Does Your Business Card Say Anything About Your Skills?
Posted August 9, 2007 in Marketing 10 Comments »
I strongly believe everyone should have business cards made. Whether you’re a freelancer, a small business owner, or you work for a company as an employee, it is a must have.
But what does your business card say about your skills? When you give your card to someone, what’s the initial reaction? Do you get a lot of calls or e-mails from people you gave your card to?
I must have received hundreds of business cards since I started freelancing, and only a few I find are well designed. From all the cards I received, I visited maybe 8 or 10 websites, simply out of curiosity, because those people put their URL on their cards.
Sorry, Your Card Says Nothing About Your Skills…
But still, even if you have your website address on your business card, why should someone visit your site? Or even do business with you? Your card has to say something about your skills, because your name, phone number and website address just aren’t enough. People are used to seeing those on business cards, just like ads on websites, you have to do things differently. (don’t go overboard though!)
Shane from Zoomstart wrote a really useful and informative post on business cards recently. And gave excellent advices on cards sizing and branding. Go read it! :)
So once you have that down, and you know exactly what size you want your cards to be, you have your logo, the layout, everything looks good. What’s missing?
Tell Me Why I Should Hire You!
While a card that says “web designer” or “freelance writer” is fine and can bring you business, I believe “web designer specializing in flash and CSS, creating gorgeous, usable and affordable websites” sounds a lot better. Doesn’t it?
Sure it is longer, and may take more time to read, or maybe you’ll say there’s not enough place on your card to put all that text. But with a description like that, you have, at least, an idea of the persons’ skills. Chances are, if you’re looking to have a flash design/app made, you’ll call the guy who “specializes in flash, and creates gorgeous websites” instead of the “web designer“.
Remember there are two sides to a business card. One side for:
- Your name
- Title
- Logo
- Website address
- Phone number
And the other side for writing a little something about yourself, your field of expertise. Use that space, put something on the back of your cards so people will have an idea of what you can do, your skills.
Who would you call? The “web designer” or the “web designer specializing in flash and CSS, creating gorgeous, usable and affordable websites“? I’d go for the latter.
Now, should you hire someone to design your business cards, or should you do it yourself? Depends on your skills!
Jon
About the author: Jon Phillips is a full-time freelancer, designer and blogger, he loves WordPress and plays guitar in a heavy act. He's also the founder of Freelance Folder. Oh and he'd be pleased if you would follow him on Twitter. :)
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10 Comments
Ryan Imel
August 9th, 2007 at 7:38 amGood thoughts. Lots of good stuff to consider. No matter what direction you go with your cards, though, I would check out Overnightprints.com, they have awesome pricing. It’s where we order all of our cards.
Again, good thoughts.
Anthony
August 9th, 2007 at 1:47 pmAnother thing I’ve noticed on some cards I’ve received, is that the persons name will be a huge title, and what they do is written underneath like a tagline. I think it should be the other way around.
Vahid Chaychi
August 9th, 2007 at 1:56 pmHi,
Your last posts are related to viral marketing. Please take a look at the one of the articles I have written about it. It will be helpful:
http://www.weboma.com/viral-marketing-strategies-learn-how-to-spread-the-words-for-free/
Best regards,
Vahid
http://www.weboma.com/
Shane
August 9th, 2007 at 5:25 pmI know who I’d call … a graphic artist specializing in layout and design, creating gorgeous, usable and affordable business cards!
Marc Eilbeck
August 10th, 2007 at 8:28 amhey jon you should of posted this post a week ago before I ordered my cards! haha
Lewis Green
August 10th, 2007 at 8:54 amJon,
Excellent post. Here is what I do to add to the power of my business card, which has information on both sides. I make sure when I give a busines card, I get one in return. And then the next day I send the card’s owner a “great to have met you” note and invite them to join me for coffee. To me, business cards are less about getting work today than about building relationships that deliver work tomorrow.
Old Man
August 10th, 2007 at 9:47 amI don’t carry business cards any more because I do all my business online, but I do believe that your business card should be two-sided. I also believe it should be an instrument of branding your company. Otherwise, why have one?
Online, your business card is your e-mail and your website. I’m amazed at the number of people who make the same mistakes online that they make off line. Use every available space and opportunity to present yourself they way you wish to be seen.
I always put a link to my website in the signature link in my e-mails. I include my name, phone number and links to relevant websites. I actually have a separate signature link for every website that I own and I use the appropriate one sent from Outlook using the appropriate account depending on who I am sending an e-mail to. In essence, Outlook is my “one size fits all” business card.
If you carry business cards, I recommend putting a tag line or USP (Unique Selling Proposition) on it and using the back of the card. When you give it someone, give it to them with the back of the card showing (or upside down), so that they have twist it around in order to look at it. It’s a small way to grab their attention without being obvious about it.
Great post Jon!
George C | The Lounge
August 10th, 2007 at 1:33 pmHi there Jon! I’ts been a while! again, congratulations for your new “Baby” (Your blog of course) :).
I think business cards are a great way to promote yourself and as you say it should contain all the relevant information about you, but it still has to maintain a clean look! Good post.
BTW I redesigned my blog, check it out!
Irena
February 21st, 2010 at 2:13 pminteresting subject. I think the design of most business cards doesn’t really reflect the owner’s skills. An accountant should keep is sober, while a graphic designer can really go nuts with the lay-out.
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