10 Ways to Revamp Your Ineffective (and Boring) Business Card
by Noah Rickun
I just returned from a week in Phoenix, Arizona, where I attended an industry conference and had the chance to rub elbows with roughly 1,500 potential partners, vendors, and customers. As I unpacked my bag, I grabbed the stack of hundreds of business cards people gave me and I found myself struggling to remember who some of these people are. A handful of the cards have handwritten notes on the back (I always write something to jog my memory if I know I intend to follow-up after the show), some have photos on them, but most are indistinguishable from the rest. Isn’t the point of a business card to provide a tool for follow up after meeting someone for the first time? A business card should reflect your personality. If you’re boring, have a boring business card. If not, then here are 10 ways to revamp your ineffective (and boring) business card:
1. Be creative. Especially with the title. Have fun and call yourself something that will make people smile. Don’t be a salesperson, be The Sales Cowboy. Don’t be a Customer Service Representative, be a Customer Loyalty Specialist. Don’t be a receptionist, be the Director of First Impressions. Don’t be an assistant, be the Chief Executive Assistant. Don’t be an Account Manager, be The Princess of Profits. Got it?
2. Be clear. About what you can DO for someone, as opposed to using a nondescript and professional (think, faceless) title.
3. Be memorable. If someone lost your card, would they call and ask for another? Or would they not even realize they had lost it?
4. Be valuable. Provide a tip, an idea, a link to more information, or a code for online redemption.
5. Be different. Be so different that ANYONE you give your card to shows it to EVERYONE they know.
6. Be “WOW-able”. If people say, “WOW! I’ve never seen anything like this before,” then you know your card is working for you.
7. Be easy. Include your office phone, your cell phone, fax number, email address, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn accounts.
8. Be shapely. If your card is the standard size and shape, it fits nicely in a pile of all the other cards people forget about. Make your card a different shape or size so that it stands out — and stands alone. A great card can’t be put in a pile.
9. Be YOU. Put your picture on your card. And not your high school yearbook picture—make sure your picture looks like you do. If you’ve changed your hair color, lost or gained more than a few pounds, or aged more than a few years, get a new card. You want people to look at your card and remember meeting YOU.
10. Be independent. Worried that your boss won’t pay for your new cards? Or that your boss won’t allow you to make creative cards? Ask for forgiveness rather than permission. And you probably won’t have to ask for forgiveness when you bring back success stories as a result of all the new connections you’ve made with your creative business card. About the money—you can now buy business cards online in large quantities for less than the cost of that new shirt you bought to wear at the tradeshow. Your boss didn’t pay for your shirt, did he? Invest your own money in the most important person in the world – you.
As I began sorting the cards in my hands, I made two piles: one for scanning and filing, and one for immediate follow up. Guess which pile is bigger? I’ll help you. From the hundreds of cards I started with, I kept twenty on my desk. There are two ways to get into my short stack—the one that means I’ll be reaching out to you within a week after meeting. You need to offer GREAT value when we meet or you need to have a GREAT business card. If you have both, you’re guaranteed that I (and most everyone else you meet) will want to get in touch quickly.
Think you’ve got a great business card? Email a copy to noah@gitomer.com and, if I agree, I’ll post it on my blog at www.rickun.com.
Noah Rickun is a Speaker who presents to companies on sales, customer loyalty, and attitude. His seminars are both engaging and memorable. For bookings, please contact his friendly office at 704-926-5582. Click here for more information on Noah Rickun or visit www.rickun.com.
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Thanks for the comment and helping all members.
Jonathan
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