Business cards have been around for a really long time and they do have that unique ability of making a really strong impression on the customers. When referring to the small businesses, there is this growing trend of not printing these cards since there is the general belief that they are not going to help. This is definitely incorrect and you should realize that the small business does have various advantages associated with the business card. It is quite important that you consider it since it can work just as great as the already appreciated marketing materials like flyers and brochures. To make matters even more interesting, the prices associated with the cards is a lot lower than what many believe (take http://www.overnightprints.co.uk/businesscards, for example).
We have to understand that the startup company is always at a disadvantage when it enters a market. This is true in practically all cities. There is usually close to zero market presence. With this in mind, the business cards can easily be handed out in order to increase exposure. This is a small investment that can lead towards a huge payoff in terms of getting people to know about you, including potential customers and business partners.
When you open your startup, you want to basically meet as many people as possible so that you can let them know about your business and what it can offer. Contrary to popular belief, this is not necessarily done through regular promotional channels like handing out brochures in a blind campaign that targets every person in a specific demographic. The best thing that you can do is contact a few key figures in the industry that can help you get that all important exposure we talked about.
We should add that business cards are great at branding a company. That is especially important in the event that the market you enter is difficult. In business, it is important that you know the right people, not as many as you can. When you establish an initial contact and you build a good rapport, the business card is absolutely necessary. In fact, you will end up looking less professional in the event that you do not offer a card.
Since the cards can be branded according to any wish you may have, you can even use them as brochures or flyers but in a controlled approach. For instance, they can be posted in public areas on bulletin boards. They can be added in fishbowls in restaurants, offering a free drawing. As you can easily notice, the exposure that you gain is free, which is definitely something that you want since your promotional budget will be lower.
Make sure that you always think about the many different facts of importance when creating your business card. Some are simply a lot better than others. You want to be sure that yours is appropriate and that it stands out, so that there is a possibility to instantly associating your startup with you.
Considering the digital world that we seemingly live in now, there are some traditional marketing methods which are seemingly being forgotten. Regardless whether small businesses are prepared to commit the outlay to attend exhibitions or head to networking events, there is always value in having business cards on hand.
Professional, well designed business cards such as the ones that you can get from design sites such as http://www.go-displays.co.uk could well be the defining factor in securing a new client or partnership. Even if you are chatting to to someone outside of works hours, you never know who you will meet, especially one who could really kick start growth for your business.
Thanks for this article. All of the advice you have given here agrees with my own experience. Your closing remark is also true, but I find it somewhat incongruent to stipulate (regarding printers) that ‘Some are simply a lot better than others,’ When you’ve only mentioned one in your article. I would understand it if you listed a few ones you have tried yourself to compare and then made a recommendation.
I have tried (for business cards specifically) Vistaprint, Saxoprint and wir-machen-druck. Each of them have merits and drawbacks, i.e. one is cheaper, another prints better or has better products.
My opinion (which is limited to these three) is that – if you aren’t going to use a local printer – http://www.saxoprint.co.uk is a good choice.
But I will take a look at the one mentioned in the article for fairness’ sake!
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