HOT Informational Article: Tips and Techniques for
the Business Card: A Business’ Resume…

LOOK at your current business card. Actually, it is the same exact thing as all those resumes you go through when trying to hire someone.

A business card should be a visual storyteller that leaves an impression that you are seriously in business, that you can be located and contacted, and tells the potential client just enough of what you do for its holder to be interested in calling its owner for more information. It should also have a visual image that elicits and trips a subconscious emotional trigger. It should be a marketing tool that helps you to increase sales.

How many times have you picked up a business card and thrown it in a drawer someplace only to discover it months or years later and you have no clue as to why you kept it in the first place? This is a perfect example of a bad business card (it does not matter if it was cheap or very expensive to produce). You should be able to pick up a properly designed full color business card and it will immediately tell you enough information to cause its holder to pick up the phone when a desire is met. And, it should contain enough information to peak your interest enough to call.

Very few products or services in today’s world are absolute necessities. An absolute necessity is one that a person needs to survive. However, the majority of products and services in the market are driven by a want. The key factor here is tapping in on and triggering an emotional wanting for that product or service so it becomes a need. Full color photos gain and retain attention.

Does that guy really need a 60 inch plasma high definition TV to watch football? Does your child really need 20 pairs of shoes? Do you really need a Hummer or Jaguar? While technology has improved to give us cell phones with cameras in them, fast computers with email, and all the other electronic “toys”, the actual attention span of the typical consumer is very short. You have to grab their attention within seconds, interest them, and then lead them to the water to drink. No sale is really complete until the product or service has been delivered, paid for, and a happy client exists.

You can be an awesome salesperson IF they call you. The key is getting them to call you and they WILL call YOU if the impression you give them is in full color, visual, and memorable. Remember the old saying "a picture is worth a thousand words"?

Have you ever met the short mild-mannered used car salesman who had a full color picture of a hot looking red Porsche on his business card? Can you guess his up-sell closing rate? He simply hands his business card to the customer as one of his first actions, leaving a subconscious impression. What do you think of when you see a hot red Porsche? What desires does it invoke?

A Couple Quick HOT Marketing Tips:
NEVER EVER use red text on a business card unless it has been professionally designed. What is the first thing that pops into your mind when you see red? Is it a stop sign?

FOILED areas on a business card (any color):
We do not recommend foiled business cards. The reasons are pretty simple: 1) They do not increase your sales [based upon end-consumer surveys], 2) For each foiled item on a card, a "plate" has to be made at $100 per plate, 3) Foil adds at least $100 to the cost of a set of cards [on top of plate charges], and 4) we choose to provide a service and design that helps you increase your sales and be remembered as unique and special. By using full color printing on professional paper, we can do that in a cost effective way.

Computer generated business cards actually DO COST MORE than “good” ones. Your time in setting it up, the perforated cards, the INK, the separating of the perforating, and still you have a card that leaves a “cheap, unprofessional” impression. We have watched people at trade shows pick up a business card, run their thumb across the edge to feel if it is a perforated card and throw it away at the next trash barrel. Would YOU trust a company enough to make a large purchase if they made their own business cards?

Black and white business cards; another waste of money. If done at a print shop they could run you $50 - $150 per thousand as long as you don’t pick the better paper. ($29.95 for 250 really does equal $120 for a thousand.) For that much, you could have had full color on BOTH SIDES of your business cards!

Cookie-cutter realtor / real estate business card templates are just that – they do NOTHING to distinguish you from the other dozen realtors in the area. Unless you really want to compete on the same playing ground as your co-workers or competitors and have potential customers think that you are “just like” everyone else, do not use them. Custom cards only cost about $25 more!

Though stylish a few years ago, shaped cards and magnets are now often perceived as a gimmick, which may do more harm than good for your business. In fact, our research has shown that shaped products no longer have the powerful impact as our other proven, successful, full-color layouts. In addition, manufacturing a shaped product leads to a tremendous amount of waste in the manufacturing process (which affects both your purchasing cost and the environment). An full-color eye catching magnet will work better than some hokey concept.

The average person reads from left to right, top to bottom but reads advertisements differently. USE that information to your advantage in the design of your printed materials.

Ever hear the words “good, better, best”? Ever wonder why “best” isn’t first? If you put the “best” products on the consumer’s left in your store plan-o-gram you will NOT sell as many of the “best” (i.e. highest profit margin) products.

The grocery stores use another similar technique when they position their products on the shelves. Bet you will always reach down to get your Sugar Pops!

STOP PAYING TOO MUCH FOR TOO LITTLE! ANYONE can print business cards. Some do it well, some do some nice design work that looks good, and some just do it.

Business Card Source (BCS) is the ONLY source that helps their clients increase business by evaluating what you are currently doing, advising you, and working with you to help you take advantage of marketing techniques which will, in turn, help you grow sales. We are marketing experts with a flair for design who just happen to broker print jobs to digital presses. Robert has a Bachelor’s degree in business psychology and has spent the last 20+ years in marketing. He personally meets with local clients and reviews every job.

TIRED of 1-2% returns on your direct mail projects? Business Card Source also advises its clients on flyers, postcards, brochures, and other direct mail projects. You CAN get double digit returns!

We also print door-hangers for gorilla marketing projects!

Go to the SOURCE -- Business Card Source -- for assistance that will help you INCREASE sales!

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