffy

Once you’re in the website, navigate and look for their design tool. Click on this and you can start creating your personal business cards online.

1.    Pick a design for your business cards

Design tools normally come with pre-made templates that you can use for free. The best part is that they actually come up with collections so you have plenty to choose from. Categorized templates would be much helpful when it comes to browsing so you can immediately proceed to the industry you want like medicine or education.

2.    Insert your logo and contact details

Once you pick your design, you can start adding your name, position, contact details and address. Logo is a big factor in business cards so if you have one, upload the file containing the logo image and position it on your business card design. Or if you want to use an image aside from this you may do so using the same process.

3.    View the design

Some design tools can automatically generate live images of your resulting design. This is an important step since this lets you see if the elements in your business card like graphics and texts are inside the safe zone, a mark that determines which elements are at risk of being cut off after printing.

If you are confident with the design and layout, you can approve it. If not, you may request for a soft copy proof of your design which will be done by the resident pre-press specialist of the printing company.

4.    Name the specs

From here, you can dictate the basic specs like size, orientation, quantity and turnaround time. Turnaround time means the period that includes printing, cutting and packaging. Once the turnaround time is over, your order gets shipped or is ready for pickup.

5.    Check out

If you requested for an electronic proof, make sure that you approve it once you are satisfied with it. Also, finalize the specs and pay your bill. Once your printer gets the go signal, printing commences.

All it takes are a few minutes of your time. A portion of your lunch break may be all that you need to design and order your personal business cards online.

By: Zoe Phoenix

Business Card Printing At Home

admin — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 16:42:44 +0000

Banners, television and commercials, print ads, pop-ups – these are just a few of the gimmicks that draw people to patronize the products and services of a certain company. Even if producing these advertisements means spending a lot of cash, companies still take the risk. After all, informing the public about their products and services is a major part of running a business. Another way to attract customers to check out one’s business is through the business card.

Business cards are made of special paper or cardboard, usually stiff in texture. Often, they are similarly shaped to credit cards. Business cards are very handy and can be kept in a person’s wallet or organizer for easy reference. Personal contact information is printed directly on the card.

Take a look at a regular business card. Information that can be found on it often includes the name of the person who gave it to you, the company where that person works, the occupation and position of that person, the address of his place of work, his mailing address, his office number, his home number, his mobile phone number, and his email address. Sometimes, there are also graphics or logos that are part of the whole design of the business card.

If you are interested in having your own business cards, you can actually design and print them yourself. Business card printing at home is fairly easy. All you need to have are a design for your business card, a computer, printer, and your choice of paper or cardboard. After you have finalized the design and your contact details on your computer, you can then set up your printer and print out your business cards. Later on, you can cut them into individual pieces. Business card printing at home is much cheaper than having companies or businesses do it for you.

By: Seth Miller

Business Card Etiquette

admin — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 13:54:51 +0000

When doing business abroad it is important to understand the local culture. Culture includes areas such as a country’s norms, values, behaviours, food, architecture, fashion and art. However, one area of culture that is important for the international business person is etiquette.

Understanding business etiquette allows you to feel comfortable in your dealings with foreign friends, colleagues, customers or clients. Knowing what to do and say in the right places will help build trust and open lines of communication.

One aspect of etiquette that is of great importance internationally is the exchanging of business cards.

Unlike in North America or Europe where the business card has little meaning other than a convenient form of capturing essential personal details, in other parts of the world the business card has very different meanings.

For example, in Japan the business card is viewed as a representation of the owner. Therefore proper business etiquette demands one treats the business card with respect and honour.

Below we have provided you with a few examples of international business card exchange etiquette that may help you on your business trips abroad.

General Business Card Etiquette Tips:

• Business cards are an internationally recognised means of presenting personal contact details, so ensure you have a plentiful supply.
• Demonstrating good business etiquette is merely a means of presenting yourself as best you can. Failure to adhere to foreign business etiquette does not always have disastrous consequences.
• When travelling abroad for business it is advisable to have one side of your business card translated into the appropriate language.
• Business cards are generally exchanged at the beginning of or at the end of an initial meeting.
• Good business etiquette requires you present the card so the recipient’s language is face up.
• Make a point of studying any business card, commenting on it and clarifying information before putting it away.

Business Card Etiquette in China

• Have one side of your business card translated into Chinese using simplified Chinese characters that are printed in gold ink since gold is an auspicious colour.
• Ensure the translation is carried out into the appropriate Chinese dialect, i.e. Cantonese or Mandarin.
• Your business card should include your title. If your company is the oldest or largest in your country, that fact should be highlighted on your card.
• Hold the card in both hands when offering it.
• Never write on someone’s card unless so directed.

Business Card Etiquette in India

• If you have a university degree or any honour, put it on your business card.
• Always use the right hand to give and receive business cards.
• Business cards need not be translated into Hindi as English is widely spoken within the business community.

Business Card Etiquette in Japan

• Business cards are exchanged with great ceremony.
• Invest in quality cards.
• Always keep your business cards in pristine condition.
• Treat the business card you receive as you would the person.
• Make sure your business card includes your title. The Japanese place emphasis on status and hierarchy.
• Business cards are always received with two hands but can be given with only one.
• During a meeting, place the business cards on the table in front of you in the order people are seated.
• When the meeting is over, put the business cards in a business card case or a portfolio.

Business Card Etiquette in the UK

• Business card etiquette is relaxed in the UK and involves little ceremony.
• It is not considered bad etiquette to keep cards in a pocket.
• Business cards should be kept clean and presentable.
• Do not feel obliged to hand out a business card to everyone you meet as it is not expected.

By: Neil Payne