King Pin Business Cards

When creating a brand from scratch it is tempting to go for free stuff every time. There are compromises to be made when shopping the free way however, the biggest being quality and originality. If you are shopping for free templates for a website or stationery then you can guarantee other people are too. Everything from nametags to business cards are available for free online, with varying degrees of success. It is tempting to just accept the norm, or to be conservative, especially when first starting out. We are often risk averse until we know our field a lot more, or have been in business a while. After all, just starting up on your own is risk enough, right? The problem with that mindset is that more often than not without risk there is no reward. Unless you have a unique selling proposition you are going to need to do all you can to stand out from the crowd and get noticed.

One of the most prized accomplishments in business is originality. It can make or break a company, product or service. A newcomer to any market isn’t going to get anywhere if they just offer the same thing for the same price as everyone else. When shopping, people tend to go with what they know. Established brands spend millions of dollars creating an emotional connection between their brand and their audience. They want buyers to think of their products as the only one to buy, the most reliable, best value or whatever. Unless you have an advertising budget of at least seven figures you aren’t going to be able to compete with this. This is where originality comes into its own.

If you can devise a product, service or offering that’s original, or done in an original way then you don’t need millions of dollars to sell it. Once you can spread the word about it, it will sell itself if done correctly. The same with your business brand. Come up with something original and it instantly becomes memorable. Go with the standard and it becomes forgettable. When competing in any field, with any competitor you have to have or offer something they don’t in order to win, succeed or often to even be noticed.

Think twice before doing something supposedly mundane like ordering business cards online. What does the design say about you? Is it going to grab the attention of your target audience? If it sits among others on a table does it say “look at me”? If it doesn’t, it needs to. It is a marketing and promotional tool, just like your website, flyers, leaflets and whatever else you use to advertise yourself. Being run of the mill isn’t acceptable nowadays, especially if you want to be a success. Business cards like anything else need a great deal of thought and most of all originality in order to make them worthwhile.

Personalized business cards are the ideal platform to promote yourself as a professional person doing a professional job. It doesn’t have to cost the earth to have them either. Nor do you have to order hundreds at a time in order to keep a few in your wallet. With a few simple steps, a computer and a printer you can create professional looking designs and print your own business cards.

First of all you need a concept, and a brand idea in mind before you even turn on your computer. You also need a good idea of your target market and what they would like to see in their supplier or vendor.

Using Word or Paintshop or something mock up a business card template from one of the built in ones or make it yourself. Using a template is an effective way of starting the process as it gives you the dimensions and a basic layout to work with. Although you have complete freedom to do what you like, it is advisable to stick to the standard business card size. This will make your card much more acceptable as it will fit into card wallets and Rolodexes. Two of the most used business card tools around.

Have a play around with the program and devise a logo or design for your company. If you want to cheat you can always buy one off the internet or use freely available pictures or clip art. You can always download one of these and modify it to suit your needs. It isn’t always worth the effort to spend hours trying to come up with your own design to begin with. You can always develop your brand as you go.

It is always a good idea to have an idea of how many cards you want in advance so you can buy enough art board to make them. The card is available in most office supply stores or hobby shops and shouldn’t be that expensive. If you use an online card supplier they may even have card templates that you can use.

Once you have completed your logo or image, add all the relevant information to the card. At the very least you’ll need to add company name, your name, phone number, office address, website and email. If you use social networking, and have the room, it might pay to add those details too. Play around with size and positioning until you are happy with the finished product. Your text will need to be small enough to fit it all on the card but big enough to be clearly legible.

Word and Photoshop templates allow you to duplicate your design across an A4 sheet. I assume other programs will offer the same facility. By doing this you can squeeze as many cards onto a single sheet of card as possible eliminating waste and needless expense.

Place the card carefully into the printer and align it correctly. Run a single sheet test print before doing anything else to make sure the alignment and print quality is what you wanted. If everything is okay set the print run for as many sheets as you like. If your design is double sided you will need to turn the sheets over once dry and repeat the process for the reverse side. Take extra care here in the alignment so nothing gets trimmed off when cutting.

