Four Simple Ways to Get More Out of Your Business Cards
As a small business owner or employee, you should always have a few spare business cards on hand. You never know when you'll have the opportunity to network and promote your services.
We can talk about business card marketing from a variety of angles all day long. In the end, the basic info is still the most important part. Aside from all design and promotion, your business card should WORK. Your company logo, name, and contact information should be easy to find and read. You can have the flashiest business card of them all, but if it doesn't give your prospective client the contact information they need, it doesn't matter.
You've got lots of options when it comes to your business cards. Today, we'll focus on three simple business card approaches to get us started. Let's discuss creating business cards with memorable designs for top-of-mind awareness, cards for building referral programs, and business card marketing to build to your online reputation.
Create Memorable Design
Using vibrant colors, specific grabbing terms like "24 Hour Emergency Service", or by playing with business card orientation, you can capture a potential client's interest. Like all of your marketing pieces, your business card should follow the same design and color scheme. Creative and unconventional design can attract attention, but usability is still our main concern. Find fonts that offer eye-appealing design while ensuring readability at small print sizes.
Referral Reward System
Turn your business card into a referral reward system. Put information on the back of your business card offering an incentive to current customers to refer you to a new client. It adds shelf life to your business card by creating a high perceived value – that means you client will hold on to your business card for longer instead of being immediately trashed.
One easy method is to offer a simple cash "finder's fee" for client referrals. Everyone wins in the end, the previous referring client makes some extra cash, and you get a new customer – all while spreading positive reviews about your service. This method works well for "one off" type work such as one-time repair or installation industries.
Another popular option is to offer a discount or service incentive – This is a favorite for clients that need regular maintenance services, like heating and cooling tune-ups or lawn care providers, as it keeps your client coming back for more of your services.
Some companies give you one entry per referral into a raffle for a monthly, quarterly, semi-annual, or annual prize drawing – This allows you to use the allure of a higher cost prize item for a longer prize period.
Whatever reward you'd like to add is up to you. You'll have to find the fine line between being worthy of a client's attention while also making sense in terms of your bottom line. No matter what approach you take, make sure that "carrot" is enticing enough for your clients to act.
Build Your Online Reputation
Turn your business card into an online reputation builder. This is especially if you give personalized business cards to individual service technicians – Put your employee's picture and name on the back of a business card, along with a web address or QR code link where clients can leave positive reviews online on your web site.
The more genuine positive reviews you have on providers like Google Places, Yelp, Citysearch, Angie's List, or your community review boards, the stronger your online reputation. When handing out your special business card after a particularly positive service experience, you should actively ask for the review. You'll be surprised how many folks will go out of their way to leave a glowing review when they feel like they've been treated very well.
It goes without saying that the opposite can happen too. If a client has a particularly bad experience, they could use online review sites against you. Does that mean you shouldn't use this method? While we don't want to spread bad news, in this instance, this business card also becomes a tool for employee training and customer service skill reviews.
Stand Out From the Rest With Unique Materials
Whether you're at a home show or one in a line of multiple estimates – you need to use every tactic possible to differentiate yourself from the competition. While some of that language will be in your sales presentations and conversations, the materials you leave behind can also make a difference.
There are lots of options out there now to create a business card design from various materials and with specialty finishes – all in an attempt to stand out from the rest. While it is a little more expensive for these custom options, they can help your card to stand out from the rest. Consider not just the look and function, but also the feel and utility of your business cards to set you apart from the crowd.
About Chris Lonergan
Chris Lonergan has over 12 years of contractor marketing experience with Footbridge Media. With a background in web design, print design, content creation, and online marketing, Chris is focused on providing quality marketing and business solutions in the construction and service industries - helping small business owners to more efficiently manage their companies and grow their operations.
Chris Lonergan has previously contributed to and/or been featured in PM Magazine (Plumbing & Mechanical | Contractors x Engineers), theNEWS (ACHR - Air Conditioning | Heating | Refrigeration), Service Roundtable's blog, inPAINT Magazine, the SMB Marketing Agency Show, and the Green Industry Podcast. Chris is also a past SGI/CertainPath breakout session presenter.
