Great guest blog by Sarah Raad from tent, based up in Clara Vale, Tyne & Wear
Hello! I’m Sarah and I run a small branding and marketing consultancy called tent. Tracy has very kindly offered me a guest blog spot so here goes!
Today I want to focus on a design issue and thought it would be a good time to look at the smallest marketing tool most of us have – the business card!
A business card can often be the first marketing tool that our prospects are given. In fact, it might be the one that people hang onto for the longest.
Even in this digital age of emails and tweets, when we meet people face to face, there’s nothing like an effective, memorable business card to make the right impression and increase the chances of them keeping it and more importantly, remembering you when they need you.
So what makes a great business card? Here are 5 things to consider:
1. Make your primary contact details easy to find
So many companies give equal billing to a land address and a phone number or email. People will more often than not use your business card to find your email address or phone number so make sure they stand out.
A business card may be small but there’s no need for tiny type that people have to squint to read!
2. Use the back of the card
Double sided print costs very little extra and gives you twice the space on your card. For what?
Time for point 3…
3. Explain what your business does and how you make a difference
As business cards are kept by people for a fair amount of time generally, it makes sense to do this.
Someone who met you at a networking event several months ago is unlikely to remember every thing you told them in a brief conversation.
But a well worded card with a short paragraph, bullet points etc will jog their memory so they can either get in touch themselves or pass on to someone else they know. A card that just has your name and contact details really is missing a trick.
4. Match your brand
Make sure that the overall layout and style of the card is in line with all of your other marketing materials. Goes without saying really, but sometimes designers and printers get a bit lazy with business cards probably due to their size and think they can’t be full on brand or interesting. Not so!
5. Be different – to really stand out
Consider other features such as a folded card (which you can fit more information, images onto), a card cut into a special shape or with more unusual design and finishing features such as a spot varnish or a really heavy weight card.
If you’d like to see more about how we help clients with their design needs, why not visit us at www.tent.uk.com?
Sarah Raad business development director
t 0191 447 5376 | m 0789 014 5969 | twitter @tentspitch
Thanks for this really useful blog Sarah.
If you’re looking for brilliant business cards to help your brand stand out from the crowd, get in touch with tent – they are excellent. Trace