Once all dry cut the cards out with a pair of very sharp scissors or guillotine. Trim of any excess fibres and you’re all done. Now you can print your own business cards as and when you need them!

First impressions are everything in business. It doesn’t matter how big or small your company is, if you want to get ahead it’s essential to create a good impression. The philosophy should permeate all areas of company marketing and identity.

A business could have the best product or service in the world, but if the company themselves looks bad, the product will look bad. The same could be said to the representatives. A creative may like sitting in the office in flip flops and an AC-DC t-shirt but he wouldn’t, or shouldn’t go to a meeting dressed like it.

Getting ahead is about perception. If you can project a capable, professional company facade it doesn’t matter to crazy things are behind closed doors. As long as the face of the company is calm and composed and the end product is just what they want it’s all good.

Any web savvy businessman will have seen some truly atrocious websites promoting good products. They may have been tempted to purchase, but probably not. This face of the company is just as important as the people that represent it. The website is the shop door of the company 24/7, and nine times out of ten will be the first impression of the company potential customers will get. If you don’t get this right, and make the best impression possible, the company is destined for failure.

Any marketing materials and branding also needs to create those good first impressions. There are hundreds if not thousands of business card examples that never should have seen the light of day. Bland templates, colorless cards with uninspiring text that says and sells nothing. Business cards are almost as important as a website. They are a marketing tool just like any other and should be viewed as such. Branding doesn’t have to cost the earth. Some companies can afford hundreds of thousands of dollars to spend on a design or advertising agency to brand and promote them. The vast majority of companies cannot. That doesn’t mean that the designs have to be basic and boring. There are plenty of budding designers and artist out there who will work for little or no money in return for favors or opportunity. A decent bit of free advertising is like gold to the fledgling designer, these arrangements can work out mutually beneficial in the long run.

Adequate though has to be put into the impression of the product itself too. Good quality packaging, speedy dispatch and delivery. If it’s a service, then the quality of that service, speed of response and resolution of issues. It is said that a customer only gets to know how good a service is when it goes wrong. While this isn’t true for all types of service, it is definitely true for some. The speedy and efficient resolution of issues is a cornerstone of any service provider. Reputations are made and broken on it.

Customer opinions and first impressions are vital to any business. Ignore them are your peril.

When doing business internationally, knowing and understanding the local culture gives you the competitive advantage. Any foreknowledge of the norms, behaviours, food, rituals and etiquette is going to also vastly improve the impression you make on your hosts.

Understanding your host allows you both to feel more at ease and relaxed in your dealings. This will manifest itself in improved relations and hopefully, results. One important aspect of business etiquette is the exchange of business cards. This is something we take for granted in the US as it’s pretty standard with no real rules to speak of. Other places in the world however view it completely differently.

Generally the reasons for having and exchanging the cards are the same the world over. They are a means of marketing your company, yourself while providing easily accessible contact details to your clients. They are exchanges at the beginning of an initial meeting after greeting your host. It is suggested that you have professional business cards with one side in the local language. This is a very simple but effective way of creating a good impression as it shows an appreciation for your hosts culture and language and demonstrates an attention to detail. Both good qualities to display.

Make a point of looking carefully at any business card you receive. Many Asian countries take it as an offence if you don’t. Also treat them with respect. Don’t play with them or throw them into your briefcase as if they meant nothing. This is also offensive.

In China it is advisable to add anything that improves your status. For example of you have a degree or higher qualification or your company is the biggest or oldest at what it does. Status is important and if you can publicly display it your hosts will acknowledge it.

The Japanese exchange cards with great ceremony. Definitely invest in professional business cards when visiting there, as the quality of the card reflects the quality of the company. When receiving a card from a Japanese, treat it with respect, as if it were the person themselves. Great offence would be taken if disrespect was shown to the card.

In India you always present and receive cards with your right hand. As a large part of the country is Muslim, the left hand is seen as unclean, so best to err on the side of caution and use the right. This is the same for most other things, like shaking hands, passing glasses or bottles and that sort of thing. Indians above many other cultures revere academic achievement. Adding any higher qualifications to the card will increase your status in their eyes.

