How Custom Printing can Turbo-charge your Business

• How do you use custom printing in your business?
• How can it set you apart from your competitors?
• What are some ways you can use custom printing for your own marketing pieces?

Heidelberg Offset Printing Press

Custom printing is anything that is out of the ordinary, unique or distinctive, and when used to market your business, it can be the one thing that stops a customer for that crucial moment, and gets them to look at YOU.

Some of the ways you can use custom printing to make your collateral stand out are very straightforward. Many times, a change in paper stock, adding foil to your logo or using a Pantone ink adds a level of distinction that your marketing collateral needs.

Some other great examples of printing customization are:

Additionally, creative use of finishing techniques can make a ho-hum presentation folder have depth and an almost three-dimensional appearance with a striking emboss of your company’s logo, or an interesting die cut can transform your postcard into the shape of a computer, a dollar sign or even a palm tree. You are only limited by your imagination and budget.

Remember, you are looking to gain attention and create interest through custom print, but still maintain your design intent. Out of the ordinary paper or shiny metallic inks may make your brochures or rack cards look appealing, but if they are counter to your message and campaign, don’t feel compelled to use them. Try this–the next time you are out at a tradeshow or come across a service and product rack, examine the business cards, the flyers and brochures. What are you drawn to? What “jumps out” at you? Make mental notes, and see if you can incorporate anything into your own design or plan.

One of the biggest benefits of custom printing, in addition to the aesthetic side, is it is a surefire way to differentiate you from your competitors. Everyone is drawn to the unique, the eye-catching, and the different. And when you get that future prospect to stop, look and read what you have to offer, you are half way to getting that sale.

To get started ramping up your business marketing, click to Custom Printing Products and Options. One of our highly trained print consultants will answer all your questions.

Point of Purchase Displays

Point of purchase, that ideal juncture where the consumer, their money, and the register converge is a marketer’s dream. Best practice for retail marketing is to engage the consumer at points of decision. A study of consumer behavior conducted by Prime Consulting Group revealed that at-retail advertising drove additional sales higher 70% of the time. What can we learn from this, class? …….Point of Purchase Display advertising works, period.

Some Point of Purchase Display Options

Standard Table Tent, Standing Triangle, Folded Stand, Die-Cut Self Stand, Brochure Holder

How to Create a Small Business Marketing Plan

The marketing plan is a powerful tool that belongs in your small business arsenal. If you’ve been making do without a plan so far, or using a “play it by ear” approach, you’re missing out on boosted revenue. You need a fully developed marketing plan.

Why a Marketing Plan?

A plan focuses your best efforts on activities that move your business forward. Without one, you are operating by “seeing what sticks”—not the optimal way to market your business.

A marketing plan is much more than just another boring business document, it’s your map to revenue, growth, and longevity. It will help you understand yourself and your customers. Writing it down forces you to think through tough problems, come up with repeatable solutions and positions you for success.

Fortunately, you don’t need a marketing degree or extensive experience. Many small business owners have put together effective marketing plans without either.

So what are the elements of a good marketing plan? You want to create something that:

• is easy to understand and execute
• tells a comprehensive story about your business and your customers
• is realistic but sets challenging goals

It’s important to know that a properly developed, comprehensive plan isn’t something you’ll finish in one or even two sessions. You’re deciding what you need to do to grow your business and how you’re going to go about it. So take your time putting it together. Don’t feel pressured to rush.

You don’t need to come up with a perfect plan, either. Marketing plans are not, and should not be, written in stone. The best plans are flexible, letting you make adjustments as you gain experience, data and insight into what works.

Market Research

Before you can sit down to write, you’ll need to do some market research. While this might sound daunting, especially if you’ve never conducted formal market research before, the reality is that you already have much of the information you need.

You’ll need to know where your company stands in your market. Look at recent financial reports, current and past sales numbers and your product and services list. You’ll also want to gather together information about your target market. This should help you answer questions like:

• Who is your ideal customer?
• Where is your ideal customer located?
• What needs does your ideal customer want your product or service to fulfill?

