At Printing Solutions we feel that the business card is quite simply the most important tool in your business marketing arsenal. It is often the medium through which initial contact is made and can go a long way towards determining the direction that future correspondence with that person will lead. Every business should have one (or more) and its design should say something about the person/company it represents.
Most people realize this fact, and the truth is that you would be hard pressed to find a business person that does NOT have a business card. What does that mean? Well in all honesty it means that in order for you to make an impact, your card needs to be even that much better than everyone else’s. Not only does it need to have the essential contact information such as your name, phone number, email address etc, but it should also contain some element that makes it memorable or makes it stand out in a crowd. In other words, your business card needs to make an impact and it needs to be a lasting impact.
What does your business card say to people about your company?
In the past we have talked about tricks such as adding Spot UV or foil accents to a standard business card design to help highlight certain areas. These are both excellent ideas and give your card a fabulous look. However, what happens when the person that receives your card, say for example at a week long business convention, evaluates the huge stack of business card he has collected and begins to look for something that will trigger his memory of your exchange.
Introducing the latest technology – colored edge business cards. This is a process whereby the edges of the cards are coated after they are printed. There are 15 edge colors to choose from and the results can be dramatic. Let’s revisit the example above and present a “what if” story to illustrate my point.
Let’s say that Mr. Big Pile of Business Cards is looking for a place to start the daunting task of going through his stack of cards and notices a blue edge amongst the sea of white on his desk. He hasn’t looked at any card front or back yet, hasn’t noticed any Spot UV or foil accents yet. He doesn’t know who has a linen card or a funny tagline and he can’t tell who might have a QR code that will lead him to the most memorable presentation of his life. All he sees is this intriguing sliver of blue practically screaming at him – “I am unique, I am different, please look at me first”.
Well you can probably guess what comes next in the story. If your card is the colored edge card from this example and Mr. Big Pile selects your card first, this technology will have served its purpose. A colored edge business card combined with that funny, memorable tagline or that effective QR code or simply a great design that compels a person to call you is the ultimate goal for a business card. A colored edge business card tells people that you are different and are willing to do what it takes to stand out from the competition. And that might be enough for you to gain the business simply because your business card was just a little more colorful than the rest.
By making a lasting impression and generating contact, your business card can now be retired a happy card and will have justified the investment you made in it. Remember, the traditional business card exchange is oftentimes the first and possibly most important moment between you and the person you are exchanging cards with. This presents you with a golden opportunity to make a memorable impression with just your business card.
Would you be able to pick your business card out a stack of many cards sitting on a table? Are you losing business that you know you could win, simply because you are not leaving the memorable first impression?
Answers these questions honestly, and you might discover that maybe its time reevaluate your card design. And maybe, just maybe the answer might be to add a splash of color and make your new business cards impressive and cutting edge cool!!
Check out the video clip below for a completely Hollywood rendition about the importance of the first impression that a custom business card can make. If you are looking to make an impression that your business associates won’t soon forget, you need to be sure that your business card is unique, effective and memorable. At Printing Solutions, we specialize in creating business card designs with maximum impact.
The clip comes to us as a courtesy from the movie American Psycho produced by Lions Gate Films and in no way is intended to display an image of good behavior. Please note that is intended for entertainment value only and that Printing Solutions does not endorse or condone the conduct or behavior portrayed in the film.