Even in this electronic age, people still use business cards as a marketing tool. Knowing that you need one is the first step, but finding the right kind of card at the right price can be challenging. We have a few questions that can get you started.
What do you want the card to do?
Will it double as an appointment reminder? Will the card be used as a leave-behind in community outreach? Will your card be handed to high-level executives and decision makers? Or will the card be used as a way of sharing basic contact information to large groups of people? Who is the target audience for your business cards?
How many business cards do you need?
Once you know what you want your business cards to do, then you can decide how many you need. A personal trainer will want a card that can be left in the resource section of local gyms. He will need one that is cost-effective to produce in large quantities, but will also stand out on a billboard. Upper management executives may not pass out as many cards because they are more careful giving people direct access. However, people in middle management positions use their business cards regularly to make new contacts.
What type of card do you need?
Do you want card stock, coatings to make the card glossy, single-sided cards or double-sided cards? Again it goes back to how you will be using the card. A doctor’s office will want uncoated cards, so staff can write on them. A personal trainer doesn’t need a double-sided card to put on a bulletin board. A photographer may want a double-sided card with sample photos on one side and contact info on the other.
Sometimes companies need multiple styles of cards for different levels of employees. While the artwork, colors and design remains consistent, you can differentiate the type of card. For example, one of our clients had two levels of employees: upper management and supervisors. They wanted to do the higher quality cards for upper management and a less expensive option for the supervisors. The supervisors did not deal with decision makers and gave their cards out more readily than management. Riley & You helped them find the most cost-effective options.
If all of these questions about business cards have your head spinning, it’s time to call in the professionals.
