Small business owners are often faced with the challenge of marketing their business on a low advertising budget and usually rely heavily on word-of-mouth advertising. Therefore, it’s especially important for entrepreneurs and small business owners to use advertising methods that are both effective and affordable. Business cards are without a doubt one of the best choices for advertising a small business, as they can be produced at a low cost and easily distributed.
In a small space a business card can communicate lots of important information about a business. It’s not time consuming to print a batch of cards, and business owners can begin giving them out to customers and potential leads straight away. Before a business chooses this advertising option, however, it’s important for a small business owner to understand what information should be included and how the make the cards stand out from those distributed by other companies. Furthermore, they should have a clear marketing plan which includes a distribution strategy and conversion goals.
Important Information that should be Included
Although businesses should spend time associating their card designs to their brands, they also must remember to include important information. A business card should contain the company’s name and a description of its services or a short tagline. Furthermore, the card must include contact details, such as a store or office location, phone number, email address, and website. Cards can also be personalized for individual employees, and these may include the representative’s name, job title and direct phone line. As more businesses are now using social media to communicate with their customers, some companies also include their Facebook addresses or Twitter handles on their business cards.
Making Business Cards Stand Out
There are many ways to create a professional, attractive business card. The first thing to consider is whether or not the design and layout stands out from competing companies. Some businesses have gained great success by producing business cards in unique shapes or with design schemes that are relevant to their services. For example, an estate agent might create a house-shaped business card, while a music publishing company might have an instrument or a music note as theirs. Customers who receive cards from multiple businesses will be drawn to the designs that are unique and different.
However, if a business’ budget does not stretch far enough to cover uniquely shaped business cards a plain one can be effective if it incorporates something original like a discount offer, a coupon, or rewards program. These cards are a great way for small businesses to attract potential clients and keep returning customers making purchases.
Leads, Conversions and Results
Business cards are only effective when they are passed out among potential leads. Employees and Sales staff should keep cards with them at networking events and during times when they are out looking for interested customers. A company with a clear distribution strategy and reasonable goals is more likely to gain successful marketing results. When small business owners begin designing their cards, they should think about the ways in which they would like to increase their numbers. With a clear, definite plan and a well-designed business card, a company can increase their publicity and qualified leads.