Sean D;Souza

How to design your business card

Dogs have a longer life than most business cards.

A mangy street dog can live seven years or more.

A four-colour, embossed, laminated business card would consider itself a veteran if it survived till next spring.


Because spring brings along spring-cleaning

And mysteriously, all over the world, business cards meet a horrible, recycled death.


So why don't business cards work as well as they should?

Pull out your business card.

What does it say?
It gives your name.
Your address.
Mobile Number. Office Number.
And somewhere smack in the middle is a logo of sorts, possibly telling me what services you offer.


Um...Does your business card teach me to increase my profits?

Does it show me how to reduce waste?
Does it help me do my tasks more efficiently?
Does it help me get...er...more customers?
Does it do anything, that I would be remotely interested in,
at this moment?


It probably doesn't, huh?

So how about a card that shows me how to increase my profit.
Or help me do my tasks efficiently.
Or help me get more customers.
Or tell me just about anything, other than a boring name, address, and contact details.


We're talking about a business card that creates instant attention

And while you're playing 'God' here are some solid rules to
create an extremely action-based business card.


Rule 1: Make your card look like the cover of a book

And let the front part of your business card look like something
a customer would want to buy. Put in a title.


Rule 2: Make the title interesting and captivating

You don't need to go very far to get an interesting title. You'll
probably find something in about sixteen seconds at Amazon.com
Once you've found a title, simply adapt it your business.


Examples:

Dietician: 7 simple tweaks that will stop over-eating for life
Real Estate: 7 reasons why most homes are under-valued
Consultant: 7 powerful techniques to increase closing ratios
Car Mechanic: 7 Instant Fuel-Saving Techniques
Landscaper: How to transform your garden with less than $100 investment


Rule 2a: Write the report or booklet

I know this is spoon-feeding, but hey, you'll have to write the report or booklet that you're going to give away. Don't aim to be Mark Twain--just write a few profound tips that will help your customers to get ahead in their lives.


Rule 3: Do not (I repeat), do not ask the prospect to subscribe

Yes, your card will give intimate details of how the prospect can go to your website; and yes, it can tell them to call you for the report or booklet, but under no conditions will you have the word 'subscribe' on your card.

The prospect is solely interested in the information contained
in the report. When the prospect calls in, or fills in details
at your website, you should tell them that they will be subscribed
to your mailing list--and that they can unsubscribe whenever they wish to do so.

But under no conditions are you going to put that dreaded 'subscribe' word on your card.


Rule 4: Flip over your card

Put bullet points. Tell the customer what they can expect to see
in the report or the booklet you're offering. Put in at least five to seven enticing bullet points.

You darn well want the prospect to act immediately. Well, make the information compelling, so that the prospect feels the need to take a decision sooner
than later.


Rule 5: Your logo and contact details come last

At the bottom of the card, there's always a little space to put in your logo and your contact information. Just so that the prospect knows exactly how to reach you...just in case.


So will these steps prevent your business card from ending up in the trash?

Business cards have a grim fate.
They all end up in the trash eventually.
But there's a difference between the card you currently have,
and the card you know you really should have.

And the difference is that the prospect has voluntarily gone to your website or given you a call. And voluntarily agreed to be on your database.


And here's a solemn, profound, earth-shattering fact...

That even if the prospect loses your card, or horrors, throws
it away (by mistake of course), you can still keep in touch,
because YOU now have their contact details and permission.

So that when a job next pops up, you're in the prospect's face.
They've read your booklet or report. They know you are the
expert in your field. And it's more than likely that the prospect will call you before they call any the competition--if they call the competition at all.

Your business card can be a piece of paper. Or a conversion tool.
What would you prefer?

If you haven't done so already: (That's a clue!)


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