| Why Are YOU "Really" In Business?"I wanted to be | | | | same event went on to receive not less than four |
| an editor or a journalist, I wasn't really interested in | | | | additional ones from "others like you"), sits in his/her |
| being an entrepreneur, but I soon found I had to | | | | office staring at your card. Among other things, s/he |
| become an entrepreneur in order to keep my | | | | may struggle to recall where/when during that |
| magazine going" - Richard BransonIf you are a true | | | | cocktail dinner s/he met you, and what again it was |
| entrepreneur, you will know that to succeed, it helps | | | | you said you could do for him/her that sounded so |
| that you enter a line of business that you naturally | | | | good!This kind of dilemma faces many people who |
| enjoy, and would gladly do even if you did not get | | | | receive the conventional cards I earlier described. Of |
| paid(as tends to happen during start up). The truth | | | | course s/he sees on the card that you are a CPA, or |
| however is that you are(I hope) in business to make | | | | Certified Coach etc. What s/he does not see on |
| money in a manner that is profitable - which will in | | | | THAT type of card is something(keywords, phrase |
| turn enable you stay in THAT business you enjoy, | | | | etc) to help him/her see or recall the "slant" in your |
| for the long term. To achieve the foregoing purpose, | | | | offering that sets you apart from others who may |
| you will need to do cost-effective and | | | | offer anything like you do. The result? S/he puts the |
| results-focused business marketing. One very | | | | card back in the desk drawer(or worse: the round |
| important - but I believe grossly underutilised tool - | | | | filing cabinet - aka "Waste Paper Bin") and (probably) |
| for doing that is the Business Card.I discuss in this | | | | forgets it. Why? Because s/he cannot find a |
| article how you as a business owner, can better | | | | compelling enough reason to take the relationship |
| design your own business cards, to significantly | | | | further by giving you a call.Think back to the two |
| improve your ability to market yourself to those who | | | | fast food restaurant signs comparison I did earlier |
| really need your services and/or products.Marketing is | | | | and imagine you are a decision maker for a large |
| about creating an impression - a positive impression - | | | | company that's trying to choose a caterer to supply |
| in the mind of your intended customer - that YOU or | | | | snacks to be served at their Annual General Meeting. |
| YOUR BUSINESS are more capable of meeting his | | | | Looking at the business cards given to you by the |
| her perceived need or want than any others. The | | | | MD of Quik-Catering and that of Jazzy Jaff's, all other |
| more successful you are in creating this impression | | | | factors being fairly constant, you are likely to get the |
| about yourself/business in the mind of your target | | | | "impression" that Quik-Catering will be able to meet |
| audience, the greater the chances that they will | | | | your needs more readily, because they sound (from |
| choose you over others who may offer the same | | | | what they say on their road signs and business |
| products and/or services you do. This in effect | | | | cards) that they're already thinking along the lines of |
| means, you will be better able to achieve your major | | | | proving the value YOU seek.What It Could Look Like: |
| business goal of making MORE money, MORE | | | | A business card that "sells" you looks different from |
| profitably.This Article Is Meant MAINLY For | | | | any your prospect has seen, and creates a lasting |
| Non-Employees Just before I continue, I wish to | | | | impression that sets you apart from the crowd. You |
| make the following clarification. The ideas I offer here | | | | can print your information on the front - and leave |
| are mainly for use by self-employed individuals | | | | the back blank, or print on both sides. From testing |
| (independent contractors, consultants, entrepreneurs | | | | various designs, I have found that it is useful to leave |
| business owners) - i.e. people who are their own | | | | some blank space on the back for writing answers to |
| bosses and therefore take decisions that affect how | | | | "Date We Met?", "Where We Met?", "Notes |
| their company is perceived or operates.For those | | | | Comments" etc prompts that are printed on |
| who work as employees in companies, it is likely that | | | | it.Actually Jeffery Meyer( suggests that you write |
| decisions about the type and design of business | | | | answers to the earlier listed prompts on the back of |