Knowing a little about the culture of the people you are visiting is essential in understanding them. Tailoring your equipment, such as the business cards, and approach to take into consideration these differences can mean the difference between the success and failure of your visit. A few minutes preparation to save, or make you hundreds, maybe thousands of dollars on the international market.

First impressions are everything when it comes to business. You will be judged on how you look and act as well as how you negotiate. All these things mean that the modern businessman must be schooled in many arts. The international businessman needs many more tools in his arsenal to be able to effectively represent himself and his company abroad. It is well known that us Americans aren’t too good outside our own country. When we do travel we expect everything to work just like “back home”, and complain often loudly when it doesn’t. That kind of attitude just won’t work when travelling on business.

The European and Asian business world is founded on quality. That isn’t to say ours isn’t, but there is much more emphasis on it over there. From the quality of your suit, to your manners and observance of local cultures. All these things will be studied and either marked for, or against you.

For example, doing business in Italy, you would be marked down for not having a stylish suit or quality business cards. Style and quality is everything there, and the outward display of it permeates every facet of their society. France is much the same on a more conservative level. Style and quality count for a lot so turning up to a meeting in an off the shelf suit isn’t going to win you any friends. You would have to work very hard to convince either the Italian or French of the quality of you or your company like that.

Russia on the other hand couldn’t care less. They are interested in doing deals and making money. They are much less interested in you, what you wear or the quality of your business cards. Here what you have, and what you can provide them is paramount as far as they are concerned. Even though there is a hunger for money, and doing deals, it will take forever to get one signed. A relic of their communist past is the monolithic bureaucracy which not only stifles their government but most of their older more established businesses. New money or companies are less constrained by this though.

Doing business in the Middle East isn’t an inviting prospect for a lot of businesses. The relative instability of the region (mainly caused by us), makes this a shifting foundation for any deal. The almost universal prevalence of Islam is something that has to be taken very seriously and observed strictly by any visitor if they want to even be considered as business partners. It has its own rules that need to be observed and treated with respect to get anywhere with the people. Learn the culture and demonstrate respect for it and the region has some of the friendliest and most hospitable people in the world.

As you can see, doing business internationally isn’t just a case of grabbing a passport and buying an airline ticket. Research has to be done so you can get started on the right foot before you can make a success of any foreign visit.

Offering free samples of your products is an effective way of generating custom for many businesses. It gives your potential customers something to look at, as well as giving the confidence that you are professional enough to allow inspection of your work before being employed.

There are small industries that grew up around collecting samples of things and trying them out, even without the intention of buying the whole product. Some of my student years were spent doing just that! There are even schemes now where you can volunteer to receive regular free samples of stuff if you provide feedback on it. This is a useful marketing tool where companies who are planning new products or to rebrand older ones can test it out before releasing them to manufacturing. This is being increasingly adopted by companies to enable them to talk directly to their target market and gain valuable feedback on their products.

This has seen a massive increase over the past year as more and more people are getting wise to the idea of getting things for free, while only have to spend a few minutes a week giving feedback. I fully expect this expansion to continue for years to come. Nice to see that it isn’t just in the realms of student life anymore!

There are obviously industries and products where this isn’t possible, but alternatives are always there for the imaginative. Examples such as impregnating a business card with perfume for a fragrance company, or the “new car smell” for an auto retailer. Neither of which could feasibly give away free samples of their product but can still market it via giving away business card samples. There are plenty of examples of fragrant cards being used to promote business and specific products. There are wedding planners who make their cards smell of fresh flowers or marzipan. Candle makers who make their cards smell like their fragrant candles.

The process is simple enough if you want to try it yourself. Simply get a sample of whatever fragrance you want to use, such as marzipan or essential oil and put it into an airtight container. With liquids I suggest soaking a rag or handkerchief to stop the cards getting wet. Add some cards to the container and lock them all in together. Leave them for at least three or four days to enable the card to absorb the fragrance, and viola, you can now communicate with your audience on another level. Not only are you appealing to their eyes, but their sense of smell too! Smell has something to do with triggering memories, so it isn’t a bad idea to try this out, especially if the fragrance then triggers memories of your company!

