Does your business card pass the trash can test?

I’ll tell how to make your business card stand out and not in a good way…print them yourself at home on Avery perforated paper or worse yet, use a site that offers the first 500 free with one of their templates. It’s happened to me before, someone who is a massage therapist hands me a business card using the same design as the wedding planner handed me last week. No brand recognition there.

A good business card design is an essential tool in your box. When you’re at a networking function meeting prospective clients or your work comes up in a conversation; your card is the anchor that leaves that lasting impression. It’s important to think about what your business card says about you. Does it pass the trash can test?

Nothing says I don’t take my business seriously like a poorly executed business card. When I get handed a template card, I don’t give it a second thought. But second thoughts and third thoughts are what you want from your business card. Don’t cut corners on good design and a professional printer. The average cost of a business card printed professionally is 10 cents. One of your least expensive marketing tools – make sure it passes the trash can test!

Check out Printz at www.printz.com.

A Crazy Concept for Sales: Be Authentic!

This authentic sales approach topic hit me twice in 24 hours so I feel compelled to blog about it. I have always shown up for prospective client meetings as "me". I don't use a script or try to incorporate sales techniques, I just let them know that I am passionate about helping other small businesses succeed, I listen first and design second and that as my customer their opinion matters. My designs will make them look good! Nothing magic about it, but I seem to attract the best clients and we work well together. It sounds like I am using authenticity to sell!

So back to the two hits in 24 hours. First hit. Yesterday I was at my eWomen Networking event and the speaker was Carolyn Herfurth with The Biztruth (www.thebiztruth.com/10things) and she covered the 10 Things Not to Say on a Sales Call and stressed being authentic in your sales approach. Second hit. I opened my email this morning and there was my Biznik article ezine. The very first article was titled "Get Real or Go Home: The New Trend in Business" by Dike Drummond, MD (http://bit.ly/dKQAXs) check it out...good stuff!

Nothing is more annoying than a bad sales tactic. Be your authentic self!

Typeface 101

With thousands maybe millions of typefaces available to us, how do you pick? The sheer volume can be overwhelming. Here are some ideas to help streamline the process:

• Choose serif typefaces for classic-feel pieces (law, health care, corporate). In general, the more serif the more elegant or classical the look. In typography, serifs are semi-structural details on the ends of some of the strokes that make up letters and symbols.

• Choose sans-serif typefaces for more modern or edgy pieces (high-tech, financial, young markets). In typography, a sans-serif typeface is one that does not have the small features called "serifs" at the end of strokes. The term comes from the French word sans, meaning "without".

• Use script typefaces sparingly, for elegant pieces (invitations, announcements, etc.)

• Choose typefaces to communicate specific qualities or to evoke emotion. For example, a classic serif typeface such as Garamond communicates a feeling of dependability and quality, while the sans-serif face Bank Gothic is clean and understated, with a contemporary look that communicates confidence.

• Choose typeface combinations carefully, selecting no more than two for each piece–one each for headings and body copy. For accent type use the bold or italics from within the font family of your body copy typeface. Example:

Heading
This is an example of using one typeface for your heading and another for your body copy. To accent type within your body copy, use your bold or italics within that font family.
 
Next week – What’s the Difference Between a Typeface and Font?