Episode 38 - Is the business card dead?

In this episode, we discuss business cards. While some sites believe that the business card is dead, we believe it is still a necessary marketing tool for business.

Why you still need a business card

Some people believe that the business card is passe because it is not interactive, it is not social, and it is old school. We believe business cards are still relevant. During our recent vacation, there were a number of times when giving out a business card was a great option. We got into discussions with Uber drivers, realtors, and other small business owners who asked what our podcast title was. If we didn't have the cards, we would have lost those potential listeners. We have been back for less than a week, and we've already had a number of people reach out to us after receiving the cards. I doubt those people would have remembered us, had we not given them a card. In many networking situations, people can't (or don't want to) pull out their cell phone to look you up on social media, or to add your contact information on the spot. Having a business card handy allows those you network with to remember you later. 

What should you have on your business card

• Your name
• Your title - think carefully about this to make sure it resonates with your ideal customer and describes what you do, especially if your business name does not clearly indicate what you do.
• Your address - this one is optional, unless you have a store front. You can use a PO Box if you work from home, or the address of a shared work space if you use one.
• Your phone number - if you don't want to use your home or cell phone number, you can get a Google voice line or a VOIP system like Ooma, which costs us about $4 per month.
• Your website - if you have a long url, capitalize each of the words to make the URL more readable. Whenever we share Small Biz Life, we always share it as SmallBizLife.com.
• You don't need to list all of your social media channels. We try to direct everyone to our website in order to increase email signups, and get people familiar with the brand. We have our social media channels listed prominently at the top of the site.
• Utilize the back of the cards - Put your logo, services, latest product, or something you are trying to promote, on the back of the card. Don't clutter the front of the card.
• Use readable fonts with contrast which makes it easier to see.

If you need a designer, check out Lena Elizer.

If you have any questions, check out the Small Biz Life Community on Facebook.

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