If you did any research when you developed your business plan, you may already have this information. If not, talk to your salespeople and your customer service staff. These are the employees who engage with your customers on a daily basis, and their feedback will give you valuable insights about your customers and prospects.

After you’ve done your market research, you should know everything you can about:

• your competitors
• current market trends that affect your business
• a comprehensive listing of your products and services
• your distribution channels and networks
• any demographic data that describes your potential (and current) customers

Fill any gaps by talking with your employees and researching publications from trade and professional associations specific to your industry.

The Executive Summary

This is the first thing someone sees when they read your marketing plan but it is the last thing you write. The Executive Summary outlines all the major points of the plan itself, so anyone in management can pick up the plan and get an idea about your vision.

Market Overview

Once you’ve gathered market research, it’s time to prepare your Market Overview section. Begin this section with a description of your market as it currently stands. Define your market and discuss your customers’ needs and any other market factors that might affect your customers’ purchasing patterns.

What are the characteristics of your target market? What’s the size of your market in dollar figures? Include any relevant demographic details. If you have more than one target market, describe the product lines associated with each one. This section should also include information about:

Products/Services. What are your current products and services? How do they fulfill your target market’s needs? How well have your products been selling? Include details about sales, prices and gross margins.

Competitors. Who are your competitors? What strategies are they using and how are they positioning themselves in the market? How successful are they at what they do? What kind of an impact do they have on your business?

Distribution. How is your distribution network set up? What channels do you have working for you? What are your sales trends? Are any recent major developments affecting your distribution channels?

Market Analysis

Once you have a basic overview of your current market situation, it’s time to take a closer look at your market environment.

Examine the current market trends you’ve outlined. First, identify those trends that might present you with challenges. How will these challenges affect your business? Be as specific as you can. Once you have the specifics down, consider what you can do to reduce the impact of these threats. There will also likely be market trends that provide you with opportunities or benefit you in some other way. Identify these trends and describe the positive impact they could have on your business and how you can take advantage of them.

Marketing Objectives

Now that you’ve described your current market situation and analyzed how various aspects of it affect your business, it’s time to set your marketing objectives. Where do you want your business to go? Think of your marketing objectives as answering the crucial questions: What is my plan going to accomplish? Why will it work? Some examples of common marketing objectives include:

• Expanding in a territorial or geographical area.
• Promoting a new product launch.
• Landing a significant new client.
• Increasing sales to particular clients.

Make it SMART

It’s a good idea to make each objective conform to the SMART goal criteria. SMART = Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Timely. Marketing is where creativity meets data. To align both you need clear, measurable objectives. Specific objectives are more effective because you can define the steps you need to complete to win. To make objectives specific, start with knowing what success means for you. Maybe it’s a certain number of new leads, a defined increase in revenue, walk-in customers, or social engagement (more likes, re-tweets, pins, etc.). Quantify goals as much as possible. This makes them readily measurable. This will help you better evaluate the strategies and tactics you implement.

Marketing Strategy

In the Marketing Strategy section you’ll answer the question “How”. This section is all about execution, evaluation and correcting course.

There are a lot of strategies out there (far more than can be covered here). No matter which approach you take, it must push your objectives forward and – ultimately – drive revenue.

Let’s Talk About the Four Ps:

In marketing parlance, marketing strategies fall within what’s known as the four Ps: product, price, place (distribution) and promotion. For a typical small business, promotion will form the bulk of your strategy. Some common promotion strategies include:

• Advertising
• Personal selling
• Public relations
• Sales promotions
• Direct marketing and direct mail

You’ll also have to decide how to implement each strategy. Take advertising, for example. Most small businesses explore the range of advertisement channels available, such as:

• Internet
• Social media
• Newspapers
• Television
• Radio
• Kiosk-based advertising
• Outdoor advertising
• Transit advertising

Now is a good time to get creative! At the same time, make sure you watch costs and check that the strategies you embrace are measurable. After all, stuff like airplane banners are great, but not if they sink your whole marketing budget.

