Does your business card only deliver your contact information and nothing more? Does your business card compel you to buy a product or service, or at least to take the next step in the purchasing process?

Consider the purpose of business cards and how they will play into your sales scheme. If you are your own customer,  what impression does your business card give and what impact does it have on you the customer? Does it inspire the customer to contact the person on the card or to even keep the card for reference. The goal, of course, is to make your own business cards into a mini sales rep. Here are some ideas on how to make your business card work harder for your business.

Call to attention

If business cards could talk, most of them would sound like Ben Stein’s character on “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.” It might go something like: “My name is so-and-so, and I’m an account representative at this company. My phone number is 555-555-5555.” Not very appealing.

Instead, your business card should work to grab immediate attention. Some ways to do this include bright colors, a die-cut  shape such as rounded corners or an angled parallelogram, and an action photo that takes up most of your card (versus a squared mugshot).

Highlight benefits

As we’ve examined, simply stating who you are and what your job title is isn’t going to excite your customers. You have to answer the golden customer question: “What’s in it for me?” You can do this by highlighting the benefits of doing business with you.

Let’s say you’re a mortgage broker. Your business card might read: “I will find you the lowest possible interest rate, guaranteed.” That’s a definite benefit and a good reason for clients to call you, based on your business card alone.

Add value

Another way to make your own business card more exciting is to add value to it. You can do this by including a coupon or coupon code, an exclusive offer that is only available through you, or by simply including a useful chart, calendar, sports schedule or other information that your customers might want to keep on hand for reference. If your business cards have value, you can elicit direct sales and brand yourself into potential customers’ memories. Even if they don’t need your service now, they’ll be sure to call you when they do.

Call to action

Last but not least, your business card should include a call to action. What do you want your prospects to do? In most cases you want them to call you and buy something, though that is not always immediately realistic. There are other calls to action you can employ along with your sales pitch.

For example, you might offer a free giveaway for a referral. Or, you might offer valuable advice on a regular basis in exchange for an online newsletter signup, which you can use as a frequent marketing tool as well. Whatever it is, don’t leave your customers hanging with nothing to do other than file your card or toss it away-give your customers a reason to call you and to call you today. That’s how you can make your own business cards into mini sales reps!

Republished Article: Marketing Ideas

Specialty advertising is a method of sales elevation designed to elevate public recognition of a company’s ideas. It’s like branding your company into others minds through the products they use each day. A business can have its concepts put on a variety of items, such as coffee cups, hats, glassware, gym bags, jackets, key rings, and pens. The value of specialty advertising varies depending on how long the products used in the effort last. Most businesses are successful in achieving their desires for increasing public recognition and sales through these efforts.

Every day we are bombarded with dozens, scores, literally hundreds of advertising, marketing, sales promotion, merchandising and sales messages. Something like 560 a day. We may see 80, remember 12, and have strong opinions about only 3.

Although this was not the case in 1845 when the earliest recorded use of an advertising specialty occurred, the reason then was the same as now: offering recognition and being remembered.

An insurance agent in upstate New York asked a number of his business friends to display his announcement in their offices. They all refused – “What’s In It For Me”.

So this ingenious gentleman purchased a handful of blank calendar pads, attached his business message and presented them as gifts to those same friends. They promptly placed them on their wall, thus pleasing everyone. There was something in it for me. I had gained a useful item. This simple start was the beginning of advertising specialties as a business and marketing tool.

Characteristics of Speciality Advertising:

• They are useful ideas for the office or home, car or boat, for traveling, for fun and games – and they are usually of nominal value
• They bring with them some message – usually very specific as part of a total marketing program
• They include the name and logo of the distributing company or association
• They are rarely personalized to the receiver
• They are offered with absolutely no strings attached – you get them because you are who you are or where you are – you don’t have to do a thing, just be present.

Publishing a regular newsletter is one of the best things any company can do to retain current, and attract new, customers. It’s a shame so many companies get the fundamentals of the newsletter so wrong. In order to give your customers what they really want out of your newsletter, you must realize that newsletters are not advertisements. Newsletters are relevant, informative, entertaining and useful publications that have value for your readers.

All of these things lend credibility to your message and your company, which in turn motivates your readers to come to you when they’re ready to purchase what you sell. When you put together a newsletter with those goals in mind, the advertising practically takes care of itself. This is when you include a box ad or two with an offer and call to action. Otherwise, your contact information and other resources such as a web URL, address or phone number will suffice.

What to include in your Newsletters:

Relevance

Relevance is key to attracting attention and engaging your readership. Consider your target audience, and carve a well-defined niche for the most impact. Sometimes it’s best to publish multiple newsletters according to your audience. A real estate agent, for example, could send one newsletter to commercial property investors and another to first-time home buyers. In most cases, it’s safe to assume that these two groups would be interested in decidedly different articles. Your readers will respond if your newsletter content is important to them.

Useful information

The very best newsletters are written like a newspaper, as though by a journalist. When you approach your newsletter content in this fashion, you’re able to craft rich, well-researched articles that hit home with your readers. Focus on news that directly concerns your readers and they’ll pay attention. Do this newsletter after newsletter, and they’ll look for your newsletter in the mail.

Opportunities

This is related to useful information, but deserves its own heading because opportunities are what will turn your readers into customers. When you deliver factual articles and useful content devoid of hype, your readers will trust you. When you take note of opportunities that your readers can take advantage of to make their lives easier/better/happier, they’ll be more than willing to jump on board. This is how great newsletters differ from traditional direct-mail advertisements.

Entertainment

Entertainment doesn’t mean that you have to include comics or movie reviews – skip those! It doesn’t mean all of your articles have to be fluff – you can cover serious topics. It does mean that your newsletter should be written in a light, easy-to-read manner so your readers can skim your articles and still get the key points. In short: Your newsletter should be an enjoyable read.

Themselves

Spotlight your customers’ accomplishments with photos and short stories about them. This is especially true when you’ve helped them achieve their goals, as with a real estate agent or mortgage broker helping a down-on-their-luck family get into a new home. This is also a great way to “sneak” testimonials in through direct quotes that appear honest and forthright (because they are!).

A great newsletter becomes an invaluable tool to your target audience, much as the Wall Street Journal is to investors. If all you’re going to do is advertise your services, stick to postcards; but if you’re willing to put the time and effort into developing a truly exceptional newsletter, go for it! With a regular newsletter and a bit of time, your rewards will be handsome.

Republished Article: Marketing Ideas