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AUGUST 2016 PRO INSTALLER
PRO BUSINESS
www.proinstaller.co.uk
WHY
BUSINESS
CARDS STILL
MATTER
It often seems that everything we do in the modern workplace is digital, and that most interaction with business
contacts and others is conducted online. Business cards can be seen as fairly passive marketing, and people may
feel that the right contacts may overlook them and that design and printing them is just a waste of time and money.
However, a business card is not only
a very powerful marketing tool, but
can actually help a business move
forward and attract the attention of
the right people at the right time,
which is why this item of office stationery isn’t going anywhere anytime
soon – and that’s for a number of
good reasons:
MAKING YOUR BUSINESS CREDIBLE
Smaller companies and entrepreneurs
need to work hard to ensure that their
business is taken seriously from the very
start, or they may find themselves overlooked in favour of companies who appear
to have more credibility. A business card
shows the company to have more solid
roots than an email address or phone
number hastily written down. It makes the
company seem more reliable and honest,
and provides something for the receiver
to reference at a later date. Remember a
business card brands a business and works
both ways as it creates a source of leads
when you collect others.
MAKING NETWORKING
MORE CONVENIENT
When you are networking, you can always
attempt to take down people’s contact
details, hand out phone numbers or email
addresses and so on, but if you are at a
larger networking event you simply will not
have the time to influence all of the people
that you want to. In order to make sure that
your name really gets out there at a larger
event, a business card is something that can
be neatly slipped into a person’s hand with
a friendly greeting and short conversation,
without having to take up too much of
someone’s time.
When you network, you should be making
real, human connections. Eye contact, actual
conversation – that’s how genuine working
relationships should begin. And, after all,
necessary information from the business
card can quickly be input into a mobile
phone at a later stage.
Business cards are a standardised size because of networking events and other products built to fit them i.e. wallets, so stick to
this size (UK size = 55mm x 85mm).
ADVERTISING YOUR BUSINESS
Even before a potential customer has
looked at your website or found out more
about your business, a business car d can
start selling you right away. An attractive
and well-made business card instantly
draws the eye and can be very impactful.
You could easily have a little information
about the business, some products or even
offers and discounts for people to take
advantage of. But, people are web-savvy so
keep it simple and ensure that your website
address is clearly visible for your potential
customer to carry out further research.
AN AIDE-MEMOIRE FOR ALL
Another constant issue is meeting new
people in a busy or high pressure situation.
You talk to them for a few seconds and by
the time they come around again, you’ve
forgotten their name. A quick peek at a
business card is the fastest solution. This
affects other people too, so giving them
your business card helps avoid those embarrassing moments and helps solidify that
personal connection.
‘a shop trying to create
that perfect first
impression wouldn’t have
a store front sign with
cardboard and their name
scrawled on it in pen’
REMEMBER YOUR CARD GIVES
A VITAL FIRST IMPRESSION
OF YOUR BRAND
Just met someone you think could be a
great work contact? Don’t let them walk
away with a below-par first impression of
you or your organisation. The best business
cards convey a lot more than simple contact
information. So don’t scream ‘cheap’ with
your card. After all, a shop trying to create
that perfect first impression wouldn’t have
a store front sign with cardboard and their
name scrawled on it in pen.
Source: PrintUK.com