Ask yourself, what’s the best way to get your message in front of your target market? Does your ideal customer spend a lot of time on social media? Are they using mobile devices? Are there particular events or activities which are a big draw? Once you know where your target market can be found, you can brainstorm the most effective ways of reaching them.

Marketing is about creating a conversation with people and measuring that conversation to see how well it’s working. As you start executing your strategies keep that top of mind. What is that conversation for you? What is it for your customers? How does that conversation change tone, or meaning, as the marketplace changes?

Implementation

This is the section where you get down to the practical nuts and bolts of your marketing plan. You want to address how you’ll implement your strategies and achieve your objectives by breaking things down into action steps or smaller goals.

You already did a bit of this when you considered the implementation methods you would use for each marketing strategy. Here you’ll simply break things down further and provide yourself with an actionable roadmap.

Think of these action steps or goals as addressing the “Who”, “What” and “When” of your strategy. As you outline the steps to achieve your marketing objectives, decide who will be responsible for each specific action or goal, what will be done and when it will be done.

When you combine all of these elements together into a single push, you get what’s known as a campaign. A campaign can run for a finite amount of time or it can continue until your message seems to lose its energy (you’ll know when the response numbers start plummeting). Ideally you’ll develop individual campaigns tailor-made for each of your objectives.

Be specific about dates and schedule each of the different tasks. The more specific you are, the more likely the action steps you’ve outlined will be executed.

Marketing Budget

Your marketing budget is another crucial component of your plan. It will outline both the expected costs of your strategy and the expected revenues. As with other sections of the marketing plan, it’s a good idea to involve staff members who will be responsible for various action steps in your budgeting decisions.

You should also be as comprehensive as possible when you’re estimating the costs associated with each of your action steps. This helps prevent unpleasant surprises in the future. And while external costs are often the most apparent, it’s important to remember internal costs as well, such as the time required of your staff to implement particular action steps.

Once you have your budget in place things may start to feel inflexible. Remember, despite having a fixed budget, you still have wiggle room—you can always re-evaluate how to allocate your budget.

Measurement/Controls

The final part of the plan is the Measurement/Controls section and it may be the most important. The Measurement/Controls section provides you with a detailed method of monitoring your progress to see how well you are doing. Remember, marketing is where creative ideas and data meet – this is the where you’ll address how you’re going to get all of that data

The first thing you want to measure is your return on investment (ROI) by coming up with ways to continuously measure your financial progress. Your ROI can be an effective indicator of a strategy that isn’t working. Some marketing strategies present a challenge when it comes to calculating ROI but that doesn’t mean they aren’t without value. Social media campaigns, for example, are difficult to measure because the path someone takes from liking your post, or sharing your tweet, to buying your product isn’t a straight line.

You’ll have to get creative when you measure these strategies and remember revenue isn’t the only metric to measure: brand awareness, engagement (how long and how often someone interacts with you), and building your business’ reputation are invaluable.

Plan out how you’ll approach the measurement of results. Be concrete: use projected and actual numbers and compare them regularly. While intuition and experience can be helpful in assessing a given strategy, measurement and controls provide you with crucial evidence to back up your gut feelings. Reporting also plays a big role in this section. Monthly reports and regularly scheduled meetings to discuss results will go a long way in helping you determine what’s working and what’s not.

Be sure this section includes a summary of how you will make changes in response to what your tracking tells you.

A Marketer is Only as Good as His Tools

This section can be the most intimidating if you’re new to marketing. There are lots of tools designed to help you track all of these metrics and data. Some of the best are free. If you are primarily using a website, check out Google Analytics to monitor all of your website traffic and measure your online marketing campaigns. Hootsuite is great for social media scheduling management.

A Marketing Plan in Action

Let’s say you run a pizza restaurant called Pizza Party Delight. You begin working on your plan by pulling together market information you’ve gathered over the past few years. This includes:

• data from a customer survey you had up on your website the previous year,
• last year’s sales figures as well as the current year’s numbers from your bookkeeper
• customer information from your restaurant manager
• dine-in and take-out menus from competitors you found through an online search
• your own dine-in and take-out materials
• articles from local news sites and magazines you think might be relevant

From the material you’ve gathered, you see that your average customer is between 18 and 35 years old, earns an income of between $22,000 and $35,000 and works, but doesn’t live within walking distance of your business.

