Title: Make Your Business Card More Effective Word Count: 506 Summary: In my life I have literally collected thousands of business cards. When I look through them, I hardly remember the person or business at all! Should a business card not reflect who you are and what your business does? A proper business card is the first piece of marketing literature that is handed out. It should definitely have your name, address, email address and phone number. But I think that most business cards should have more information. Most are very poorly design... Keywords: business,business card,effective business card Article Body: In my life I have literally collected thousands of business cards. When I look through them, I hardly remember the person or business at all! Should a business card not reflect who you are and what your business does? A proper business card is the first piece of marketing literature that is handed out. It should definitely have your name, address, email address and phone number. But I think that most business cards should have more information. Most are very poorly designed. How could we improve on the basic business card? I was thinking about this and I came up with some suggestions for the back of your business card: 1) Hard to Find Places - a mini map giving directions to your premises 2) Takeaways – a miniature menu – remember the 80/20 rule – top sellers only! 3) What about a testimonial? 4) Retail Outlet – what about a discount on presentation of the card? Here is another great idea for the back of a business card: Print: We met at... On... For... What we discussed... Referrals... What about the front? 1) Why not add your picture? 2) Use full colour printing 3) Get a Professional to design it I firmly believe that all business cards should have a photograph of the person especially now that they are so cheap to produce in full colour. Nobody will ever forget who you are if your picture is on the card! Your business card is probably the first marketing material you hand out to somebody you meet for the first time. It should create a good impression and be a precursor to a further meeting or conversation by phone. Business cards are never going to do the selling for you, but they need to transfer the right impression of who you are and what your business does. For this you need to use full colour printing and stay away from the standard black and white cards. I would advise people to stay away from laminated cards. Many people jot down a short note on the back of the card to help them remember who you are and what was said. They cannot write on a laminated card! Finally make sure your business card is durable. Pay slightly more for a thicker card. If you can get a cheaper business card for $90 a 1000 and a more expensive better quality of business card for $150 per 1000... and you only hand out 200 business cards a year... go for the better quality one and make sure you hand out a 1000 in the next 12 months! How many business cards have you received that immediately said to you “I am not going to do business with that person”? Most of them are probably printed in black and white and on thin cards. Some do not even tell you what that persons business does! Most people underestimate how valuable a business card really is. When you think about the costs involved it really should be used more effectively. Make your business card stand out so that people are more likely to remember you and get in touch.