Your business card is one of the most effective marketing tools in your business. Powerful, well-designed business cards will leave your client with a strong sense of professionalism, credibility, and expertise. However, if your business card is sub-par, there's a good chance it's going to end up in the trash with all the other forgettable business cards. So, what are the considerations for designing a winning business card that will be remembered by your client? The process starts long before the card is ever designed and printed. Here are the secrets:
See Your Business Through Their Eyes
Find a way to see your business through the eyes of the people you are serving. Focus on what they need. Sometimes business people are too close to their own business to really see the needs of their own customers. Ask your clients what they need from you, what they perceive to be your primary benefit? Ask your clients for testimonials, read over them again and again, pulling every detail about how your client sees your business. Remember, perception is reality. You are what your client thinks you are, not what you think you are. When you figure out how they see you, start writing it all down. Make lists from every client, start to review and sort through each one, connecting common themes and feedback. An image will begin to appear from the information. This is the image of your company. Hopefully, it's a good image. If not, you need to determine just what image you want to project. That's the next step.
Decide What Image You Want to Project
It's easy to have a poorly marketed business image. Your business card creates the first and hopefully a long lasting impression with your client. Make certain the card tells people what your business is all about. Look at all the business cards you've seen over the years. Most present a poor and unprofessional image. Most cards do not clearly communicate what the particular business is and what that business can do. Most cards don't have a strong visual, logo, or phrase that sets a business apart from all others. Decide what you want to say, what you want your card to communicate. Determine precisely what sets you apart from all other businesses. Make a list, write these things down, you're going to need it for the next step.
Seek Professional Help
If you're in the piano tuning business, I'm sure you tell everyone that nobody can tune a piano as well as you. After all, it's your business, it's what you're good at. You would not call a plumber to come over and tune your piano. Your business is tuning pianos. Your business is not designing business cards. So why would you try and design your own card? Well, you're probably strapped for cash or you're just plain cheap. Whatever the reason, it's time to bite the bullet and pry some cash out of your wallet. Designers know what makes your card memorable, they know how to communicate your business through images, logos, and design. Collect samples of cards you like, cards that made a great impression on you, cards that stand out to you. Then, hire a professional designer and let them do what they do best - design a business card for your particular business. Also have your designer suggest different paper samples. Don't print your card on cheap, flimsy car stock. Good quality paper will cost more, but is well worth it.
The Essentials of a Top-notch Business Card
Before you commit to printing your business cards, make sure they pass the memorable business card test. Does your card present a professional, positive image? Does your logo visually define your business? Is your logo or visual unique to your business? Do you have a positioning statement (phrase, slogan) that clearly communicates the unique benefits and features of your business in seven word or less? Is all the included information necessary? Are the colors used consistent with your business and with all your additional marketing materials? Have you used the back of the card for additional information? Are you proud to pass it on to your client?
If you carefully plan for each aspect of your business card, consider what you want your card to communicate, hire a trusted professional designer to make certain it looks great, and create a business card that will stand out from the rest of the cards out there - your business card will be well on it's way to avoiding the trash can and attaining "memorable" status. After all, being memorable and leaving your client with a powerful, positive, professional impression of you and your organization is what a business card should do.