3 Tips to Make Your Business Card Rock!

When individuals setup a small or home based business, one of the first items on the checklist to complete is the printing of business cards.

My personal view is that most people's cards are almost a complete waste of money, or at best, not an effective marketing tool.

In this article, we're going to examine business cards and the article will close with 3 Tips to Make Your Business Card Rock!

Let's go!

I want you to take out your business card right now as we're going to analyse it.

It sounds harsh, and I'm not writing this article with the intention of making your card designer feel bad, but I'd be willing to bet my house that the card in your hand is an ineffective marketing tool.

Now, before I go on further, it's very important at this stage to understand this golden nugget of sales and marketing...
A sale opportunity is only ever going to take place for you when:

    You reach the right person
    At the right time
    With the right product
    And the right offer

Your marketing material (e.g. your business card) needs to address points 3 and 4 above. Your marketing strategy needs to cater for points 1 and 2 above.

Consider this for a moment... each time you hand out a business card, the prospective customer is going to make one of three decisions:

    Buy from you right now, let's say sometime within 48 hours
    Buy from you later, could be anytime after 48 hours
    Decide not to buy from you. This decision could take place either immediately after they leave you/get off the phone from you, or a little while later, perhaps days, weeks or months later

You see, each time you hand out a business card, your intention is to have that prospective customer buy something from you either right now, or later.

Not everyone that makes a purchase does so "on the spot". So your card needs to "keep you in the game", to give you a shot at making a sale at some stage.

The moment your business card gets thrown away or placed with all the other cards that your prospect is hoarding, you're as good as dead in the water because that customer is not coming back.

Most cards are basically identical:

    Business name or a logo on the left
    Contact details on the right

What does the card in your hand look like? The same?

If I'm wrong about anything, maybe the layout is a little different. But I can sit here typing away right now with 99% certainty that the card you are holding will contain nothing of any value. It's Just. Another. Business. Card.

The last thing you want for your dear little business card is for your prospect to be deciding whether they're going to throw it out in the regular rubbish, or the recycle bin. That's the choice people are going to make that have cooled on the idea of buying from you...
It makes sense to have your business card assist in the sales process, as opposed to just giving out your name and number, right?

What if you could produce a card that actually triggered a purchasing decision?

What if it actually resulted in a paying client, because they held on to it long enough for the timing to be right?

Here's 3 ways to make your business card rock!

    Funk it up a little - Don't make your contact details the focus of the card. They need to be there, but they're worthless if your card gets thrown in the bin. And most business cards are boring anyway. Your business is not boring, right? Highlight your personality on your card.

    Include testimonials on the card - this gives instant credibility to your skills or product. Testimonials will do a far better job of building trust and credibility with your prospective customers than anything you can say.

    Make the card valuable - Put an offer on it - This is huge. Make your card a voucher by including an offer... "Present this card to receive $20 off your next purchase." Or "Present this card to receive a free consultation valued at $75... How likely am I to throw out your business card if it's worth $75 bucks to me? Nearly everyone that is remotely interested in your service will keep it. At the very least they'll think a little harder before they throw it in the recycle bin.

What do you think the impact would be of generating one extra customer per month just because your business card actually worked?

I hope the difference is profound for your business.

The Future Of Online Business Opportunities

A lot of people still hope to find ways of earning money even after reaching the age of retirement. Meanwhile, new graduates are very aggressive to find ways of getting a job despite the growing problem of unemployment globally. Unfortunately, the number of retirees and graduates continue to rise while companies struggle to survive and employment opportunities remain scarce.

This may be one of the reasons why online business opportunities are very much in demand because of the rewarding opportunities that these can bring to people. There are ways to make money online so it is up to you in developing skills suitable for online work. Thanks to the internet, the demands for skilled workers are on the upsurge.

In fact, by merely surfing on the internet, you will be able to come across numerous ideas which can serve as a model for your enterprise. You will find out that starting your own internet enterprise may be your best alternative to earn a source of revenue. There are downsides in becoming an employee such as having a boss and following a specific working schedule. On the other hand, an internet business is the best way to become an entrepreneur. It is better in terms of independence and flexibility. Perhaps a big advantage is that your income is not limited for as long as you are hardworking and innovative.

Aside from this benefit, online business opportunities require very minimal investment. You need not cope with a big capital outlay and operating expenses compared to traditional business ventures. There is no need to have an office since you work from the home and all you need is a computer, reliable internet connection and a simple website. There is no need to wait for so many years before you succeed. In short it is cost-efficient and can be very productive if you have a good plan and method of implementation.

Luckily, you are required very little investment in an Internet business, which minimized the usual difficulties of starting on your own. If you compare an Internet business to conventional businesses that need big capital and rising operating expenses, it can run in a more inexpensive manner. The prospects of earning huge profits in an Internet business are also very big. Your market is not limited to the local setting but the whole world can be the source of your potential clients.

However, you will need to undertake a systematic market research before you start. You will need to look for profitable industries that you can utilize in establishing your business. Traffic is one of the most essential needs of an internet business. Your business will not flourish even if you have the best merchandise or service unless you get clients to patronize your business. Online business opportunities can be your means of attaining personal and financial freedom. However, there will be a lot of challenges along the way and it will require a considerable amount of hard work and determination to accomplish your goals.