Business cards are cheap

Jul 29 2008

Biz Card

In todays newfangledy world of digital printers, online printers and bulk printers, you can get a thousand full-color, 2-sided business cards for less than $100. Sometimes considerably less depending on your source.

So why is this important? It creates a potentially valuable opportunity to make an additional impact at a low cost. Let me explain…

Many small business owners deal with several types of customers. Professional photographers, for example, often have both commercial and residential/consumer clients. And even within the residential segment, they may serve needs as varied as wedding photography, family portraits and baby photography. You only have limited space on the back of the card to showcase examples of your work (2-3 shots maximum). And there’s nothing worse than meeting a potential client and starting the discussion by explaining or apologizing for your business card because it doesn’t look like you’d be a good choice for their project. So what do you do?

Easy. Get several different versions of your card. One for commercial — because commercial clients don’t need to see any of your residential work, one for weddings — because brides know there won’t be a reshoot and want someone experienced, and one for families.

The same concept works for anyone that sells to several different constituents and helps you get the reaction you want when you hand someone your business card. And at a networking event, where you might meet lots of different people, shuffle the deck and hand them all out. It will be a testament to your versatility and make the experience of meeting you more memorable.