Business cards are often the only thing someone has to jog their memory once they have left their presence. And it is not due to lack of attention, it is just that business life has become more hectic and we are all networking and consequently we come across many companies.
So what does your business card do for the person you presented it to?
You should tell them your name, your company, your role, your contact details, and the best business cards offer more marketing for you, the business card owner.
Your name on your business card
You must print your name. Not hastily scrawled. It is not even printed through a business card printing program. Anything that smells cheap instantly lowered its value in the eyes of the recipient. After all, what company can’t afford to buy business cards for staff who mix with other companies? And, obviously, the answer is, “the ones that are about to go broke or cut shortcuts!”
Lack of contact details
Conventional business cards tend to include landline number, mobile phone number, less often fax number, business address, website, and email.
If any of these expected details are missing, the business card says the owner is a night flight operator who will not be present and will be available if the going gets tough or they don’t deliver on their promises.
Business card phone numbers
I have come across several cards that still only have one mobile phone number. That tells me you’re running your business from the kitchen table. There is nothing wrong with using the kitchen table. However, no landline phone makes it less likely that they’ll choose you over someone else who seems to be set up with a landline as well. It tends to indicate that they intend to be around for a while.
Use the wrong email address
Email addresses that are not the same domain name as your website or blog tend to make people wonder if you intend to continue. Also using Google / Gmail, Yahoo or Hotmail mail while being very convenient screams that you are not a “right” business and again raises the question of whether you will still be there tomorrow.
Poorly designed websites or parked domains
If your contact sits down with your business card to review your site, will they see a well-designed site? Or will they see a homemade hodgepodge or possibly worse, a parked domain?
When your site is in your cards, you have to be sure that it will continue to support your message when you are not around.
I speak from personal experience when I created a site when I started in the business (about 5 years ago), which means that I designed it better later on and then in 3 months, I went on to use my blog as my site. However, I did not redirect my site to my blog. That meant that as time passed, my hastily created site became increasingly outdated and out of step with my own business. And it actually cost me business.
No business address speaks volumes
You tell your contact that you have no business premises. If you sell products that might need to be returned, that’s a massive blow to your contacts’ trust in you. If your address has been lost while working from home, be aware that few people will call because of the chance to see it.
I have an office in my house and I have never had anyone unannounced. Just like my insurance doesn’t cover business visitors! Instead, we go to a nearby hotel that has delicious coffee on tap.