It has been a very busy month. In September I gave 8 presentations ranging from keynote addresses to training workshops. I had the opportunity to meet hundreds of people. Just this past weekend I gave a 10 minutes speech, “How to Make Them Fall in Love With You” at a networking meeting, BLISS, with over 60 in attendance. It was great fun! I met many interesting people.
After having the opportunity to meet hundreds of people this month I am shocked to observe how few people attending networking events have business cards.
At the last event, BLISS, more people I talked to did NOT have a business card with them than did.
What is going on here?
Everyone needs a business card. That small scrap of paper connects you to anyone you meet. It contains all the ways to contact you. Without a business card you miss opportunities.
Lets say I met someone interesting at BLISS. I want to remember his name. I can almost picture him. But he did not have a business card. So even though I might have something important to tell him next week, without his business card the opportunity dies on the vine.
Don’t let that happen to you.
You can have your own business card for $9.99 right this minute if you want. Many companies offer inexpensive business card printing. While writing this blog I Googled “best price on inexpensive simple business cards” and found several offers for 250 to 500 business cards for less than $20. How awesome is that!
Vistaprint has a special offer for 500 cards for 49.99. You can upload your own logo or photo or just use one of Vistaprint’s many templates. As the website says, “Create in minutes and receive in just days”. I have used this service myself.
You can even be a little creative with these inexpensive business cards. Check out the templates and select something that represents you. This is part of your brand.
Your business card should contain this information:
- Name (duh)
- A headline about what you want or what you do such as “Human Resource Leader” or “Mechanical Engineer”. I made up my own title. You can do that when you have your own business!
- Your contact information including phone number and email address and / or your LinkedIn address
- You could also include your home address. Some people leave that off these days in the name of privacy. The way I look at it is if including the home address opens you up to just one more opportunity then it is worth including it. I did not include my address on my current card but I might include it next time I have them reprinted.
Fancy features like glossy finish are not necessary. In fact a glossy finish is harder to write on. Since I write where I met the person on every business card, the glossy finish can be frustrating. So leave off the glossy finish. Save a few dollars and reduce someone’s frustration. Speaking of reducing frustration, make the font size big enough for anyone to read.