Your market research also tells you competing restaurants in your area mostly offer take-out options, and you are one of the few restaurant businesses with a dine-in experience. While you do offer delivery services, the bulk of your income is generated during the day through eat-in and take-out orders. All of this provides you with the basis for your Market Overview section.

You know from one of the news articles you’ve collected that an apartment building a block from your business has recently been rezoned. According to the article, a large accounting firm is slated to move into the top two floors of the building later this year. This is definitely a market trend that will have a positive impact on your business.

However on your way to work the other day you noticed several retail businesses in the building two doors from your restaurant have closed down, and there are now “For Lease” signs in their windows. You know this will present a challenge for your business, as your market research tells you both the employees and customers from these businesses often stopped by Pizza Party Delight for a slice or two.

Using this information, you’re able to write a comprehensive Market Analysis section outlining both an upcoming opportunity and an immediate challenge facing your business. You’re ready now to move on to your marketing objectives.

You have a number of objectives you set out in your Marketing Objectives section. The time you’ve spent on the first part of your marketing plan has also added a new objective to your list. Because the bulk of your current business comes during the day from employees of local businesses, you decide you also want to increase your evening profits by focusing on potential customers who live within your delivery area.

While working on the Marketing Strategy section, you decide you want to use a two-pronged approach to reach your goal of increasing your customer base for deliveries: you want to combine print marketing with digital marketing.

You decide you’ll draw on direct mail strategies and sales promotion strategies.

While researching strategies, you learn about Every Door Direct Mail^® (EDDM^®) offered by the United States Postal Service. It lets you easily send a flat mailer to everyone in your delivery area. Sounds like a great way to reach your predefined target audience (those who live in your delivery area) and you know your competitors are seeing success with mailings as well.

You decide to include a print coupon in your EDDM^® mailer that requires the reader to go to your website for redemption. Once they land on your site, you can plan to capture their emails, paving the way for future digital marketing campaigns. This helps you drive down future cost, since you’ll be able to email offers and incentives instead of sending a mailing every time. It also helps you meet the goals outlined in the Measurement/Controls section of your plan, providing you with concrete numbers.

In your Implementation/Action section, you’ve broken down the components of each campaign into smaller steps. The steps you identified include:

• Doing more research to help you pinpoint the geographical area you want to target
• Gathering more information about the EDDM^® service, including all cost information
• Discussing potential flyer designs with your graphic designer
• Talking with your website designer about the best way to capture email addresses
• Getting quotes for your direct mail pieces

By following these steps, you will be able to make realistic progress towards full implementation of this campaign. You also know the amount of spend you have available for this campaign, as you’ve already calculated everything out while preparing the Marketing Budget portion of your marketing plan.

As for the timing of each of these actions, the Measurement/Controls section has your detailed schedule to help you monitor your marketing efforts. These meetings provide you target dates when it comes to implementing each of your steps.

Of course, this example focuses on only one campaign, you will have similar steps for each campaign you launch. A comprehensive marketing plan forces you to think critically about your business, how it will grow, how it responds to changes in the marketplace and allows you to measure creative efforts.

If you want some help figuring out how to add print, direct mail, EDDM^® and other components to your marketing plan give us a call at 800-930-6040. Printing for Less has been helping small and medium size businesses for over 20 years, we can help you stand out and get results.

Our Partners

Creativepro.com is a comprehensive online resource for creative professionals working in print and on the Web. The site provides news, reviews, how-to features, and analysis from experts in the fields of publishing, digital imaging, and creative workflow. Creativepro.com also includes essential resources and services to help creative pros get the job done—from one-click stock photography and font searches to book and software purchases to on-line print ordering. Creativepro.com is also the publisher of InDesign Magazine, the only publication devoted entirely to Adobe InDesign.

