Hey, fellow business owner –
It’s me again, with another marketing tip to help grow your business…
This time we’re talking about another (hopefully obvious) building block.
Business cards.
You might be amazed at how many companies I consult with that don’t use this one basic marketing tool.
The excuses I hear most often are “We already have a website. Or, we’re just a local store. So business cards are unnecessary.”
Well, believe it or not, there’s still a lot of potential customers out there, who don’t spend their lives with faces buried in a smart phone or computer screen.
And besides, business cards don’t cost much. So why not use every “low cost – high impact” marketing tool at your disposal? It can’t hurt.
Of course, just having business cards is one thing. But turning them into little virtual sales reps for your company, is where they really pay off.
With that in mind, here’s a couple strategies you can use to make your business card work harder for you…
– Keep in mind… Your business card is a marketing tool.
Most cards will have the business name, contact info, and maybe a tagline.
Better business cards will offer a benefit to your customer. (like all your advertising should)
For example: Instead of your card just saying “Joe’s plumbing” with a phone number; at least include a benefit like “leaky pipes fixed fast and affordable” or “24 hour service available.”
Or, something else that makes a person think “Hmm, maybe I should hold on to this card… just in case.”
If you don’t think there’s enough room on your card to list benefits…
– Use both sides of your card.
There’s a lot of real estate on the back of a business card that few companies ever take advantage of.
Research has proven that a large percentage of people at least glance at the back side of a business card, when it’s handed to them.
It’s almost like they’re saying “please, tell me more.” And in that split second, you have an opportunity to let your business card “tell them a little more.”
Next…
– Make sure your business cards have your website address featured prominently.
A lot of people who see your card will want to know more about you, before contacting you. Sending them directly to your own website allows you to control their first impressions of your business.
(If you don’t have a website for your business yet, then I implore you, please…please…please, go read my very short post on why every business needs a website.)
OK, I don’t want to keep you here all day, so…
Here’s just one more business card tip for you, before we all have to get back to work…
Wherever you go, consider leaving a few of your business cards behind. (accidentally?)
Leave them at restaurants, in public restrooms, at the library, or local gym, etc. Pretty much anywhere there’s people.
You never know when someone who’s looking for your products or services will stumble upon one of your business cards at just the right time.
If you own a local business, ask other local merchants if you can leave a few of your cards on their counter. If they hesitate, sweeten the deal by offering to tell your clients about their business; it’ll be like a mini joint venture.
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Of course, I’ve just scratched the surface on how we can make your business cards work harder for you.
In future messages I’ll share more with you. Including one story about how we helped a company turn their simple business card into a direct marketing tool, that increased their customer base by over 200% in less than 90 days.
But right now this message is getting a bit long, and we all need to get back to work.
Until next time,
To your success…
All the best,
SARubin
Direct Response Copywriter
Advertising and Marketing Egghead
www.sarmarketing.net
P.S. If you have any questions or comments, you can reply directly to this message, and I’ll try to respond as soon as possible.
And always remember… Not every marketing idea will work the same for every business. But every proven idea has already helped other businesses grow.
So even if you don’t think these ideas apply to you right now, it’s still something you may want to use in the future – as your business grows and evolves. That’s why it’s always a good idea to keep your eyes and ears open for good, proven marketing strategies.