Offering free business card samples of your products, reminders, or suggestions of your products is an effective call to action for your target market. It literally adds an extra dimension to your marketing strategy, and as long as your business isn’t waste management or septic tank cleaning, using smell as an extra element is a good idea.

Realtors are the people who sell our houses and broker real estate. Depending on where you live they can also be referred to as real estate broker or agents. Realtors are different to real estate agents though. A realtor is a real estate agent plus is a member of the National Association of Realtors. This is the largest association of real estate agents in the world. To become a realtor you must start out as a real estate agent and preferably work as one for a couple of years to gain experience. There is a real estate course to attend, then an exam afterward to test your competency. Once qualified you can then apply for a license in your state.

After a couple of years of experience, if you want to progress to become a realtor you will need to take the renewal real estate course and then the broker exam. Once you pass this you can become a licensed broker. Now would be the time to apply to the National Association of Realtors in your state. If accepted you will be able to use the word Realtor and its trademark in your name.

The day to day duties of a real estate agent and realtor are much the same. They both revolve around helping vendors sell properties and buyers purchase them. It is a profession that needs a lot of time and dedication to make it work, but is open to all if you are prepared to put in this work. You will need to be good with people and not backwards in coming forwards. Buying and selling property is as much about the people involved as in the properties themselves. As a realtor business cards are an essential tool. You will be in contact constantly with vendors and buyers, so they will need your details to hand at all times. Unusually for a business card, it should contain your cell number too as you will spend a lot of time out of the office.

It perhaps isn’t the best time in the world to become a realtor, real estate agent, or anything to do with property. However this economic gloom isn’t going to last forever and if you can make it now, you can make it any time. As a qualified realtor you will most likely be self employed, so it’s all down to you. More realtors fail in their first year than any other career, so research, knowledge and experience is essential if you are to survive. The licensing aspect of the career actually works in your favour. As well as ensuring your competency, it also limits the competition in your state

If you do survive then you have the makings of a successful and rewarding career where you will spend some of your time making dreams come true. The other ninety nine percent of your time will be meeting people, advertising your services, holding open houses and handing out business cards!

Becoming a lawyer is either a dream or a curse. Depending on who you talk to they are either defenders of the weak and preservers of justice or ambulance chasing orators with a thinly veiled respect for the people they serve.

Whichever side of the fence you sit on there is no denying that becoming a lawyer is a difficult process. Once you have your college degree you have to attend a further three years Law School. The school will only accept you if you have a very high GPA and you pass the Law School Admission Test. This is an entrance exam that checks your foreknowledge and preparedness for what lies ahead. With so much competition to attend Law School they can afford to be choosy. It is recommended to begin studying for your LSAT during your last year at college. Yes, we know, when you have enough work to do already! Nobody said it would be easy.

Once you have made it into Law School you have to attend some mandatory courses in your first year to set the groundwork. Courses such as Property Law, Contracts, Torts, Constitutional Law, Criminal Procedure, Civil Procedure and Legal Writing lay the groundwork for a career in law and the rest of law school, but they’re also the hardest courses you’ll take. Everything you study from here on in will be based on the knowledge you gain from these courses.

Once you graduate from Law School, it’s time to sit the Bar Exam. Passing this will grant you a license to practice law in the state where you sat the exam. Seven years after starting college you can finally graduated and work as a lawyer. Of course finding a job is the next biggest hurdle.

Most newly qualified lawyers will take an internship or clerkship with a firm. These are the best methods of advancing your career and they do occasionally pay a salary! Some graduates will opt to go straight into practice and begin paying off their debts.

The average day for a lawyer depends entirely on the specialty chosen. Some, like trial lawyers or litigators will spend a lot of time in court. Others such as civil lawyers will do paperwork. Be it research, studying contracts or the myriad of other duties that befall a junior lawyer in a firm.

While doing all this you will of course be networking, schmoozing and generally making yourself known through the circuit or office and as a lawyer, business cards are your best friend. They are a quick and easy way to spread the word about yourself.

