#election2015 lessons for Sales Pledge Cards and Business Cards

The art of boiling down an entire election pitch to easily marketed bite-size promises is quite an art.

“But like it or not, they ( Political Pledge cards) are a leitmotif of the nature of politics and reveal something about how our leaders view the relationship between the state, civil society and individuals.” Gavin Kelly,  New Statesman

Business cards have increasingly become a part of the communications mix.

They are no longer a merely a visiting card with contact details but designed to coordinate the corporate image  possibly with logo, mission /vision statements even key selling points.

90% binned

Apparently over 27 Million business cards are produced every day in the USA, yet of those about 90% are tossed in the bin within the first week. It would not be unreasonable to assume that the proportion of binned  cards would be any different in the UK .

 (I guess the binning proportion could be even higher for the political pledge cards but they have a short life span of the election period.)

So how can we extend the life of our business cards and stay away from the client’s waste paper baskets.

5 ‘C’s of Business Cards that sell

Be Creative:  avoid being generic your card needs to stand out

Be Colourful: Coloured cards are held in wallets 10 times more than black and white

Be Clean: clean design, plenty of white space

Be Classy: Use quality paper or card

Be Customary:  ensure your card size fits into standard card holders

It still surprises me how many business cards still don’t spell out what the business is about or the person does. If you are too mysterious, you are not going to attract much business.

Business cards have two sides. 

It is a waste leave the back totally blank although some space maybe useful to write on. Your business card a “mini-brochure” by listing your services, putting a clever tag line, your website address, or even a graphic or photo on the backside.

Could you use the backside of your card as a “coupon” to offer a free service one time to new clients.

 I have heard this strategy called “just get them in the door the first time”.  It could initiate  a relationship with a prospect.

Put your personal photo on your business card, and make it large, as in 1/3 of the card. We are not talking about an old-fashioned framed “criminal” head shot. 

Get a new, professional shot taken by a photographer who specialises in business photography.

 All of us collect loads of business cards. 

Can you remember all those people? 

No.

You will remember the person with a photo on the card.

And of course - that is not a new idea !

Here is a 'blast from the past ' before mobile 'phones, PCs...........

Heck ! This was a long time ago, back in the last
 century and I  still had my own hair and teeth !
Note the Telex number - Anybody remember telex?

Related Links:

Handshakes and exchanging business cards