3 min read
Let’s face it, most of the sales prospects that I hand my business card to probably just throw it away. Those that survive end up coastering for a coffee mug or perhaps lining a middle draw somewhere. And this is totally to be expected. Just think back to all the business cards you have received over the years – did you take note of each and every one of them?
However, as a sales director, every time a potential client does end up calling me and showing an interest in my product it makes my business card worthwhile. But in order for that to happen it is crucial to come up with a design that will not only communicate the right information, but stand out from the crowd.
In this post I’ll give you a few tips and tricks to make your business card land a killer first impression.
It’s not what you say, but how you say it. For this reason, the type of font you use is as important as the contact details you include on your card.
To promote a clean, stable and professional image, you should opt for fonts like Serif or Sans. It surely is very tempting to try fun and flashy fonts but you should stick to the ones that can be easily read and align with your company’s brand.
When it comes to the information you want to include on your card, squeezing in too much text will only serve to dilute its impact. In my case I’ve made it simple by just including my name, job position, email, and telephone number. These contact details are grouped together so that the reader can find the information they’re looking for at a glance.
You can add a touch of humor by describing your job position as “Closer…” instead of ‘sales rep’, for example. ‘Broker’, ‘Marketing Director’, ‘CEO’,… they are all generic names that we’re all used to but this totally depends on your personality and brand image as this could easily go the other way making you come off as childish or unprofessional
However, if the industry and brand personality allow you to define your position with something quirky it can help make you look more approachable, unique and definitely help you be remembered!
Another thing to try is adding a call to action. It’s a link that prospects can follow if they wish to know more about me or my business. This CTA can lead them to the ‘about me’ page in my website or to a section created specifically for them: I remind them who I am, what we do in my business and how our service or product can help them. I then encourage them to sign up for our weekly newsletter.
After having introduced yourself at a networking event and made a good first impression, it is crucial to take a step forward in the relationship with your future client.
When designing my card I knew I wanted it to be more than a simple business card, not subject to a lifetime of abandonment in a moth-eaten wallet. What sprung to my mind immediately was to convert my business card into a pen drive. So a very valuable tip would be: give it worth and turn it into more than a piece of paper.
A pen drive, a bookmark, even a cheese grater… something related to your industry. My business card stopped being a business card and became a pen drive with my personal details printed on it that is always useful to store and carry your files with you. My clients loved it!
Another handy and practical tip is to hand out not one, but 2 (!!) business cards to prospects. This way the possible client you’ve handed it out to can give their spare one to another person that can also benefit from your service. Word of mouth still remains the most effective form of marketing your services.
Last but not least, remember that your business card is another asset to your business. So in addition to the tips that I’ve mentioned above to make your card stand out, bear in mind that details such as a perfect alignment of the images and text and a quality printout of the card is necessary in mirroring the quality they can expect to receive from choosing your business.
Do you have any tips of your own? Something that stood in particular from the hundreds of cards you received at the MWC this year? Let me know in the comments below.