Once qualified, debt free, experienced and seasoned, where you go from here is up to you. Not all lawyers practice law. Some will teach, work as advisers for corporations or the government. Others will join large firms begin climbing the corporate ladder. It depends entirely on aptitude and the chosen specialty. Whatever you choose, all the hard work and sacrifice to took to get where you are in only set to continue.

Setting up a new business in Florida is a fairly simple process. Running it is the hard part! You have three options when first creating it, becoming a sole proprietor, partnership, Limited Liability Company or corporation. If your business comprises a single self employed person offering services locally without much in the way of assets or liabilities then sole proprietor is a good way to keep things simple. The downside is that any business debts you may accrue can be collected from your personal assets like your car or home.

A partnership is useful when two or more people want to offer services in an equal manner. It means everything is split evenly between the partners, unless specified otherwise. It is nice to have someone to share the burden of being in business with, but it also means you share the responsibility when things go wrong.

A limited liability company is like a corporation in that it is much more formal and has to have legal documentation filed with the local and state authorities. It is slightly harder to run the administration but protects the business owners from liabilities should things go wrong.

Incorporating your new business offers some real benefits, but is a slightly more complicated process. The main advantage is that it separates your business from the personal, so whatever happens to the business, your car and home are safe. Your directors, stockholders or company officers are also protected from liability for debts should the business fail. The maximum liability for any of you is whatever the business and its assets are worth.

Tax laws are also friendlier when working in a corporation too. The rate of tax is much lower than you would pay as an individual and you can own shares in other companies and receive dividends of up to 80%. If the business expands you can offers stocks, and go public. This is a great way of making money available for expansion or other projects. The downside is that you will not own all of the company any more, and depending on the size or structure will have a lot more accounting to do.

Any of these company structures can be formed online, and maintained online. In fact they can be run completely virtually. All of the branding, stationery, contact information and administration can be bought on the web. The internet has revolutionized creating and running businesses. You can even make business cards online. This has simplified owning and running a business significantly if you are web savvy. Filing and tax returns, accountancy, virtual assistants can also be managed over the internet.

Setting up your own business used to involve meetings with the bank, accountant and at least an afternoon at Town Hall or somewhere. It was a laborious process involving lots of paperwork and administration. Now it can be done with a few keystrokes and a credit card. Never before has it been as easy to go it alone than now.

I saw a couple of neat business cards the other day that had been issued by a couple of law firms. They showed an unusual eye for something different, while also offering real value to the person who had it. I thought it was an ingenious way to use a card as a marketing tools and as something of value.

The first of these legal business cards was a flyer which was being left in bars for patrons to read. It said something along the lines of “The county law enforcement has been targeting local bars in this area, cracking down on DUI’s. To prevent losing your license, eat a good meal before coming out, then plenty of non alcoholic drinks to slow alcohol absorption. If you have to drink, get a cab home. If you are stopped while driving, be courteous to the officers. Don’t swear or insult them. Don’t volunteer any information or get out of your car unless instructed to. Give the attached business card to the officer and tell him you want to call them before submitting to any questioning or testing.”

Now a cynic might think this isn’t any better than ambulance chasing, but I think this is a well thought out idea. Offering practical information and being useful is a great way of having your business cards retained and used when needed, which is the whole point of having them.

The other example is of a similar vein, but done slightly differently. This legal business card was standard on one side, and offered a bit of legal advice on the other. This version was again around the subject of DUI. It read something like; “Officer, you have stopped me presumably in accordance with state law. If you are going to give me a citation, please do so and I can be on my way. If I am free to go, I wish to do so immediately. If I am under arrest I won’t answer any questions without my attorney. Neither will I perform any voluntary agility tests or do any preliminary breath tests except those prescribed by law in order for me to avoid losing my license or obstructing the law.”

Although not a fan of lawyers, I applaud this imaginative use of the humble business card in order to assist people, while promoting themselves. Other professions use similar value add tactics in order to increase retention and use of business cards, such as adding calendars, rulers, or even combining a phone card and a business card. This last option is going to be quite expensive to run, so wouldn’t be feasible unless the company was of a size big enough to support it.

So while the remit of a business card is fairly limited, i.e. the promotion of a person or business, the implementation is not. The ways in which this little piece of advertising is used is only limited by imagination and application.