BUSINESS CARDS Business cards need to be attractive and distinctive I am often amazed at the number of unattractive and unprofessional business cards that I have collected over the years. A very effective “selling tool” which many people usually don’t think of as such, is a business card. It is an advertisement of sorts and properly constructed it is an extension of a store-front or home-based business. Most business people use business cards as a way for recipients to contact them; however, it should be a way for the recipient to remember them. If the business card is not distinctive, the recipient will probably just throw it away in the near future when cleaning out a drawer or a billfold. Having a professionally created business card can greatly enhance the chances that the recipient will call when in need of the services offered. Make the card hard to throw away by laminating it or making it useful (substitutes as a letter opener, is a magnet, offers household hints, etc.). No one wants to throw away something that may be useful in the future. Use the back of the card to provide as much information about the business as possible. List any awards the business (or an individual in the business) has won (which is vital to the business). Describe the full range of products and services the business provides because the recipient of the card may not know all that the business offers. If a business owner really wants to be remembered, he/she should put a colored picture of themselves doing whatever they do on their business card. Example: a barber or hairdresser might have a picture of himself/herself actually cutting a customer’s hair.
Don’t forget to include your e-mail and web site address on your business card and letterhead. Also, don’t try to save money by using a printer to create “do it yourself” business cards. While printers are wonderful pieces of equipment, they cannot replace the good work of a professional graphic artist. This may be a little expensive, but if you have a poorly designed business card, you’ll pay for it in the long run. Remember the old adage, you get what you pay for? It applies here. If you would like to set an appointment for free, confidential, business counseling, please call the Small Business Development Center at (936) 294-3737. Espanol. Robert A. Barragan is the Director of the Sam Houston State University Small Business Development Center (SBDC) (College of Business Administration), located at 2424 Sam Houston Avenue, Building A, Huntsville, Texas. He will be at the Coldspring/San Jacinto County Chamber of Commerce on the third Tuesday of each month. The Chamber office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. To make an appointment, or for more information, please call the Coldspring Chamber at (936) 653-2184. The SBDC serves Walker, Leon, Madison, Trinity, Houston, San Jacinto, and portions of Liberty and Montgomery Counties. Funded in part through a co-operative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). All opinions, conclusions or recommendations expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the SBA. Se habla