| cards used will be taken with considerations relevant | | | | cards you get from others - so YOU can remember |
| to the company's preferred mode of operation and | | | | them, and what they are about. I have taken it a |
| business vision. I will therefore only say that persons | | | | step further and designed cards that let me, "the |
| who fall into this latter category, if they find what I | | | | giver", write that information on the back of |
| say here of potential usefulness to their | | | | cards(which I take with me, as Meyer advises, to |
| organisation(e.g. sales/marketing personnel) explore | | | | important meetings/events) I'm giving out, so as to |
| the possibility of bringing it to the attention of | | | | "help" my prospects remember ME.Click here to view |
| appropriate decision makers for consideration.Is | | | | a web page showing images of sample business card |
| There A Rule Book For Business Card Design? I am | | | | designs that incorporate the features I have |
| not aware of any rule book that actually spells out | | | | discussed in this article(I also offer a FREE |
| what information or details should or should not be | | | | downloadable copy of the Corel Draw template I |
| on a business card: But if you know of any, I would | | | | used to create them). Incidentally, my business cards |
| appreciate your sending me a note about where to | | | | have sort of "evolved" over time as I played around |
| find it. :-)It appears instead, that most people seem | | | | with the ideas I had - until I settled for a particular |
| to have come to some tacit agreement on the most | | | | design/layout. You may also find it useful to let your |
| relevant pieces of information and features to adorn | | | | creativity loose so as to arrive at the best design for |
| their cards with. Or maybe they just adopted what | | | | your work.A Business Card That Works Will Help You |
| they found others doing when they entered into | | | | Market More Effectively & EfficientlyJeffery Meyer |
| business for themselves. Either way, the point I'm | | | | once wrote that to avoid the "feast-famine" |
| making is that I believe each person needs to try and | | | | syndrome that can plague a business which fails to |
| design a business card that works for him/her.What | | | | ensure steady inflow of new work, one must |
| Does The Conventional Business Card "Say"?What I | | | | continually search for new customers - and "weed |
| would call the conventional business card typically | | | | out" hopeless prospects who cost you marketing |
| contains information that "says" the following(in | | | | effort, time and expense, but give you no jobs. For |
| addition to some graphics such as a logo, or artistic | | | | instance, he advises that you take the repeated |
| effects for aestetic appeal):1. Who you are: Your | | | | non-return of your phone calls by a prospect as a |
| name/title/business name, and possible qualifications | | | | sign that s/he does not feel a compelling need for |
| that lend credence to your claims.2. Contact Info: | | | | your product or service. Instead, divert that |
| Phone numbers, postal/physical address, web URL | | | | marketing energy and expense towards recruiting |
| email(you do have these don't you?).3. A Tag Line: | | | | NEW prospects.I believe a business card with the |
| Punchy phrase about your biz. BUT will these help | | | | right balance of USP information and aesthetic appeal, |
| achieve your purpose?But the question could be | | | | can help a business owner use his/her business |
| asked: Does the conventionally designed business | | | | marketing time/effort more effectively and |
| card work as well as it could be made to? I say NO. I | | | | efficiently. This is because s/he will be able to use the |
| say NO. In fact, after thinking about this issue, I have | | | | card to create opportunities for discussions about |
| come to the conclusion that one word best describes | | | | useful benefits of the products and services s/he |
| the conventional business card - and that's "Passive". | | | | sells, in a way that will impress a prospective client or |
| It's contents are not designed to be | | | | customer who happens to be looking for such |
| response-generating or action-inducing. I however | | | | returns.It is true that "buyers" tend to be undecided |
| believe one can adopt a card design that is more | | | | when considering a purchase, but when the "seller" |
| "Active" -- hence my efforts at finding an alternative | | | | points out the USP s/he offers, AND IF they coincide |
| that works, which eventually led to this article being | | | | with the buyer's felt needs, the buyer can become |