MaverickLabel.com meets the fast paced and growing need for short run, quick turnaround, high quality business label services. They provide custom labeling solutions for any need, including Labels, Nameplates, Lexan, Control Panels, Asset Tags, Parking Permits, Domed Tags, Window Decals, Security Labels, U.L. Labels, Bumper Stickers, Golf-Sports ID Labels, and more… any label, any shape, size or color. Order online with instant pricing and online proofing.



Sound professional and stay connected with Grasshopper, the Virtual Phone System designed for entrepreneurs. Grasshopper works just like a traditional phone system, but requires no hardware to purchase – it’s all managed online or by phone. Callers can reach you wherever you are – on your cell, in the office, or at home.

Get a toll free or local number and create extensions for employees, regardless of where they’re located. Forward calls, receive faxes, tag messages online, and get voicemails via email.

Starting at $9.95 a month with no long-term contract, Grasshopper is the obvious choice for any entrepreneur.
Special Offer: PrintingForLess.com customers get a $100 credit on their account. Click here to sign up!.



Visit BooksJustBooks.com for all your book and perfect-bound magazine needs. Get instant pricing for your project on their website or read some of the self-publishing hints and best practices available there. BooksJustBooks.com buys book printing in large volumes and can resell to you at pricing normally only given to major book publishers.



Web-Based Contact and Customer Management – 30 Day Free Trial
StarterCRM is a web-based tool that you can use to manage and coordinate your company’s sales and marketing activities. Use StarterCRM to store all of your customer contact data, schedule meetings, manage tasks, track proposals, create email marketing campaigns, respond to customer issues and much more. Designed for small businesses, it’s everything you need to more effectively manage your sales and marketing efforts. To learn more and take a free, no-risk 30 day free trial, visit StarterCRM today.



StartupNation provides fundamental information and inspirational support for launching and growing a successful small business.



PrintingForLess.com is an Authorized Adobe Solutions Network Service Provider.



PrintingForLess.com is a member of the Microsoft Publisher Service Provider Program.

Partner with PrintingForLess.com

Contact our business development team about potential partnership opportunities with PrintingForLess.com:

Email: bizdev@printingforless.com
Phone: 800-924-2041

The Art of Business Card Marketing

What’s Not in Your Wallet?

Your business card may be the most important advertising tool you have. Those little pieces pack a powerful punch simply because they’re inexpensive and easy to get in front of people.

Yet most people make the mistake of thinking printed business cards are just a vehicle for exchanging contact information. In our digital age, we have the Internet, PDAs and smart phones for that. To get real value from a business card, consider its true potential.

That commonplace card can be a key asset in your everyday marketing madness. Your business card is the one thing you should never leave home without. Ever meet a prospective customer unexpectedly while walking the dog? Or maybe you happened to spot a neglected roof in a friend’s neighborhood that was just ripe for your services? While sometimes you get a chance to introduce yourself and what you do, quite often all you have is that piece of paper to leave behind. So make it intriguing. Follow these tips to use that valuable advertising real estate wisely.

Five Steps for Business Card Marketing Success

1. Explain what you have to offer

Besides telling people who you are and where to contact you, make sure your business card tells people what you do. Hopefully your company name or your title says something about what you offer. If they don’t, add a few words to explain what you do. Either way, express what you do that makes you stand out. Let the world know about your “secret sauce” with a specific tag line or header. What perks and special services do you provide?

• “Fresh ingredients, free delivery”
• “Evening and weekend appointments available”
• “Certified technicians that come to you”
• “Best of [Your Town] Award Winner”
• “Perfect events for every occasion”

2. Include a call to action or food for thought

Make space on your business cards to give prospects an enticing reason to call or visit, such as:

• “Free consultation with this card – $50.00 value!”
• “Visit YourSite.com for current specials”
• “Exclusive titles available only at this location”
• “Learn to speed read now and gain 87 hours this year”

If this approach doesn’t fit your company or position or you think it sounds too promotional, you could include a revealing or humorous quote or statistic. Use something that piques interest about you and your offering, reflects your sensibilities and tells the recipient you care about your work.

