What do you think about your business card? Just a bit of cardboard with your contact details on it?
That’s dangerous thinking.
Your business card is the second impression a person has of you and the brand you represent (your appearance, voice and handshake combine to form the first impression).
Think of your business card as you do a receptionist.
Now imagine being greeted by the receptionist for the first time. If he/she looks bland, quiet, meek, trashy or just plain boring, like it or not that’s the image you first have of the brand.
Likewise if your business card looks bland, quiet, meek, trashy or just plain and boring, guess what? That’s exactly the image they have of your brand … and you!
Worse, first impressions are difficult – and expensive – to change.
So if upon handing your business card to someone you don’t get an immediate “wow”, “nice card” or similar reaction, it’s doing your brand damage.
Here are some guidelines to unleashing the branding megastar within:
- Don’t skimp on your business card budget. It has to sing the your brand image, not hum it. It has to look and feel solid. Don’t fall for the “it’s only a business card” trap and do it on the cheap. And no wimpy paper stock, make it solid card.
- Don’t be so vain as to put a photo of yourself on it (real estate brands take note). You’re the person giving them your card. They can see you already!
- Colour should be used sparingly and well. Full colour cards often look cheaper and more ‘cut price’ than brilliantly designed one, two or three colour cards. Few businesses we’ve advised have EVER used any more than three colours. The clever use of a varnish, spot UV or die cut is far more impactful.
- Less is more – don’t cram you card with so much information that it looks like a miniature brochure. The less you say and the better the card looks, the the more people are enticed to want to know about your brand.
If you want people to love your brand, make sure your business card gets the love it deserves too!