| written.I have always been a bit of a non-conformist | | | | quite "sure" of what s/he wants, to the point that |
| - with a penchant for "playing devil's advocate", | | | | other "sellers" would be unable to influence him/her. |
| "rocking the boat", "stirring things up" etc in a bid to | | | | Think about some products or services that many |
| challenge others to re-evaluate accepted norms for | | | | people use year in and year out(inspite of the |
| possible refinement - or total replacement. :-) If I find | | | | presence of many competing brands), and you will |
| that the status quo does not offer me what I | | | | find that they do so because certain needs they |
| consider optimal returns towards achievement of a | | | | consider important are being met through the |
| set goal(s), I immediately begin exploring alternative | | | | continued use of those products and |
| options to adopt, till I find something that gives me | | | | services.Designing your business card the way I |
| the results I want.Based on the above, the question, | | | | describe is more likely to result in the card continuing |
| for me - as a performance enhancement advocate - | | | | to "sell" you to a prospect, even after you've parted |
| on the issue of business cards and how to get the | | | | ways with him/her. The card - each time s/he looks |
| most value from them is: What information do | | | | at it - will through its contents remind him/her that |
| business persons NEED to put on their business | | | | you offer THAT unique benefit s/he wants or needs. |
| cards, to help them MORE successfully achieve their | | | | Of course not everyone you give your card to, will |
| intended purpose for handing such cards out to | | | | call you back to give you work! Life itself is about |
| prospects ?By the way, with a few possible | | | | percentages. So, what I am saying is that a higher |
| exceptions, I assume here that the reader - like most | | | | percentage of those you give out your cards to, are |
| people who give out business cards - does so | | | | likely to get a better understanding of what you can |
| because s/he expects that the cards will further | | | | do for them(or for someone they know), and so |
| impress(or remind) the recipients to make contact at | | | | call(or recommend you). You'll consequently get more |
| a later date in relation to the product or service | | | | sales leads, and/or opportunities to close more |
| discussed. In my view the business cards many | | | | sales.Your Cards Cost Money - Aim To Get A Return |
| business persons give out are not properly equipped | | | | On Your Investment In Each!Print Them |
| to achieve the full marketing impact potential they | | | | Cost-Effectively: I believe most individuals who work |
| possess. Business cards, I believe, can be designed to | | | | for themselves might find it more useful to design |
| play a more active - even though silent - role in the | | | | and print their own business cards in the quantities |
| marketing and/or selling process.Think about it this | | | | they require them. Due to the unpredictability of |
| way. Someone you speak with about your work | | | | business generally, one or more bits of information on |
| could say "Can I have your card?", possibly because | | | | the card you use may change in a way that will |
| your conversation is interesting enough to them, that | | | | make it necessary for you to re-print another set. If |
| they want to be able to contact you at a later date | | | | you already have thousands of cards printed, and |
| to take it further. However, whether or not you do | | | | suddenly discover a need to re-print, all the money |
| end up closing a sale with that person could depend | | | | spent producing the obsolete set would effectively |
| on what your card "says"(if at all it has anything to | | | | go down the drain.You can avoid this. If you have a |
| say) to him/her AFTER you've parted ways.Now, if s | | | | template setup in Corel Draw to print ten standard |
| he runs into ANOTHER person who "appears" to | | | | size business cards on an A4 sized embossed card |
| offer something similar to what you told him/her you | | | | paper, for instance(and have used colors economically |
| could, s/he might just give that OTHER person the | | | | in the design) your home/office printer should be able |
| job. But if your card is THE type that "tells"(or | | | | to generate a set of cards for your use over a few |
| reminds) her about specific unique benefits you | | | | weeks at a time. As your business operations grow, |
| provide that the OTHER person may not be able to | | | | and you become more certain for the long term |
