Branding Mistakes Related to Business Cards

by: Gayle Hawks

Everyone knows that if you own a business or provide some type of service you need to have a business card. Business cards are a means of marketing your company and telling a prospective client who and what you are – and what you do. But what exactly do you need to have on your business card?

Most people think that the standard items listed on a business card include:

The name of the company

Your title

Your address

Your other contact information such as e-mail address, telephone, etc.

Your services or specialties

But which of these items really need to be there? Let's look at them one at a time.

The name of the company – unless it is a big corporation with a brand name that will ensure that you get inside the door, the company name is not absolutely essential. Instead you can use something like "Make an Impression Using My Limo Services" if you are a limousine driver and want to increase your customer base. People will know that you have a limousine service so they don't need to know that the name of the company is ABC Services because it doesn't mean anything.

Your title – if your title really means something like an Engineering Consultant, then it's important to the services you provide. But if your title is Vice President of the B Team that doesn't really mean anything.

Your address – this is important because it confirms that you are a legitimate business. Many people who work from home do not like to put their address on their business card, but you need to have some address like a post office box so that people will have confidence that you are a legitimate business.

Your other contact information – this is vital and probably the most important part of the business card because it is the way that people can contact you. After all – that is the whole point of providing a business card.

Your services or products – most people will not take the time to read a list of services or products. For one thing – those products or services may change over time and consequently your list will be obsolete.

Keep the business card simple with pertinent information that is essential to new business. Also, don't be afraid to create several different business card versions - keeping in mind the different types of uses and circumstances where they will come in handy for marketing your company. A simple card may be best in certain situations, but a full fledged, information packed card that uses the front and back of your business card may be the best thing to give out in other circumstances.