• “Life’s too short to be miserable in your job”
• “The details are not the details. They make the design.” – Charles Eames
• “Cheese – milk’s leap toward immortality.” — Clifton Fadiman
• “40% of men have noticeable hair loss by age 35”

3. Look professional and up to date

Treat yourself and your company with respect and get professional quality business cards. Sure, you could try to print them on your laser jet or go to a quick printer and pinch a few pennies. You’ll get what you pay for. And worse, your customers will question whether they can trust you with their business if it seems like you can’t afford to print nice full color business cards.

Pay attention to details. Flimsy paper, off-the-shelf designs and typos leave a bad taste. A business logo and email address are important for credibility, so invest in basic branding to show you’re the real deal. Use color and images for impact and basic design principles to make your business card pleasing and easy to read. Hire a designer for help, use customizable templates or see our Business Card Design Do’s and Don’ts for tips. Keep them in a case or in a protected pocket where they won’t get bent, marked up or scuffed.

Be proactive and keep your information up to date. Get your new business cards printing right away if any of your contact information or title has changed. Too busy, you say? You won’t be for long if you appear behind and disorganized when scratching out your email address…

4. Distribute strategically and considerately

Think of your business cards as tiny billboards with the potential to attract just the right people at just the right time.

• Don’t be afraid to post them on public bulletin boards, stick them in doors or leave them in bowls for free drawings where your target audience might see them. Ask affiliated businesses to allow you to display your cards, such as paint stores if you’re a painting contractor. Keep them at your fingertips at parties, on airplanes and at the gym. Magnetic business cards can be used on metallic surfaces.
• Capitalize on natural opportunities to hand them out when you’re talking about your business or someone asks how to contact you.
• Don’t thrust them upon people uninvited or hand out more than one unless they offer to hand them out for you.

5. Maximize content and usability

You’re not limited to the front of your business cards, unless you want to use business magnets. Why not use the back for other info that you want to make available, such as office hours, client list or a small map to your store. Another option is to use a folded business card as a mini brochure.

Keep in mind that people often write on business cards, so leaving some white space on the back is generally a good idea.

Business cards aren’t going out of circulation anytime soon. Take full advantage of these bantam business boosters by investing a little time and energy into making them work for you.

Business Card Design Do’s and Don’ts

The humble business card can boast some powerful results in marketing your business, if you create it with care. Since your card will linger long after your meeting’s over, think of your business cards as your unsung sales force; they need to reflect your company and your product the way you would. The key is to create a business card design that’s appealing, targeted and informative.

Make the Right Impression

The first decision a prospect makes is about you. Does your business card look and feel professional and convey the right image? Your visual identity on paper depends on several fundamental graphic design concepts and printing choices:

Color and Images

• Do use color for interest and emphasis. It can be in your logo or other images, in text or in background elements. Stay with a maximum of 3-4 colors. Pull colors from your logo for other background elements and type colors.
• Do match color tones. If you have bright colors in your image or logo, use black or other bright colors that work with it. If your colors are muted, earthy or pastel, stick to that scheme with the other colors.
• Do include a photo if it’s a great picture of you and it’s appropriate. Photos are most useful in service type businesses where an ongoing relationship is a critical factor.
• Don’t use clip art for your logo or other elements. You’re brand is your identity and these days you can easily find affordable images or get help with a custom logo online. Remember you want your business card to stand out in a memorable and positive way.
• Don’t veer from other branded materials. Keep your business card design consistent with the general color and design scheme on your website, in your store, and other marketing materials.

Type

• Do pay attention to alignment. Left align for easiest reading. Too much centered text can look cluttered and is hard to read.
• Do limit your business card to one or two font types.
• Don’t use decorative or unusual fonts for your name and contact info, unless it’s right for your business image. Use easy-to-read but not too generic fonts (such as Courier).
• Don’t mix it up with different font sizes or text that is too small to read and print clearly.
• Don’t use light colors that are difficult to read or have an excessively dark image in the background that obscures your text.

