Business cards: Small but important job marketing tool
For ajcjobs
Sunday, August 31, 2008
It may be the smallest tool in your marketing arsenal, but don’t overlook the power of the business card. It says a lot more than you think.
When Nathan Ross Martin hands his business card to a prospective client or business associate, he’s looking for the “wow” factor.
Photos by LEITA COWART / Special
Nathan Ross Martin, president of NRM Creative Marketing, helps clients develop business cards and other marketing materials that reflect their companies’ brands and that have a ‘wow’ factor.
Martin markets NRM through a business card with a folded top (left) that accompanies a brochure about the company. Consistency in the look of all materials is a major consideration, he said.
Lindy Fink, sales and marketing manager at BERK Plastic Cards Inc. in Lawrenceville, says that more companies are using plastic business cards because they stand out from their paper counterparts.
Desine Butler, pressroom manager at BERK Plastic Cards Inc., checks a newly printed page of cards. Because of changes in technology, fewer plastic cards can be printed at a time, making it more feasible to use them as business cards.
“I want them to look at it, flip it, turn it and say, ‘Wow, nice card!’ ” said Martin, president of NRM Creative Marketing, an Atlanta marketing, graphic design and photography firm. “If I get no reaction, then I haven’t done my job.”
Since creating marketing materials for companies and individuals is his business, Martin knows that his card has to represent his company brand and logo, as well as display his talent and creativity. It carries the warm colors he has chosen for his business — blue, brown and mustard yellow — and folds over like a match-book cover.
“The first time you hand your card to someone is really important,” Martin said. “You want it to create an impression of credibility and trust, and you want it to be uniquely your own. It should make a positive impact, and it can, if you pay attention to the details.”
Keep it consistent
When clients consult with Martin about branding, he often notices that their business cards are a different style than their letterhead or brochure.
“If they’ve been in business awhile, they’ve made changes along the way. All promotional materials should be consistent and work to support the company’s brand,” Martin said.
With so many do-it-yourself business card printing companies online, small businesses may question whether the expense of hiring a designer is necessary.
“The investment is definitely worth it,” said Charles Georgi, president of Inspired Excellence Inc., an Atlanta technical-resource company that installs and integrates wiring for the broadcasting and commercial- and residential-building industries.
“As an independent contractor, my name was well-known in the industry, but when I decided to start my own company, I asked Nathan [Martin] to brand it,” Georgi said. “He designed a logo, business card and everything else I would need. Suddenly, I had a marketing engine.
“My business skyrocketed. When I began sending out cards, brochures and my résumé as a package to [potential] new clients, the reaction was ‘My word, this guy has a legitimate business.’ I got noticed.”
His card uses his logo and signature colors of white, lime green and black. One side has a white background with his logo; the other side has a green background with his company information. Two corners of the card are rounded, as is the front flap of the brochure.
“It’s simple and eye-catching, and [it] looks terrific with the brochure. The package has brought 100 percent results,” Georgi said. “I’ve gotten new business every time I’ve sent it out.
“It’s amazing how something that small can legi-
timize your talent. It’s like putting a nice frame around a picture.”
Think of your audience
“Business cards are absolutely vital,” said Michael Makropoulos, managing partner of Ntrinsic Inc., a strategic planning and marketing company in Roswell. “In networking situations, handing someone your card is part of that first impression.”
A discussion about the type of business card comes up early in the branding process with clients, he said. Clients want to be able to start meeting people, and the card helps them market their companies.
He asks clients to think about who their customers are and about what they want others to perceive about them from their business cards.
Makropoulos likens the difference between a brochure and a business card to the difference between cologne and perfume.
“Perfume only takes one or two drops to work its effect,” he said. “A business card is distilled down so that it is a small and powerful representation of your brand. The style, the font, the recycled[-paper] stamp in the corner all say something about who you are and what you care about.”
It should display your company name, logo and colors consistently. If your business is international, remember that colors mean different things in different cultures. Do some research so that you don’t end up with a color that is associated with mourning in your target market, he said.
A business card should serve the same function as an elevator speech: to evoke questions and comments.
“If it’s atypical or interesting, it will generate conversation,” he said.
Makropoulos puts his company tag line — “the value of solid strategy” — on his card, and people ask him about it. They also comment about the style of his card, which is colored plastic and printed on two sides.
“A business card is a corporate artifact. When you leave one behind, you are leaving a little bit of yourself and your company,” he said. “The secret is to make it something that people don’t want to throw away because they perceive value in it.”
If your purpose at a business dinner or meeting is to be remembered, he asked, why wouldn’t you want your business card to stand out?
More is less
The card should make an impact, “but your audience should never have to struggle to read it,” said Makropoulos. “People often try to say too much, and then the font is too small to read easily.”
Martin recommends keeping it simple and clean, with your name, title, company name, contact information (address, phone numbers, e-mail or Web site) and a logo.
“Too much information just clutters the design and decreases the impact,” Martin said. “If you’re a house painter, you don’t have to put ‘interior, exterior, deck and fence’ or ‘licensed and insured.’ People assume that or will ask.”
Career coaches recommend that job-seekers who are between positions invest in personal business cards that state their names, fields or specialties, and contact information. It’s a useful tool when networking.
“Just because you’ve lost your job doesn’t mean you’ve lost your identity. A personal card is a professional way to market yourself,” Makropoulos said.
Creative with purpose
“In terms of design, paper and ink color, business cards can be all over the board these days. We even had one designer lately ask for the traditional black ink on white paper, so that’s still an option,” said Joe Dye, owner of Trinity Press in Norcross.
He prints designs created by his staff and outside designers.
“While the vast majority of business cards are 3½ inches by 2 inches, some are undersized or oversized, and some fold over,” he said.
Printing the text vertically is another popular choice.
BERK Plastic Cards Inc. in Lawrenceville has been printing a variety of plastic cards — photo ID, credit, gift, hotel door and business cards — since the company started in 1958.
“Not a lot of companies do this kind of printing, so our customers come to us from all over the world,” said Lindy Fink, sales and marketing manager.
“Plastic business cards are more prevalent today, because the technology has changed,” she said. New presses make it possible to do smaller runs (100 cards vs. thousands), bringing the price down for smaller companies.
It’s still more expensive than paper cards, especially if you choose recycled material or add additional processes, such as foil stamping, raised lettering, rounded corners or holograms.
“People like plastic business cards because they are different. It’s not your everyday product, and people will take a second look at it when you hand it to them,” Fink said.
The card is already more durable than paper, but some customers will add to its value by including useful information.
“They may put tipping guidelines or a calendar on the back, which gives their customers an added reason to hang onto it,” she said.
While the unusual will attract attention, there is some risk in thinking too far outside the box.
“A lot of designers will get artsy-fartsy and creative for creativity’s sake. The card looks flashy but doesn’t get the message across,” Martin said.
“If creativity is done right, it should have a focus and meaning behind it. You want a card that is unique enough and affordable enough to do its job.”
That involves thinking about your target market and paying attention to the fine details.
“There’s no point in using an elaborate and expensive card if your clients wouldn’t see the value in it. It might even be a deal-breaker,” Martin said.
Despite the proliferation of electronic communication, business cards still have their place.
“I’ve been in printing all my life,” Dye said. “While I do business electronically at a faster pace every day, I am also giving out more business cards than ever.
“If you’re serious about your business — and in this business climate, you’d best be that way — you’ll give serious attention to your business card. It’s a great investment.”