What’s wrong with this picture? All of these cards look alike.
At the many conferences where I speak each year I’m privileged to meet a lot of wedding & event pros. Along the way I collect stacks and stacks of business cards. The photo to the right is just the latest in my collection.
So, what’s wrong with this picture?
Do any of these cards stand out from the others? While they’re different colors, paper stock and fonts, they’re all the same size. What’s the first impression your prospects and clients will have of your business? Is it a thin, standard-sized business card? If it is you’re missing out on an opportunity to stand out.
You don’t always get points for doing it right, but you lose points for getting it wrong
Do you want to be seen as a standard business, or a unique one? Your business card should support your brand identity. It should be the same colors, fonts and design theme as the rest of your marketing, including your website. How do yours match up? If we took all of your marketing materials and spread them out on a table, would they all look like they belong to the same company?
Business cards are a multi-sensory experience
Do any of these business cards stand out from the others? The easiest way is to use a different size. But smaller cards will get lost behind the standard-sized ones.
When someone hands you a business card, you engage more than one of your senses:
- Feel: Is it thin or thick. What does the paper feel like – smooth or textured? When you rub the paper between your fingers, how does it feel?
- Sight: Is it quality printing? Are the images clear? Can you read the logo (that is, can someone who’s never seen it read it, or is it so small you can’t make it out?). Is the print readable, or too small to be readable?
- Sound: As you handle the card there’s a sound. Thick papers have a more substantial sound than thinner ones.
- Smell: With newly printed cards you can sometimes smell the ink and/or paper. It’s subtle but, for those of us who’ve been around printing, it’s noticeable.
- Taste: Well, I hope none of you are tasting the business cards you get.
What do new business cards cost?
I often hear people say that they’re waiting to run out of business cards before they print new ones. That’s exactly the wrong approach. If you know that your cards need updating, replace them, now! New business cards cost you less than the business you’re losing by using the wrong ones. If you lose one booking because you are using the wrong business card, what would that cost you in lost profits? Way less than new cards would cost. While oversize or custom business cards cost more than standard ones, if you gain one booking that you wouldn’t have had with standard ones, those cards paid for themselves many times over.
Does it really matter?
I had someone hand me two cards for their business that were almost identical, except one was thinner paper and lesser quality coatings. She said she gives out the nicer ones to clients and the others to musicians she meets (she has a band). I asked her why she would want the musicians to have a lesser impression of her than her clients. When would it ever be a good idea to make your brand look less professional… to anyone? So, YES, it matters!
The next time you’re thinking of waiting until you run out of business cards to make newer, better ones… think again. The right time to make new ones is when you have a better idea or when the current ones no longer reflect your brand. Oh, and as for what to do with that box of cards you had left over: you can use them to level out a wobbly table. Put 5 or 6 under the short leg and that should do the trick!
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There’s an earlier post where I spoke about how I went about making my business cards. If you’d like to read it click here. I actually have a new version at the printer now. They’re the same size, just updated information.
If you’d like help with your business cards, branding, a website review or any other marketing, call or contact me today, 732.422.6362.
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