| > | | | | every place mat on every table. |
| What's the cheapest, most under-used marketing | | | | If the target audience was interested in email |
| tool you have? | | | | marketing, wasn't there a probability they might also |
| The answer's no secret ... it's your business cards. | | | | be interested in email software? Sure enough, I |
| By the time you have read this article, you'll know | | | | received 11 enquiries within a few days of the |
| several ways in which you can increase your profits | | | | workshop and sold five copies of the software. |
| by making better use of the advertising power of | | | | Had the workshop been about 'The Metallurgical Use |
| business cards. | | | | of Sodium Cyanide' how successful do you think I |
| Business card content | | | | would have been? |
| Everyone knows what a business card contains, so I'll | | | | When you use target marketing, you may have to |
| keep this brief and focus on what some people don't | | | | offer a financial incentive for someone to distribute - |
| have on their cards. | | | | or allow you to distribute - your card. If someone |
| Every possible way to contact you. Don't just give | | | | asks for a commission to distribute my business card, |
| your address and telephone number - give it all; fax, | | | | I'm happy to oblige, but I also expect to be allowed |
| phone, mobile, email, street address, postal address | | | | to leave a brochure. The incentive I offer is this: If |
| and if you're keen, an after hours contact. | | | | you agree for me to leave my sales brochure, I'll use |
| Your Internet site URL. If you have one, put it on | | | | a code within the brochure that lets me identify a |
| EVERYTHING. | | | | sale as coming from your workshop, shop, seminar or |
| In Australia your Australian Business Number or | | | | whatever. For every sale I'll give you a percentage |
| Australian Company Number. People may not deal | | | | commission. |
| with you if they think you are not equipped to handle | | | | If you do this often, you can set up an affiliate |
| Goods and Services Tax or are too small to have an | | | | program through Clickbank, Sharesale or someone |
| ABN or ACN | | | | else who provides affiliate management programs. |
| Use the back to advertise. This can change each | | | | But I don't create affiliates for short-term ventures |
| time you print or you can summarise - in dot point, | | | | that may last only a few weeks, it's too much work. |
| the services you offer which are not always obvious | | | | Depending on the goods or services you sell, you can |
| from your name. | | | | leave your business cards at business offices. For |
| A byline. If you don't want to advertise on the back, | | | | example, when I visit a real estate office I see |
| think of using a byline, a short statement about what | | | | business cards for insurance brokers. When I go to |
| you do, 'Producers of the best hamburgers in | | | | the insurance brokers, I see cards from real estate |
| Australia' | | | | businesses. This can be a mutually beneficial |
| Colour and professional design. People like colour. | | | | arrangement that costs nobody. If you do it though, |
| They like attractive design. Make sure your cards | | | | you must ensure you don't neglect your business |
| have both. | | | | card holder ... keep it stocked. |
| Cost effective advertising. The last supply of | | | | When you get a chance, identify those businesses |
| business cards I bought cost me 0.07 cents | | | | whose customers may also want your |
| Australian per card; the last classified advertisement I | | | | complementary products or services. Talk with the |
| lodged cost me $72. While the newspaper | | | | owners/proprietors and see if you can arrange to |
| advertisement will get much more coverage, I have | | | | leave your cards there. Remember, nothing ventured, |
| no control over who reads it. Among those who do, | | | | nothing gained. |
| thousands will have no personal interest in my offer | | | | Even your friendly Chinese Cafe may be a good |
| and still others might never get to the classified | | | | place to get some exposure. A cafe I visit every |
| advertisements pages. Many will throw out the paper | | | | couple of months has a cork wall board bristling with |
| in a day or so and my three line ad will be gone | | | | business cards. Every time I go there I leave three |
| forever from their houses and minds. | | | | or four of mine. They always need replacing, so |
| With my business cards, however, I can target | | | | someone is taking them. And let's face it, they aren't |
| where and when I leave them or to which individuals | | | | good for much else but reading. |
| I hand them in order to get the greatest advantage. | | | | Ask your friends to pass your cards to people they |
| Of course, there is never a guarantee that where I | | | | know -their sphere of influence - referral is an |
| leave them will result in sales. The idea is to increase | | | | excellent method of marketing. Hand them out to |
| probability ... the probability that the recipient will want | | | | people you meet at work - at play - anywhere if you |
| my goods or services. Here's an example. | | | | feel they are prospective clients. |
| Target marketing | | | | At the end of the day, you need to use every |
| Recently I attended a workshop about Email | | | | conceivable method you have to keep your firm's |
| Marketing which was also attended by about 50 | | | | name in front of as many people as possible. After |
| others. As my product range includes two high | | | | all, if they don't know you exist, why will they call |
| capacity email management software systems, this | | | | you when next they want a new batch of widgets? |
| was an opportunity I couldn't miss. I left a card at | | | | |