We’ve all been stuck in situations where we met someone and wanted to keep in contact. Pulling out phones to trade numbers doesn’t always work, and writing contact information on a piece of scrap paper can come off as hectic and messy. It’s easier to reach into your pocket and pull out a business card. Whether the person you’re handing it to pulls it up later is a mystery, but at least you can make an impression by being prepared and handing over a compelling card.
A business card website is your friend if you aren’t a graphic designer by trade. VistaPrint is the most well-known business card website where they offer tons of cards for a cheap price. They also offer different shapes, material, and thousands of premade themes to choose from.
1. It’s Your Card, So Make It About You
You wouldn’t tell someone you did a job that you knew nothing about, so don’t let your business card tell it for you. If you are finding connections through your place of work, put the company logo on the card. If you run your own business, design the card after the rest of your marketing. The more you like your card the more you’ll hand it out.
2. But First Impressions Count
Don’t go crazy. First impressions count and what you present on your business card says a lot about you as a person. Something flimsy or messy won’t tell a possible network that your worth connecting with. Making your card interesting, while also describing you, will have someone more willing to pull it out of their wallet at a later date.
3. Keep It Simple and Direct
While working on your impression don’t crowd your card. Make sure that your contact information is noticeable, upfront, and easily found. Put it in the same order as it would be found on a mailing envelope. Keep the font readable and don’t hide it under images. If there’s too much going on it may lose the reader’s attention.
4. But Make Sure It’s Correct
Nothing ruins a networking possibility like the wrong information. Avoiding typos saves ill-printed cards which means not paying for new ones, and allows connections to contact you. The wrong phone number, wrong address, or wrong email will mean a missed connection, opportunity, or even job.
5. Take Appointments? Add It
Business cards have two sides; use them! Add an appointment reminder to the back of your cards to fill out before handing it off. If they need to cancel or reschedule, now they have your information. If you’re worried they may forget, now they have a small reminder. Don’t need an appointment card? Add loyalty programs, locations of other businesses, or a fact about your company.