Business Cards: Reviewed & Rated
Business Cards...
Hi, I'm Malcom. A few years ago, I started my own business doing lawn care. After a few months, I decided I needed business cards.
I first ordered some of those "free business cards" you find online? While the quality was OK, I didn't like the branded space on the back. I wanted to promote my own business, not someone elses. So, I finally found a business that designs business cards and ordered some real cards for myself.
What should you put on your business cards?
Business Cards - How Important They Are!
Are you wondering why you need to go to all the trouble of having business cards printed? You just hate having to spend more money promoting your company. Well a lot of the business people probably think like you, until they understand the importance of them. Let's look at how these small cards help your bottom line.
The expense of getting business cards printed is one you will easily recoup quickly. These cards are your first impression on people you meet. You hand them your card so that they know how to contact you. So these are very important to the well-being of your business efforts. You need to use every marketing tool you can too so that your business will be successful.
These cards are cheap compared to what your other advertising costs you. Your newspaper ads, Internet ads, TV commercials (if you budget allows), and e-mail marketing costs really add up. Not to mention the cost for going to trade show and other large events to bring in new customers.
Some cards can even cost under $20 for 250 depending on where you purchase them. Now this is if they are in a matte finish, if you get glossy finish they could cost more. Now just think 250 people reached at the low cost of $20. What a bargain as far as advertising goes.
You also need to make sure that your cards are designed properly. Remember the design will be a representation of what your company is all about. Some businesses include their logo, while others have a company slogan.
Then you can include a short explanation of what services you offer. Something like "Get all your woodworking needs here" is a good statement to include. Just remember to keep it short though not to overpower the rest of the card.
Now you can go all out and over the top with designs but be careful. If you get too busy with the artwork it could get cluttered looking on the card. You want something that looks professional but will get someone's attention at the same time.
Everything needs to be printed on it as far as your contact info. This will vary because some companies have more phone numbers than others. Some places have websites and some don't. So you must fit this area of the card to your contact information.
The other thing to make sure of is that you use quality card stock. Cheap paper will just fray and fall apart. Your cards won't last long enough to do you much good. In fact they will just wind up in the trash can.
Now that you know the importance of having business cards, you will no longer complain about how much they cost. Remember these little cards pack a big wallop as far as first impressions go. You get quite a bit of advertising for the money you pay on these. So look into getting your business cards today and start benefiting from them.
Business Cards - Should I Design Mine?
You might be considering designing your own business cards. This is actually a good idea! By doing this you can capture the essence of your business better than anyone else can. A unique statement can be made through your personally-designed cards.
Draw out any artwork or your logo that you want on the card. On your logo you can cut and paste if need be. Make sure the artwork you use allows you the rights to use it. Otherwise you could get in trouble. Many times you can find artwork that if free for everyone to use.
After the artwork and logo has been placed correctly then think about what else needs to be on the card. List all other items on the card. Then ask if you left enough room to keep things from looking crowded. Is your design for the business cards eye catching enough to impress clients? If it is you are good to go.
If the design is not, keep changing it is until it is. This may take some patience on your part but it will be well worth with it in the long run. Nothing is more memorable than when someone sees something totally unique. That is the kind of impression your card will leave on anyone who sees it.
Now if you were to ask me if you should print your own cards after designing them, I would say no. Why you ask? Mainly due to the quality of paper that most business card stock is. Also you usually tear off the cards and that makes the edges rough instead of smooth.
Also the ink could run when the card gets wet, what a mess that would! So check out some of the places that will print the cards for you. You might be surprised at how economical it is to have someone else print them up for you and good quality card stock paper.
The inks will be better too because they will not run when wet. You can also have embossing done too. The printing places have all sorts of special touches they can add that you can't do at work or home. At least easily that is.
Some places even will print you your first 250 business cards for free and only charge you the shipping. So if you are just starting a new business or have a small one this is really the way you should go. Heck the ink and the card stock would probably run you more!
