If you own a business you have one. If you work in a business you probably have one. Even if you are retired you may have one. Our eleven year old daughter has one and chances are pretty good that you have one too.
What is it that you and all of these other people have in common? The answer is a business card. Yes, this lowly wallet-filler has for years been a staple of business. You’ll see them at every networking event, convention, and cocktail party. Our eleven year old daughter has one she uses for her part time babysitting business. Even though many people have them most people completely fail to realize the power that they are literally holding in their hand.
Your business card is usually one of the very first things that your clients and customers see regarding you and your business. As we have all been taught, you have only a few seconds to make a good impression. Take one of your cards out of your pocket right now and take a look at it. It is it telling the story you want to tell? Is it making a good impression or a bad impression? Does it even make an impression or is it totally forgettable?
Your card probably has your name, your company name, your address, phone, email and website. It may even have a catchy slogan or a creatively designed logo. It may be full color and printed on two sides with high gloss. However, if that’s all it has you are not maximizing one of the best marketing tools you have at your disposal.
There are three things that you absolutely must have on your business card. Virtually every card we have ever seen has the first two. On the other hand almost none have the third and most important.
These three critical elements are:
- Your Name / Company Name
- Your contact information – Phone, fax address, email, website, etc
- Your unique selling proposition (USP)
Truth is no one really cares about any of the stuff on your card. What do they care about? You guessed it, themselves. The more that you can demonstrate that you have something that benefits them the more memorable the impression is that you leave. Your business card is the first step in this process if you use it in the proper way.
By applying a few basic marketing rules to the design and use of your business card you will be able to leverage it into one of your most powerful marketing tools. The most important thing you will ever do is to define your USP and integrate it into all of your marketing efforts including your business card!
Remember, the only thing your customer cares about is what’s in it for them? Your unique selling proposition is the answer to that question. It is your sustainable competitive advantage. It answers the question why would someone buy your product or use your service instead of something else. By designing your business card to communicate your USP it will be your first step in creating a memorable image and a lasting good impression. It will also tell people exactly what’s in it for them and why they should buy from you.
Here is a simple method you can use to determine your USP:
Write down your answers to these two questions, “Why do people buy from you and if people are not buying from you why should they”?
Next, if you have employees have them write down their answers to those two questions.
Finally, ask a few of your customers or clients to answer the question, “Why do they buy from you?”
As you ask people these questions, you will soon start to see some common themes. Maybe people buy from you because your prices are lower, or you provide services that your competition doesn’t. Maybe you provide faster turnaround or a more convenient location. Perhaps you appeal to a very unique group of people with something no one else provides.
Here are some examples of companies that have done an exceptional job in creating and communicating their USP:
- Lens-Crafters – “Glasses in about an hour”
- Wal-Mart – “Always Low Prices”
- Avis Car Rental – “We’re number two so we try harder”
You can probably think of many other examples too.
For example, in our business of creating and printing quality business cards people buy from us not because our prices are lower or because we provide faster turnaround, they buy because we help them create cards that sell! Our USP is that we help them integrate their USP into their business card -”Make your first impression a great impression.” This gives us a strong competitive advantage in our market.
Once you are able to define your USP in 90 words or less, you can then make it even more memorable by boiling it down into a catchy phrase like the companies in the above examples did. This phrase or slogan is what you must put on your business card.
Your business card can be a very powerful sales tool for you if use it properly. Make sure you communicate your USP on your card. Make it compelling and tell people how they will benefit by doing business with you. Finally, don’t be afraid to pass out your cards everywhere put your business card to work. You’ll have more business, make more money and have a lot more fun doing it.
- Post Time: 01-22-16 - By: http://www.rfidang.com