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!

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.

The first mention of magnetism was between 625 and 545 BC, where Aristotle attributed a discussion about it to the Greek thinker Thales. It was around a similar date that an Indian surgeon called Sushruta allegedly used in it medicine. He is regarded as the father of medicine and was the first to recognise that Angina or heart attack was related to body size and obesity.

The next earliest mention of it was in China in the 400’s BC in a book called “Book of the Devil Valley Master”. Things have moved on a lot since then. We have navigated with magnetism, repelled objects, run trains cured disease with it. The latest use for this wonderful discovery? Business card magnets.

Many people like to have contact information handy for businesses or service companies without having to sort through piles of paperwork or going on the internet. Magnets are a fun yet practical solution for being visible in these situations as business card magnets can be stay on refrigerators and filing cabinets for years. It is a sure fire way to remain accessible to your clients while also providing other uses, such as holding up pictures or recipes.

Any business can take advantage of the marketing miracle that business card magnets can provide. All you have to do is hand them out whenever you are pout and about, doing business or otherwise. A novelty type card is a great way to break the ice or avoid the awkwardness of foisting your business card on someone, especially if you are actually doing business.

Your audience will be able to stick you on refrigerators, filing cabinets, vending machines, lockers or any other metal surface. This exposure makes a magnet card a very powerful advertising tool. If your clients have your stick on business card magnets, you already have an advantage over your competitors as your business cards are always in front of your customers eyes. For example, if you sell organic vegetables, providing your customers with a magnetic business card is ideal. Your details are right there when they are thinking about food, which is an ideal emotional connection to make. Alternatively, if you sell tools or auto parts, a business card magnet could be placed on the case for each item, or on the clients toolboxes. Chances they will be there for years to come.

Using a little imagination and proper placement can make these ideas work for you. They don’t have to be exactly like these examples, but making a connection between your product or service and the type of magnet or design used can directly influence how much extra business it gets you. If you can add a practical element to the card too like having a magnet strong enough to hold shopping lists on someone’s refrigerator or “stop stealing the paperclips” sign in an office the likelihood of it staying in place for a while increases exponentially. It just goes to show what a little imagination and creativity can achieve, even with such a normal item as a business card.

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.

Microsoft Publisher comes as part of the Office suite of products but is little used except for a select few people. It is something of a niche product but is surprisingly useful in creating marketing material for the small business.

Business cards are an ideal way of introducing yourself and your business, then maintain the relationship after the transaction. It is a good way of staying relevant and contactable even when you’re not there. It introduces your company, but also reinforces it once an initial relationship has been struck. A card shaped reminder of who you are and what you do.

To make your own business card in Publisher, follow the guide below.

Open Publisher and in the New Publication pane select the Publications for Print option, then Business Cards. Browse the ready-made designs and select one that you like, or that you could modify into something you like.

In the Business Cards Options window, make the choices about using a logo or design element, whether you want it printed landscape or portrait. Some designs will look great one way and not so great the other. Try them out and see what they look like. It always helps to look at your business card from all angles, because that’s exactly what your customers might do.

Where it says Copies Per Sheet, select the number you want. The default is 10 per sheet to minimize waste. It may be an idea to change this to 1 until you have your design finalized to save ink, especially if it’s a full color design you’ve chosen.

Once on to the Publication Designs window, select Color Schemes and Font Schemes that you want to use. This may take a while as there are plenty to choose from. Adequate time should be taken here to ensure you get the end result you are after.

Once ready, click the dummy test in the card template to replace it with your own. Publisher automatically resizes it to fit into the space available but you can override it if you want. Some designs or effects will require oversize text so don’t be scared to tell Publisher what to do. To force text size, click on the Format menu, select AutoFit Text and click Do Not AutoFit. This will turn off the option and leave you to make your own decisions about how your text appears on the card.

That’s it for a single sided card. Save and print a single one and see how it comes out. If you like what you see, change the Copies Per Sheet option back to 10, add your Avery stock or whatever you use and print a batch. Once the ink is fully dried, use a pair of sharp scissor or a craft knife to separate them. Avery stock has the scoring already on the card, but it sometimes needs a little encouragement to come apart.

That is all there is to it. A few simple steps on how to make your own business card.