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9
Most Common Business Card Mistakes
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Anyone who runs a business should always have professional
business cards made for both themselves as well as their employees.
After all your business card is often the first impression you make
with new customers or contacts so you want to make sure it's a good
one.
Unfortunately however many people go the cheap
route when it comes to business cards causing their own business
more harm than good. A business card will always be one of your
most effective marketing tools IF used correctly and you can avoid
the bad habits that often occur:
With that being said
these are the 9 Most Common Business Card Mistakes you should try
to avoid:
No Logo On Card: Any professional
business should have their own logo....period. Creating generic
brand cards with just your company name in plain text will be a
red flag to anyone you pass them out to. A strong logo is a big
part of your brand identity and needs to make an impact on your
audience immediately. If you don't yet have a logo you are better
off to start there first rather than worrying about handing out
cards too early. If you are not sure what goes into making
a professional logo be sure to do some research there
first.
Inconsistent With Other Marketing Materials:
Your business card should always stay consistent with any
other marketing material you may have. That could include your company
website, flyers, brochures or even simply your company colours.
If you don't yet have any of that other stuff however than make
sure you know how your business card will correspond with any other
marketing material you plan to produce. Your business card should
provide a good lead in to wherever you want your customers to go
next whether it's your website, social media page or any other contact
point.
Forgetting to Include a Slogan:
A slogan is your official advertising pitch telling customers what
you can do for them and why they should choose you over your competitors.
This is your opportunity to create a UPS or a "unique point
of sale" which is a unqiue reason for people to pick up the
phone and inquire about your services. A good slogan should clearly
state what you do and what others can expect to receive when doing
business with your company. Never assume a client knows what you
have to offer, make sure you spell it out for them in plain English.
Trying to Fit Too Much Information:
In an effort to be informative in can be tempting to try and fit
too much information on a single card. Unless you are planning to
use a double sided card which allows for more canvas space you want
to keep your card simple and direct. Outline the important details
only such your company name, slogan, your name and job title, phone
number, email address and website URL. There is no need to go overboard
with anything else that will make your card appear cluttered or
hard to read.
Bland or Uninspired: Although
you want to keep things simple and professional you don't want to
create a card that is boring or easily forgettable either. Remember
when someone carries your business card in your wallet it is there
with many others as well so it will need to cut through the clutter.
Ask yourself when creating your card "what is something I can
do to make my business card unique or memorable?". Unique doesn't
always have to equal fancy but rather simply creative or original.
Too Abstract or Vague: A business
card that tries to be different to the point where it's difficult
to comprehend will be even worse than a card that's too bland or
simple. A business card shouldn't be a puzzle your customers need
to figure out after studying it for several seconds or longer. Remember
people's attention spans are short and they need to grab any key
information from your card quickly and easily. Be creative but don't
worry about turning your business card into an art show in the process.
Your business card should be informative first, stylish second.
Font Is Too Small Or Hard to Read:
It's crucial to understand that people reading your business cards
won't have perfect 20/20 vision a lot of the time. For that reason
make sure you have selected a font size large enoughthat won't cause
any strain on the eyes of your customers. Also make sure the font
colour you choose is a stark contrast to the business card's background
colour, pattern or image. Fonts that blend into into your card will
create a very unflattering look you'll want to avoid.
Poor Material Quality: Many people
will create great looking business cards only to skimp out later
on the paper quality once they finally have them printed. Printing
business cards yourself is usually a recipe for disaster as they
will often be flimsy and will wrinkle easily. Cards printed on lower
quality paper will also not be water resistant and the colour will
smear when exposed to water or sweat. A quality business card should
feel strong when gripping it and fit easily into someone's wallet
without bending or folding. Visit a print shop when getting your
business card done don't do it on your home printer.
You Don't Hand Them Out: The whole
point of business cards is to distribute them to as many people
(and places) as possible. Many individuals will often print 500
to 1,000 business cards with 97% of them still sitting on their
desk at home for a rainy day. You should always have your business
cards on you at all times ready to hand them out whenever the opportunity
presents itself. If your not sure to whom or where to start giving
out your cards start with friends, family and co-workers. There
are also many coffee shops or other businesses in your that may
be willing to carry your cards as well with a little friendly networking.
Don't let your business cards site and collect dust, find any possible
way you can to use them.
In closing treat your business card with
respect, not just as something you do because everybody else does.
Your business card (and website) will often be your first point
of contact when meeting new customers so make sure you create a
first impression that matters. In marketing
the phrase you "get what you pay for" exists for a reason
so do it the right way the first time and you'll get the eventual
long term payoff.
Advance Creative
is your one stop shop for your graphic design & internet marketing
needs. We specialize in logo design, business cards, flyers, posters,
brochures, web development, powerpoint presentations, business
proposals and more. Call 403-547-5443
for more information.