| match, s/he is likely to tell the other seller "NO", and | | | | about the information you have to put on the cards, |
| come back to you. I say the foregoing here on the | | | | you may be able to more safely produce larger |
| assumption that you do actually have a Unique Selling | | | | quantities of cards.Think Before Giving Them Out: |
| Proposition(USP).In essence, my argument is that | | | | Considering that you would want the cards you give |
| business owners can do a little more thinking to | | | | out to have a pleasing appearance, that complements |
| MAKE MORE OBVIOUS, the TANGIBLE BENEFITS | | | | the USP information printed on them, one expects |
| they offer, which prospective - and existing - clients | | | | they will not be "cheap" to produce. That's why you |
| would find attractive, and therefore be willing to take | | | | may want to make sure every one you give out |
| ACTION to get. The business owners can then | | | | counts.If you can form the habit of thinking of your |
| highlight those benefits in form of keywords and | | | | business card units in monetary terms(each of mine |
| phrases on their business cards. Such business cards | | | | costs approximately $0.143 US Dollars equivalent), it |
| would subsequently have a greater marketing | | | | might help you decide whether or not to put it in an |
| "impact" on those who receive them, increasing the | | | | envelope to just about anyone you're mailing |
| chances of the prospects making contact at a later | | | | something to, even when you don't know who they |
| date.A Comparative Analysis Of Two Similar | | | | are or what they do. That would be like shooting in |
| Restaurants With Different "Sales Pitches"Let's do a | | | | the dark - only this time you would be doing so, with |
| little comparative analysis. Say it's 12.30pm and you | | | | MONEY!If I send out twenty five letters in envelopes |
| are driving on a major highway to the next city to | | | | to different prospects for instance, and put a card in |
| do a presentation scheduled for 2.00pm. If you keep | | | | each, I know it implies I have spent at least $3.575 |
| driving at the same speed, you estimate you should | | | | US Dollars(aside from the cost of envelopes, paper, |
| get into the city in another thirty minutes, leaving you | | | | stamps etc).Business marketing yields better results |
| just enough time to check into "Clear View | | | | when properly targetted at the right audience. You |
| International Hotel", take a shower, change clothes | | | | could for instance staple your business cards, to |
| and move into the conference hall on the ground hall | | | | letters you are sending out to CEOs of certain |
| of the hotel where the presentation will hold. But you | | | | organisations you hope will find your products and |
| are feeling a bit thirsty and hungry, and worry that | | | | services potentially useful. Every time I want to give |
| there might not be enough time to quickly order | | | | out a card, I ask myself: Am I sure this is going to |
| something to eat at the hotel(Please bear with me: | | | | help me get increased marketing exposure for my |
| for some reason, I could not think up a better | | | | work, that could lead to more business? You might |
| "excuse" :-)).Suddenly you get to a junction and | | | | want to ask yourself a similar question |
| notice road signs for two different fast food outlets | | | | periodically.ONE LAST THING: Read Michel Fortin's |
| poisitioned next to each other. For the purpose of | | | | Ten Commandments E-book What I have proposed |
| this example, we assume that both places actually | | | | in this article will require anyone who wishes to try |
| offer equally quick services and more or less the | | | | out my ideas to re-visit his/her business concepts |
| same variety of foods and drinks. The difference is in | | | | and philosophies with a view to distilling the "value" s |
| the way they describe - on their road signs - what | | | | he is truly capable of delivering to customers. To do |
| they offer the prospect(traveller), who needs to | | | | this successfully, I want to seriously suggest you |
| make up his/her mind.One sign says "Quik-Caterers! | | | | download and READ Michel Fortin's "Ten |
| Get Our Quik Travel Meals & Drinks Pack (TM) . Wait | | | | Commandments of Power Positioning" e-book.Visit his |
| Max 15 Mins - Or We Pay!". The other says | | | | website at and learn how you can get a copy of his |
| "Welcome To Jazzy Jaff's Fast Foods Restaurant | | | | excellent e-book(I got mine about 4 years ago). It |
