So, I’m going to start this article with a question for you. Have you ever met someone for the first time and gotten an uneasy feeling about them? They had a clammy hand when you shook their hand, they presented themselves in a messy or un-professional manner, they had foul breath that washed over you and made you nauseous. The list can go on with ways that you can give a bad first impression. And then here is the second question for you…How did that make you feel about that person? What was the impression you had when walking away from them? Did you feel that you absolutely HAD to know more about them? Did you feel that you absolutely HAD to start working with them immediately?

Probably not! In all likelihood, you walked away silently wishing you never lay eyes on them again. Right?

So this is what will happen to you when you hand out lousy or unprofessional business cards. Simple as that!!! In the business world, you need to give the absolute best impression you can give when you first meet someone. Because there are millions of sales people right behind you waiting to take your place.

This brings to mind an example of what I am talking about. In my job, I have 3 trade shows that occur each year. One of them is a reverse trade show, where the decision maker sits at a table with other members of his company and you get 6 minutes to introduce them to you and your firm. Now 6 minutes seems like a lot of time, when you are speaking directly with the owner/president. But if you start out wrong or give a bad impression, then 6 minutes is nowhere near enough time. But what I wanted to say is that there is literally a line of about a dozen people all waiting to talk to the same person I am. And when I am out of time and have to leave, the next person almost leaps into my spot.

This is the same in ALL areas of business. So you must stand out and give a great impression when you first meet someone. And great impressions begin with great business cards. There are many different ways to get business cards. You can make them yourself. Or you can hire out to a professional company. Now I used to make my own business cards, because I was poor and I wanted to make them myself. In retrospect, that was most likely a bad decision, because they weren’t high quality. They did a basic job, with no frills. Now I am not suggesting that you go out and get gold plated business cards. But if you get them designed well, and spend the extra money, it can make a huge difference.

The following are 5 tips that you should consider when designing your business cards.

  1. Clear, Concise and Clean: The best business cards ALWAYS are made of the highest quality card stock, and the highest quality printing. Don’t settle for cheaper printing or your business may suffer for it. Choose top-quality printing, inks, and cardstock.
  2. Have an Amazing and Attractive Logo: Business cards should have an attractive logo, one that not only attracts the eye but also tells a bit about your business. If you don’t have a logo you should contract someone to design one for you. Believe me… it will be worth the expense.
  3. Photo business card designs are wonderful for really making your business card stand out. Make sure your photo follows the tips above and if you are not sure on how to select a good business card design worthy photo then check out our article on the subject.
  4. Double-Sided: If you can’t fit all of your information onto the front of your card, consider a double-sided business card. Custom business card designs are popular now and attract quite a bit of attention as they are unique and easy to pick out in a crowd of business cards.
  5. The color scheme of your card is one of the most important parts of your business cards. Whether you are designing your own custom business card or are choosing a pre-designed template, it is absolutely vital that the color scheme should not only complement the business card design but also your business’s logo.

 

JohnMontana_068About The Guest Author:

John Montana has been a successful salesman since 1990. He has written an ebook about how to record a message on your messaging system that will greatly improve your success rate of potential customers leaving their name and phone numbers.

Check it out for yourself… CLICK HERE.