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Times are tough, and a good business card can help you get noticed by the right people. Make sure your card stands out, and that you use it to good effect.
In a hard economic climate it is particularly important to take stock of the small things that might be done to help your prospects in the job market, or indeed to help your business gain visibility, respect, and ultimately more clients.
A business card is a cheap and simple way to help raise your profile, so long as you follow a few basic rules.
How to use your cards
Business cards can make a huge difference both to small businesses and to individuals looking for work. First of all, if you work for yourself or for a small business, you probably can’t afford to spend money on gaining visibility through conventional advertising methods such as buying ad space in a magazine or in a public area, or on a flyer campaign.
You probably can afford to pay a digital printing company to make an attention-grabbing set of business cards, however. These can prove highly effective when it comes to getting your business recognized.
If, for example, all physical correspondence sent to clients comes with one of your business cards enclosed, you will immediately improve your chances of gaining more clients: the recipient of your letter can then easily pass on your contact details to friends, family, and clients. This personal recommendation is highly effective, as well as being very cheap.
Similarly, you should make sure happy clients have a few cards to give out to anyone who asks them about your work since this is an excellent way to gain strong leads cheaply.
Job-seekers
Anyone struggling to get a job or expand their client base may also improve their chances of finding work if armed with a few business cards. A well-designed business card makes a statement about how organized and motivated you are, as well as about your specific skills.
If you have set yourself up as a freelancer, for example, print the skills and services you offer onto a business card and start networking. Make sure potential clients remember you by handing over one of your cards – so long as they’ve shown a genuine interest in what you do.
If you’ve made an impact and your business card impresses them, you should soon start to receive calls and emails offering you work.
What makes for a good card?
You should make sure your card features all of the information your clients will need, but no more than necessary. This will evidently include your name or the name of your business, along with with contact details and preferably a web address. QR codes can compress information into a small graphic, and help smartphone users access your site easily.
Beyond this, your card must be eye-catching and representative of your character or the services you offer. As a general rule, keep design simple and high-quality in terms of print, card weight, and finish.
Logos can serve small businesses very well as they are more quickly remembered than words, but if you are a freelancer a logo may look ostentatious and unnecessary.
Finally, you must make sure to choose high-quality printing – anything else will look cheap, rushed and will wear badly.
This article was supplied by printed.com, a supplier of quality leaflet printing and an accredited member of the Direct Marketing Association.