| And Bar".You will agree with me that if many | | | | offers many very practical and tested ideas about |
| travellers - who are in a hurry - had to decide which | | | | how you can market yourself or business more |
| fast food restaurant to stop at, they would pick | | | | effectively to customers, so that they see you as |
| "Quik Caterers" - not because the name sounds | | | | their preferred provider of your product and/or |
| better, or more appropriate, but most likely because | | | | service range.To accurately define keywords and |
| their road sign offers MORE information - using | | | | phrases that best capture the VALUE you can deliver |
| catchy keywords/phrases - about TANGIBLE | | | | to your customers, the "Divide and Conquer" concept |
| BENEFITS the prospective customers can relate | | | | described by Fortin in his e-book, when properly |
| to.Customers are likely to PERCEIVE that | | | | applied, will help you arrive at the most appropriate |
| "Quik-Catering" is more capable of meeting their | | | | ones. Fortin also provides practical real-world relevant |
| NEEDS than "Jazzy Jaff's". Now, imagine the | | | | tips for crafting YOUR OWN tag lines and elevator |
| information said to be on the road signs(or some of | | | | speeches; developing press kits etc.Read that |
| it) is used on business cards given out by the | | | | e-book(I actually printed mine out and had it sprial |
| respective owners of the two restaurants. Chances | | | | bound) from first to last page as many times as you |
| are that Quik-Catering MD's business card would raise | | | | need to fully understand it, and try applying what you |
| more eyebrows, and probably result in one or two | | | | learn to your business through the exercises |
| additional queries or comments to him/her(regarding | | | | suggested. By the time you are done, you will know |
| the service described) - creating "openings" for sales | | | | what to say about your business(and also HOW to |
| conversations to take place.Look at it this way: | | | | say it) in your speech, and on any of your business |
| Wouldn't you be curious to know(and test?) if | | | | marketing media such as business cards, signs, flyers, |
| Quick-Catering could really deliver on its Wait Max 15 | | | | letterheads, website etc.Question: How will you judge |
| Mins - Or We Pay! promise? It's an attractive - | | | | whether it's working or not?Answer: (1). If more |
| though unusual - offer, but if Quik-Catering only put it | | | | prospects make contact with you as a result of your |
| on flyers placed on the drinks counter in the | | | | re-vamped business marketing - which incorporates |
| restaurant(and not on the road sign or on business | | | | your re-designed business cards - THAT will be |
| cards), less people would get to know about it and | | | | evidence that it's working. (2). When your newly |
| stop over.What Does Your Business Card "Need To | | | | acquired clients/customers continue to patronise you |
| Say"?A business card that keeps "selling" you to your | | | | and DO NOT express any regrets for doing so(by |
| prospect long after you're gone, needs to say what | | | | way of product returns or unwillingness to give |
| you do in a way that makes those fitting your | | | | referrals/repeat business), THAT would reasonably |
| customer/client profile more likely to realize they | | | | suggest they are satisfied you deliver the value you |
| actually NEED your product(s) and/or service(s).You | | | | "promise".Self-Development/Performance |
| can design your business cards such that they cut | | | | Enhancement Specialist - Tayo Solagbade - works as |
| down the amount of "work" you need to do to | | | | a Multipreneur, helping individuals/businesses develop |
| generate potentially valuable sales leads. This is | | | | and implement strategies to achieve their goals, |
| particularly important because many times we come | | | | faster and more profitably. Download your copy of |
| across people who qualify to be our "perfect | | | | his 25 Articles Ebook from You get full reprint rights |
| customers or clients" in first time meeting situations | | | | for each article.Visit Tayo's Creative Business |
| that do not permit lengthy discussions or interactions. | | | | Solutions(CB Solutions) mini-site - - to learn how you |
| So, often times we end up using an elevator speech, | | | | can get affordable Freelance Writing, Rapid Website |
| answering one or two questions that arise from it, | | | | Design/CGI Automation, Website Marketing Strategy |
| then exchanging business cards.Some days later, the | | | | Development and Custom MS Excel VB Spreadsheet |
| executive you gave your card to(and who at the | | | | Automation Services. |