What should a business card have for knockout networking?
5 marketing hacks to make your business card land more clients, more often.
It’s definitely a good idea to make business cards, even if you operate 100% online.
But how do you make your business card stand out? Psst! It’s not just about business card design.
Let’s talk about what you need on a business card to make sure you’re the one prospective clients remember.
And if you think you just need contact information, your card will likely end up in the trash. Keep reading to learn how to avoid it.
What makes a great business card?
Maybe you have a trade show coming up. That place will be swimming with clients — but tons of other vendors too.
Or, maybe you need an awesome business card to pull out of your wallet whenever opportunities arise.
It’s all in the design, right? Actually no. Design is just one part of a great business card.
Why 99% of Business Cards Drop the Ball
Cool business card design gets them to pick it up, but what you write on the business card gets them to actually contact you.
Only having contact information on the card is a huge missed opportunity.
Your name, contact info and website don't give a client reason to contact you.
That stuff especially doesn’t give them a reason to contact you — over someone else.
You need great messaging that sticks in their mind long enough to contact you.
Let’s talk about what to put on a business card to get more clients actually wanting to work with you.
What you need on a business card?
Savvy business owners use business cards as an extension of their branding.
From their digital presence to print business cards, everything they write is uniform, memorable and optimized for conversions.
Before we move to making your business cards memorable, here are the basics you need to have on your business card (just so you don’t forget):
Company name and/or logo
Your name and role
Website
Email and/or phone
Address (if applicable)
5 Business Card Ideas to Get More Calls
Here are things to help persuade people to look on your website and/or contact you. That’s where you get those sales and conversions.
The ideas below are all designed to pack a punch individually, but they work even better if they’re all incorporated.
Since business cards are small, you have to be really concise! Need help with business cards? Contact a copywriter like me!
1 - Perfect Tagline
If you already have an official tagline for your business, include it on your card.
If you don’t have one, now’s a great time to create one. But don’t do it yourself!
Taglines are really important projects, so you’ll want professional help!
As a copywriter, I’m someone who can help you write it. Contact me to get started on your tagline.
2 - USP
Your USP (unique selling point/proposition) is the thing that makes you stand out from anyone else in your industry. Something that truly makes you stand out.
This USP is a key way to be more memorable than your competitor. Examples include:
The most user-friendly platform
The longest-standing law firm in the country
The US veteran travel writer
The goal of a great USP is to not only be more memorable to customers, but also to show that your uniqueness is an asset.
3 - Benefit to Consumer
Whenever you can tell customers how you benefit them, tell them! Even on your business card.
Benefit to consumer is often already built into a tagline or USP if it’s been professionally written.
To help resonate with more clients and nail down a great phrase, definitely get a marketing writer on your team.
4 - CTA
A CTA (call-to-action) is the last push to tell a client what you want them do to. You see CTAs on a website or ad. Think “Buy now” or “Contact Us.”
But, why not include one on your business card? A subtle CTA will make it instantly clear what you want them to do when they look at your card.
Sure, contacting you may be fine — especially if you’re a service-based solopreneur.
But, you could also urge them to shop on your site, eliminating the need for them to contact you altogether.
5 - QR Code
While it’s not actual copy, a QR code can make it way easier for a client to take your CTA.
QR codes eliminate the need for them to type your website into the search bar.
If there’s any way to simplify the contact process, do it!
What do you put on the back of a business card?
Any back of business card idea should complement the front of the business card — without creating too much clutter.
Some businesses prefer to leave it blank so that they can write on it.
Say you operate an entertainment business with a complex show package. You talk to a client, write down a few details and then hand it to them to refer back to.
If you want to put something on the back of your business card, this may be a great way to add the 5 ideas we talked about before.
If the front is too cluttered, move some of those items to the back. Plus, if the client sees the back first, this is an opportunity to persuade them, without flipping it over.
