The Business Card
The other day at a networking event, I saw a guest pulling his business card out of a vinyl container and handing it over to the person he was speaking with. The person briefly looked at the card trying to focus, and put the card away into his pocket. Well, what does this tell us?
Let’s start with the vinyl container which comes for free with your delivery of the cards. Throw it away. Unless your religion frowns upon using cow products because cows are considered sacred, you should use a leather or metal holder. It is a good investment in your image. There are, of course, people who pull their business cards out of their coat pocket because they expect to give them out. This is okay unless they are bent or even dirty from sitting in there too long.
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What about the size of the card itself? Some people might think that with odd-sized cards- or cards oriented vertically instead of horizontally, they will stand out from the crowd. Yes, you do, but only for a second and after that you stand out, but not in a positive way. You do not fit into the “business card systems”! Your card will get bent or cut and end up at the end of the pile.
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If you use a color paper, make sure it harmonizes with your profession or brand. As a designer or artist, the use of pastel colors might enhance your card. Otherwise, stick to the white shades and avoid bright colors.
What fonts to use? Choose a font that expresses your seriousness. For example, if you are in the construction business, do not use a flowery font or script. It just does not go with your field of work. Diplomats have cards with a “raised font”. You can feel every letter. The process of making raised fonts is quite elaborate and of course expensive.
Your name should be prominent, above all the other information on the card. Some people even put their picture on their business cards! Depending on your business and your reasons for passing out cards, this may help people remember you. But if you are a prominent and well known person in your field, this might come across as odd. It implies that people won’t remember having met you.
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I have seen business cards that use both sides of the card. On one side you have the name, company name, phone number, email and website. On the other side you have the company name, address, fax number and skype number. You should leave, of course, room for your logo, and that should be on both sides of the card. And of course, if the recipient keeps it in a card folder or a digital card management system, the information on the back may be lost.
If you work for a company, the employer will dictate the look of the card, so your hands are bound. The company may want a certain uniformity to support the brand and your place in the organization. So ask you HR department if there are guidelines. Also, if you are in a ‘licensed’ position or work for the government, State or Federal laws may require specific wording in titles or accreditations.
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Of course, it seems millennials do not use business cards. They pull out their smart phones and enter or wirelessly ‘bump’ the information into their phone. No paper, no image, just the name and a phone number. But the tips above should still apply. Yes, times are changing …..