So it is fine to design your own business cards as long as you have someone else do the printing for you. Remember you need quality cards for the price you are paying and you will not get them with card stock that runs through your printer. Let the professionals fix the cards so they are clean and crisply done. You want to look like you have been in business for years even if it has only been a few months!
The Mistakes not to Make on Business Cards
Are you trying to come up with your marketing strategy for this New Year? Many things go into pushing a business into being successful. Many tools are useful in doing this. One tool you have at your disposal is business cards.
The business cards of the world help promote so many types of companies. Many times though people make mistakes when designing their cards. This causes more people to throw the cards away than use them. These people wasted the company money for useless cards.
These cards could be a problem for a variety of reasons. A simple misprint in an address or phone number to a card that is busy no one can read it. All of these mistakes are made quite often. Do you want to know how to avoid making these mistakes? That is easy just knowing what the common mistakes are will keep you from making them.
One of the biggest mistakes made today is making cards why too busy with graphics. The cards then become cluttered. This can cause them to be hard to read. The print actually seems to melt into the graphics. So use just enough graphics to enhance your card but not enough to overshadow what you need the people to read.
Another mistake is not putting enough information on the card. Leaving off the fax number or the website URL is not very effective for getting all your contact information on your card. So be careful on this point. Make sure all pertinent contact information is included.
Not trying to lure people in enough with your card is another mistake. You should also entice people to use your services somehow with this card. Just think of the perfect short phrase to do it with. Something snappy that will stick in the customer's mind would be great.
A serious mistake is made with the font too. Sometimes people put the real small font that you have to have a magnifier to read. Not many people carry a magnifier around to use to read the business cards they get. So make sure the font or fonts you use on your card are comfortable for anyone to read.
Yes it can even be a mistake to make your own cards. The edges are not finished because you have to tear these off a page of card stock. This cheap paper could even fray. Have your cards printed by a professional so that they have the right finished look with quality paper.
Purchase price can be another mistake if you don't shop around. Just like with any other products shop around for the best price. There are some great sites online to get fabulous deals.
Now you know how to avoid the most common mistakes people getting business cards printed up. You should be able to make some enticing business cards and help your business thrive. Just think about what type of first impression you want to make with people.
What Should You Include on Your Business Cards?
It is confusing coming up with new business cards at times. You have to make sure to include all the right information. If you are new to doing this you might be even more lost on what to do. Below is a simple guide to what should go on your cards...
First, you need to have a background, design, or logo for your cards. The whole card could be based on what your business is about, like tools for a carpentry business. Make sure if you use a design that you will still be able to read the print. You of course can always add you company logo.
Second, your company name needs to go on your cards. It should be in larger font than the rest of the information. You can have it centered or off to one side or the other. This is a matter of personal preference and the design of your cards. Just make sure people notice it first.
Third, place your company motto or mission statement on your cards. Make sure this does not take up the whole card though. Short and to the point is the way to go with this. "Satisfaction guaranteed." or "Been in business since 1983." are a couple of examples. You could say what your business is based on too though "Get your flowers here." as an example.
Fourth, you need to start putting in your contact information. Most start with the mailing address and zip code. Make sure if you have a suite number to add that on there too. On the back you could place a mini map for driving directions.
Fifth, your phone number traditionally goes next. Make sure to include the area code with your number. If you have a fax line put it under your phone clearly marking which one is which.
Sixth, you can list your e-mail address so people can write you online. Make sure to mark it down right or you won't get any mail. Many people prefer this method of communicating these days.
Seventh, list your company website and make sure it is a font that is noticeable. Again this should not over power the cards though. It should just slightly stand out from the other contact information.
Now make sure it all looks nice and neat the way you have it laid out. You want the color of the print to stand out well against the background too. You want people to be able to easily read the business cards after they are printed up. Also if the design is too busy the print could get lost so remember this when deciding what to put on your business cards.
The business cards you make will spread the name of your company far and wide hopefully. These little jewels of the advertising world will hopefully encourage all sorts of new customers to come your way. So now that you know what to do go design a profitable card for your business.