Composition and Format

• Do keep it clean and simple. Avoid visual overload or clutter. Consider using the back of the card or create a folded business card if you need more space for additional info (multiple locations, map, appointment info, etc)
• Do match the “tone” of the card to your market space. A more traditional professional services or real estate business card, for example, might stay more conservative in layout and colors, while a colorful or splashy card could fit the bill for a toy store or trendy restaurant.
• Do strive for contrast and balance. Dark against light, opposite colors and large elements juxtaposed with smaller ones create contrast which attracts attention. Keeping the weight of elements relatively distributed on the card creates balance and pleases the eye, as do elements of similar tone or size. [example]
• Do use bleeds to extend colored backgrounds or images to look like they’re “bleeding” off the edge of the card for a professional look.
• Don’t cut it too close around the margins. Keep your logo and text away from the edges of the card. Be careful with borders or thin lines around the sides, since slight variances in cutting could make the lines look crooked or uneven.
• Don’t use a non-standard size or shape. Unless you have a special need for it, stick to the usual 3.5 x 2 inch size to fit in most wallets, card holders and business card scanners. Rounded corners or other cut outs (called die-cuts) on the standard size, however, can add a distinctive touch.

Texture

• Don’t use cheap, thin paper. The recipient will wonder about the quality of your product or service. Compare papers when shopping for business card printing services. You’ll want 12-14pt thickness for maximum impact and durability.
• Do match the coating to your purposes. Go with gloss to make photos look beautiful. Select a dull or matte finish for smooth, non-shiny business card printing that’s easy to write on. Uncoated paper has a more textured feel that can look more formal and match stationery such as letterhead and envelopes. Request samples of our papers to see and feel the differences.
• Do opt for custom finishing options such as embossing, foil stamping or raised lettering that can give your business card that extra oomph. They cost less than you might think and add a touch of class.

The Fine Print

Now that you’ve got a solid design for printable cards, it’s time to pay attention to the details of the information you’re providing. The next decision a prospect will make is whether to contact you based on how clear and easy you make it on your business card.

Include and align relevant contact info including an email address and website url. Double check the numbers and spelling of all text before you send it off to your business card printer and again when you review your proof. Typos and wrong numbers are easy to miss and can land your business card and your chances for a sale in the trash.

Follow these tips and your own good judgment to create business cards that sell. You’ll find that good things do come in small packages indeed.

Breaking the Rules for Business Cards

You’ve probably seen hundreds of business cards in your lifetime, each remarkably similar and non-descript. Conventional wisdom tells us that all business cards should follow a simple, conventional formula: name, company, title, contact information, and perhaps a colorful logo. Business cards ‘should’ be uniform in size and shape, printed in black ink on 3.5 by 2 card stock that fits neatly into standard size business card holders.

However, do you remember the last time someone handed you a business card that made you stop and actually pay attention? Was there anything distinctive about it? Do you recall the information it contained? Most importantly, did it compel you to act? How can your card end up on the top of someone’s mind instead of at the bottom of a stack or, worse yet, in the trash?

It’s Time to Break the Rules!

Your business isn’t standardized. It’s the culmination of your entire life’s work, the fruit of your hard labor, the payoff to your dedication. There’s a piece of you in everything you do. It is unique and offers something different than your competitors. Your business card may be your first point of reference for potential customers.

Why, then, would you even think about representing yourself or your business with the same business cards in the same size, shape and color that everyone else uses?

Before designing your new business card, consider what you really want your card to say about you and your business. Shift the focus from what a business card conventionally is-a contact card-to what it should be: a business card that actually generates business!

With this in mind, let’s take a look at the key components of a standard business card:

• Company name/logo
• Your name, in large font
• Your title, in smaller font
• Contact information: Address, phone, fax, email, social media accounts.
• 3 ½” x 2″ size
• 100 lb card stock
• White background, black ink, maybe a splash of color
• Blank on reverse

Standard business cards tell people how to contact you, they don’t relay why a potential customer should. Who says your business card has to fit into a desktop Rolodex? Where is it written that all business cards must be printed on heavy, white card stock? Why can’t you include more on the card than just your company’s tag line?

