THE POWER OF YOUR BUSINESS CARD

Your business card is your introduction to people, events, and information. A business card can be your passport into a wider network for your business or it can lead you to find better quality services or products you need.

In this post, I’m going to cover business cards: Design, Color, Logo vs Photo, Font and Style, and most importantly, Your Information.

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Let’s start with the basics – YOUR business card. What are you trying to say with your card? Design is important, because it reflects not only the business you’re in, but also what type of person you are. Swirly designs imply creativity and uniqueness, while plain or solid color cards imply purpose or a results-driven business. What do I mean by that?  Colorful business cards reflect an artsy type of business. For example, a florist, hairdresser or photographer. Dark or plain business cards imply a serious and more service/product centered business. An example of this would be a financial advisor, accountant, or banker.

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The color you choose for your business card, website, and your company colors suggest or hint at what you or your company is about. You can use the Color-Wheel-Pro website to get some ideas on the colors you may want to use.

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Do you have a logo that represents your business or are YOU your business? This means putting a professional photo of yourself on your cards, if you want customers to recognize you as the symbol for your business. Realtors use their photos, so clients will distinguish them from their colleagues in the same company. Creating a logo is challenging, but can speak volumes about your business, if it’s recognizable.

We move next to Font and Style. Again, the font or fonts you use are indicative of the type of business you run. For example, any kind of script-looking font says personal, delicate, intimate services or products. Something in bold or large font implies urgency or aggressiveness. Discount businesses often advertise in bold to imply that those deals won’t last long.

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Now we come to the very purpose you want a business card. Your card is a way of communicating what you have to offer. Here are some of the basic information you should include:

• Business Name
• Your Name and Your Title
• Business Address – if your business location accommodates walk-in customers
• Phone Numbers and Fax Numbers
• Business Website
• Email Address
• Social Media Info

You can also opt for double-sided business cards, so you can add other information or your business slogan on the back. The advantage of a double-sided business card is that it also provides “white space”, so when potential clients meet you, they can write something on the back of your business card to remember what you have to offer.

Your business card is a way of telling everyone what you have to offer and how they can contact you. The final step is the decision to use a matte or glossy finish. Price might come into play here, but again, think about what is best for your business.

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Your business card is part of your personal or business branding. The colors you choose must be consistent with the image you’re trying to project and the design and style of your business cards should promote or enhance that image.

If you get it right, your business card will stand out from the rest and get you and your business noticed.

What do you think should be included on your business card and what colors did you choose?

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St. Patrick – Successful Entrepreneur

Everyone looks forward to St. Patrick’s Day, even if they’re not Irish. This is because St. Patrick is a symbol of how to develop your personal or business brand. Does this sound strange? Well, he did it—way back in the 400’s A.D.

St. Patrick was kidnapped and then escaped and returned to England, his home. He was inspired to become a Christian and then began his journey. He was a simple soul and used the shamrock to explain his religious beliefs. Some people in Ireland thought the shamrock was a symbol for three pagan goddesses they believed roamed throughout Ireland.

St. Patrick did not start out wanting to become a Christian, but he did some soul-searching (pardon the pun) and then took his life in a different direction. He found something he was passionate about and then pursued it.

He had difficulties convincing people that they should become Christians, but he didn’t waiver. He trusted his instincts and pursued his passion and his beliefs.

Entrepreneurs are a lot like St. Patrick. They discover something in themselves that excites them and piques their interest. They begin to explore this area and then decide that whatever they’re doing now is not what they want to do for the rest of their working lives.

A new business is born with passion, drive, goals, and branding. Whether it’s personal branding as with movie stars or the business’s professional brand, businesses need to put a lot of thought into the symbol they want to reflect their message and product or service.

St. Patrick chose the shamrock, a three-leafed plant, for its color, green for hope, and to use its three leaves to illustrate the Christian teaching of three persons in one God. That was his personal brand. He used that symbol countless times to get his message across.

Businesses also need to focus on the message or statement they want to make. While some businesses choose a squiggly design, others create an abstract icon or text to get their message across.

Even if you don’t own a company, your personal brand follows you everywhere and determines how people deal or react with you. It is important to remember that your personal brand is the way you look: hair, skin, tattoos, makeup, clothing, shoes, etc. It is also the way you live: your body language, attitude, choice of career, living choices, hobbies, and interests.

St. Patrick never realized the effect he would have on society during his lifetime and that it would continue so strongly today. He celebrated his passion every day by going out and convincing others of his beliefs.

Entrepreneurs do the same thing today. Although St. Patrick was a world-wide success story, entrepreneurs should learn from his life that every day is an opportunity to influence others and lead them to something better – your product or service.

Celebrating come later, when you’ve achieved success and have a following. So this St. Patrick’s Day, when you’re sitting down to corned beef, cabbage, and beer, remember that St. Patrick was a great business person. He was wildly successful, because he kept on message and never let a day go by without talking about his passion and beliefs.