How to Use Your Business Card to Get More Customers

The following article is sponsored by PrintRunner.com

You’re probably NOT using your business card very effectively.  I know I haven’t been.  In fact, i spend so much time online that I often find myself WITHOUT my business card when I need it.  In fact, I’ve put all my basic business card information in my email signature and have basically ignored the different ways that I can use my print business card as a promotional tool rather than a place that holds my contact information.

How to be a guerilla marketer — YEAH – I’m talking to YOU

Running a business is serious business.  But the biggest mistake small business owners, entrepreneurs and solo-preneurs make is taking themselves TOO seriously.  Take a look around you and notice how people feel about big stodgy corporations — it isn’t very nice.  You don’t want to be a part of that.  So stop pretending that you’re some big-ass conglomerate and start realizing that the reason your customers choose you is because of who you are.  Once you get over yourself, suddenly all these terrific ideas will flood your brain and you’ll become a more creative marketer and a customer magnet.

Let’s take the BORING business card as an example.  The traditional small business owner sees a small piece of paper that holds contact information — B-O-R-I-N-G!  The guerrilla marketer sees a small piece of real estate that can fit into pockets and cup holders and coffee tables and kitchen counters.  He or she sees an opportunity to connect with their ideal customer and give them a quick USEFUL helping hand with the situation that they find themselves in.

The one step that many of us simply ignore is taking the time to think about who our ideal customer is, to put ourselves in their shoes and take the time to think about what THEY ARE THINKING and HOW THEY ARE THINKING IT.  Trust me, you’re going to think this is waste of time — I’ll bet you’re thinking that right now.  It’s not – it’s the most profitable time you’ll spend on marketing your business.

3 minutes before and 3 minutes after.  Take some time (like a day or a week or month) to simply observe your ideal customer.  What are they doing or thinking  3 minutes BEFORE they should call you and 3 minutes AFTER they purchase your product.  Inside of that small space, you’re going find some real gold.

Say you own a restaurant.  Chances are that your ideal customer is a parent on the run from school to sporting event.  They are crazy busy and they are probably feeling guilty for not providing that traditional sit down family dinner.  They opt for the drive-thru or a pizza when they could probably have a healthy meal or picnic or something.  That’s what they are thinking 3 minutes before they head for the drive thru.

What can you give them that will be a no-brainer- get stuff from YOUR restaurant instead?  This is something you can put on  print business cards and hand out at the soccer field.  Or hit the soccer field with some samples and a kiosk AND print your phone number and a coupon on a business card.

Put your business card into EVERY piece of correspondence.  You still pay bills, you still send mail — so why not include your business card (that promotes an irresistible offer).  And don’t be too proud to include one of these creative business cards inside letters and cards that you send to friends and family.

Use your business cards as note cards.  While I often advocate using both the front and the back of business cards – in this case, why not leave the BACK of your card BLANK and use it as note paper or brainstorm paper and give it to the person that you’re talking to.

Print something useful on the card.  Back to the 3 minutes before and after.  You want to give people a reason to hold on to your card.  So put something useful there.  If you’re a card or stationary shop, you might print a list of holidays (the traditional as well as the creative – for example September 14th is National Cream Filled Donut Day so you can remind folks to send a card (and a donut?).

And there you have it — just a few creative ways to use your print business cards — don’t just stop reading — start brainstorming!  You can get those cards printed over at PrintRuner.com