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Is Your Business Card Boring? Four Quick Ways To Make it Stick

By S. D. Farrell

Republish: EasyPublish™
Published: 19Mar2012
Word count: 580
Viewed: 23 time(s)

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In today's fast-paced world, the business card shows no signs of going away -- but it is showing its age. The average resume is scanned by a reader for only about a minute before they decide whether to read the entire thing, but the business card has a much harder task ahead of it. It has to inspire your reader to look at it again in the future, long after they received it, to check out your qualifications or contact you for a gig.

Needless to say, most business cards fail in this key area. Like the average resume, the average business card goes into the trash soon after receipt. Part of the reason is because they look, well, "average." But a good visual design is only one step toward making a business card stick in your potential contact's mind. Here are some of the best innovative ways to make an impact in that little rectangular space. Pick a few and you might see much better response the next time you go networking.

1) Get Social: One of the fastest ways to persuade people you're an expert is to get a blog. A well maintained, insightful blog focused on industry topics is a sign you are a major thinker. Once you have a blog, the best way to keep people reading it is by promoting your updates through Twitter and LinkedIn. Everyone should, at least, have a LinkedIn link on their business card -- it's used by millions for business networking.

2) Get Hooked: What is your business card really trying to achieve? You can't provide a "special offer" on your business card, but you can give people a reason to contact you. One of the best ways is by printing your business card with a Quick Response code. A QR code is like a barcode you scan on your smartphone to bring you to online content. Link it to your website with your resume and a portfolio of your works.

3) Get Visual: Graphic design isn't everything when it comes to a business card, but it is part of the equation. This is especially true if you're going to load your card with a QR code, since the code itself has to look good. Think of all the dowdy, monochrome business cards you've seen in your career. Did they inspire you? Did you do anything with them? At the very least, a little color will show you didn't print them up at home.

4) Get Personal: Like your resume, there's nothing wrong with showing a little bit of you on your business card. It doesn't have to be a picture, although pros in certain industries (such as real estate) often go in this direction. A notable quote from a generally respected figure will help some of that prestige rub off on you. It'll also give people a better sense of your character and whether they would feel good about working with you.

If you build it right, your business card can become a gateway for people in your network to see what you're up to, review your qualifications, and even offer you work on the spot. To get there, you have to go beyond boring business cards. Use these ideas and come up a few of your own. You'll stand out from the pack and get better response.

S. D. Farrell is a Certified Advanced Resume Writer, career development author, and speaker. He has placed hundreds of job seekers during the recession, helping IT pros from entry to C-level achieve employment at Tech 100 firms like Google and Amazon. Get tips on information technology resumes by this author at his site, Career Excellence Advisors.

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