To be effective and generate sales from new prospects, your business card needs to be a reflection of you and your business. It can be any size, shape, color, and font you want. Consider alternative materials like plastic, magnets and even metal. You are unique. Your business is different from any competitor.

Example 1

When Dave Allen launched his own insurance company after 20 years working for someone else, he needed to completely rebuild his book of business, thanks to a non-compete agreement.

Insurance is a fairly undifferentiated industry. It’s the same basic products and services sold by hundreds of thousands of people nationwide, making it tough to stand out. Having a business card designed according to ‘the rules’ would not make it any easier.

His solution? Break the rules! Abandoning standard practice for size and texture, he created a larger card than usual–more than twice the size of an average card at 3 ½” x 5″. The card stock he used had a silky quality to it, much more intriguing to the touch than standard semi-gloss.

In addition to Dave’s basic information, he also included a powerful call to action, reminding potential clients exactly why they need to do business with him. The type face is even bolder than his company name. Securing new business is more important than simply promoting the name of the business.

When Dave gives prospects this card, they aren’t sure what to do with it. It doesn’t fit in a Rolodex. It sticks out of card stacks. More often than not, according to Dave, it will sit on the prospect’s desk until they call him for a quote, which is exactly what he wants them to do! Through the use of this highly effective business card, Dave makes more now than he ever did in his previous position.

Example 2

To achieve lofty goals you have to think outside the box. Literally. You can’t succeed in business by limiting yourself to standard, ordinary practices. Innovators reap the greatest rewards.

Jonathan Drake knows that all too well. His company launches new products with people’s hopes, dreams and fortunes in the balance. As an innovative entrepreneur, he deals with other innovative entrepreneurs for a living. They’ve already seen or thought it all–it’s not easy to sell them.

Jonathan knows his clients must perceive his company as fresh and modern, on the cutting edge, two steps ahead of the curve. When you are pitching the next best thing, your clients have to think you’re better than the next best thing. When Jonathan came to Printing for Less, we realized the challenge of making those qualities shine through what is an otherwise mundane piece of marketing collateral.

 

Once again, he broke every rule. The cards Jonathan hands out to potential clients resemble a tri-fold brochure more than a traditional business card. Other striking features include:

• Heavy glossy card stock
• Die cut unique shape featuring his picture in profile
• Call to action, challenging prospects to ask themselves if they’re ready for his services
• List of criteria that make a prospect ready
• Guarantee of results
• State of the art email domain system in which clients can email him with their name @his domain
• QR code sending you to a page with more traditional contact information

His business card is a testimony to what Jonathan does, stronger than any former client could provide. When prospects receive his card, they immediately know what this man does and how he can help them. They know he can generate the six- and seven-figure results he says he can because he has the forethought to produce a card this innovative.

Forge Your Own Path

Again, businesses are not standardized. What worked for Dave and Jonathan might not be what’s best for you and your company. Use the ideas presented her as inspiration, a springboard for your own innovation. When considering what your business card should look like, ask yourself these questions:

• What am I really selling to my customers?
• How do I want prospects to perceive me and my business?
• How can I show, rather than tell, my customers what I do?
• What can I do to provoke action?
• What will turn this into a lead-generating system?
• How do I make my business stand out from all the noise?

For example, have fun with the job title on your card so it more accurately and poignantly explains what you do. A non standard title can both imprint your work on the customer while also serving as a conversation starter. Everyone knows what a CEO is, but what about a CSO (chief satisfaction officer), or a CCO (chief convergence officer) or a CQO (chief quality officer). The possibilities are endless. Take every opportunity to define your role and expand your business horizons.

Conclusion

The business card may be the first impression you make on potential new customers. It is the ignition switch to fire up company growth. You can’t afford to do what everyone else is doing-nor should you want to! You are different, your company is different. Your business card should reflect that-and actually generate new business!

Optimize your strategy by starting with your silent salesman. Make him pitch your services loudly–long after you’re out of the contact’s line of sight. Make the contact remember your name, your brand, your promise. Make the sale.