Business Card Madness!

Author: Ben Kench

Aaargh!! I just cant believe it!

 

I’ve been networking and speaking a lot recently and it has blown me away how many incredibly poor business cards people are out there ‘doing business’ with!!

 

Firstly I feel it is important to note that I am a HUGE advocate of enterprise and entrepreneurship and want all people to ‘do something positive’ instead of sitting back complaining…so I applaud enterprise…but why oh why are so many printers for example printing business cards that really do not help the business proprietor???

 

Ok, the printer is doing as instructed…but couldn’t they guide? Indeed couldn’t they be educated??

 

Firstly I have had literally a bundle of cards where the printed font is tiny! I mean tiny! It might be a 6 or something!! I still have fairly good eyesight…not yet at the point where I need reading glasses…but even I struggle to read it is so tiny!

 

Then I see grey on a blue background!!! C’mon…that’s a real issue for anyone!! I don’t mean dark grey on really light blue…I mean light grey on darker blue??!

 

 

Then I get cards where the ‘artistic’ flair has completely overtaken the ‘practical function’ side of what a business card is supposed to do.

 

Lets face it, the average business card of an average smaller business is NOT a Guinness Advert that woos us all with epic creativity and leaves a lasting imprint. Wild White Horses it isn’t.

 

So, why go to town on glossy text that is barely visible unless you twist the card??? Why go to town on obscure designs that mean you ‘search’ all over the card for a definable idea as to what the company in question does???

 

I have one in my hand right now that is from a design company…the company name is in clear gloss on a dark grey background…it is impossible to see unless you twist the card?!! That’s not clever its stupid!!

 

I have another here from a ‘creative digital marketing’ outfit that is using size tiny font and on the reverse it does have a list of 11 (!) services that it does…but again in gloss clear font on a blue background thus meaning I have to ‘try’ to see what they do. Surely to goodness your business card needs to be as simple and as clear and as effective quickly as anything that you ever produce?!!

 

So, my ‘rant’ is because I care.

 

It saddens me and frustrates me that no-one is actually giving these business owners a better steer.  Someone needs to help them before and during printing so that they increase their attraction odds.

 

Screw art…make it work!

 

Make it clearly readable…

Make it say exactly what you do so that I ‘get it’ instantly!

Make it tell me enough to invite me to enquire?

 

 

These days business is harder to win. There are a million choices for any genre and any potential customer has a ton of options…if you don’t make it clear what you do they will simply ‘not know what you do’ and take their business to someone else. Is that helpful for you??? Surely it should help generate enquiries shouldn’t it or else why do it???

 

 

Please, look at your business card. Does it say ‘exactly’ what you do in simply layman’s language on it??Is it boldly typeset and very clearly readable even if your potential customer has slightly failing eyes or the light is dim???

 

Be very very careful with colours, fonts and words. Please.

 

Art for arts sake doesn’t work unless you are Guinness burning tax dollars. For you and I we need every single tick in every single box.

 

Be easy to understand and be easy to connect with.

 

Add Social Media links. Add a picture of you. Link to a give-away. Use the reverse side and print a clear message of what you do or offer something to capture leads. And spend a little more on it when printing…, “Free from Vista Print” or a flimsy freebie card really is such a waste of time.!

 

 

Ok, Rant over!! I’m going back to mailing my contacts…have an awesome day…and pay some attention to your business cards right now and make them the best they can be – even if a reprint is required. It’s the best spend you ever spend.

 

Yours always with love

Ben x

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