HOW TO KNOW IF YOU HAVE A GREAT BUSINESS CARD

A business card is a valuable marketing tool and an essential element to becoming UNFORGETTABLE.

HOW IS YOUR CARD PERCEIVED BY OTHERS

Think back to the last few times you've handed out your business card. How did people react to your business card? Did they compliment its design? Quickly shove it into their pocket? Show it to someone else? Rip it up?

Whatever the response was, your card made some type of impression. But only the most creative, unique and memorable business cards make UNFORGETTABLE impressions. Really good cards tend to not get thrown out.

CERTAIN CARDS STAND OUT. WHY?

Spread a pile of business cards that you have received over the years out on a table. Walk away for a few minutes then come back and take note of which cards stand out the most.

Here's some things most people find:

* Red: every card that had red on it stood out.

* Picture: only a few cards had pictures of the cardholder. This not only made them stand out, but helped me connect faces with names and companies.

* Vertical: several cards were formatted vertically, which caught my eye.

* Black Background: most cards have a white background, so the black ones REALLY stood out.

* Image: cards with some sort of colorful image that took up at least one fourth of the total surface area captured my interest.

This was a valuable exercise in understanding UNFORGETTABLE business cards, and I recommend it to everyone. Try it out! Gather dozens of accumulated cards from your desk and discover which ones stand out. Oh, and don't forget to put your OWN card in the pile. You'll be amazed at what you see.

Or don't see.

WAYS TO ENHANCE YOUR CARD

Now that you've analyzed your own card and have been exposed to a large quantity of other people cards, your mind should be swimming with new, creative ideas. This is the perfect time to brainstorm ways to enhance your card. So, grab a blank sheet of paper. Come up with as many ideas as possible. Let your creativity run wild! And to help you get started, here's a list of creative ideas to make your business card UNFORGETTABLE:

1. Size or Shape - Rectangles, squares, circles, ovals and triangles. Each shape made a connection to the brand, and each shape stood out amidst the endless regression of the same old rectangles.

2. Trading Cards - If your company is team oriented, get trading cards with your "players" pictures and stats. Then encourage your customers and prospects to "collect all 12!"

3. Cartoons - Get a custom cartoon commissioned for the back of your card. It's cheap, royalty free and absolutely unique to your business.

4. Table/Chart - Include a mortgage loan interest table or some staggering statistics on the back. These are helpful reminders for the mathematically challenged and effective methods to position yourself as a resource.

5. Match-Book Style - Just like kid's books, some business cards can be printed as folded, pop-up cards. Talk about thinking three-dimensionally!

6. Credibility - Add color images or backgrounds for instant pop.

7. Die Cutting -You can also specify various shapes, bite marks or hole sizes to be put into your business cards.

8. Recipe - If you work in an industry connected to food, kitchens or homes; include one of your favorite recipes on the back!

9. Language - If your business requires international travel, consider offering multiple languages, or print the phonetic spelling of a difficult to pronounce name.

10. Motivation - If you're the motivational type, include a famous quotation, bible verse or movie line that connects to your brand. And be sure to read it aloud when you give someone your card, it might just make their day!

11. Stickers - Print one side of your cards on adhesive label paper. This gives the recipient a peel off sticker for reminders, appointments or phone numbers.

12. Non-Cards - Who says a card has to be a card? After all, the first rule of creativity is "break all the rules!" I've seen million dollar bill cards, coin cards, even a banker in Boston who uses business cards that are actually miniature checks he tears off of a pad each time he gives one out! The possibilities are endless.

13. Double Up - Make your card "double" as something other than a card. For example, mine doubles as a business card AND a nametag. As a result, people stick it on their shirts all the time. Thanks for the free promotion!

14. Scent It - Add a fragrance to your cards.

IMPLEMENTATION

Once you've come up with the layout for your new, creative, UNFORGETTABLE business card, there are only two things left to do: print 'em up and hand 'em out!

First, as you approach you printer, remember a few rules:

It's OK to Spend Money - when I did my taxes this year I calculated that I reprinted my business cards 11 times and spent over $1,400 on printing costs. I also doubled my income from the previous year. Once again, money well spent.

Work with a printer that will provide iterative online proofs so you can get the final version just right. Then print a hard copy off to make sure it works on paper as well.

OK. Once you have your new cards in hand, keep a few final rules in mind:

Reminders - be sure to tell people you've got a new card. They'll be happy to accept it, even if they already have your old one. Highlight some of its newest, most unique attributes. Also, if you printed on both sides of your new card, remember to either tell people about the back of your card; or hand them the card back side up, so they know there's more to it.

Etiquette -Remember: people throw away business cards from those who failed to establish rapport or make a connection.

There are many others out there, but none of them are like mine - because there's nobody else like me. My business card is not a formality. It's not a piece of paper containing my name and contact information. And it's not another annoying thing to keep in my pocket. My business card is the most important networking tool that I own. It's a reflection of my personal brand and a bite-sized morsel of the mission of my business.