Business cards are items that every business has, but few use as anything more than a communicator of name, rank and serial number. These get handed out simply hoping for a sale to come from it. Hope does not make sales. Good marketing makes sales.



Here are seven tips to take a simple business card and make it a powerful selling tool for your company.

1. Free recorded message

The three most powerful words in advertising are "free recorded message." Having a message that shares valuable information with consumers attracts those who are interested in what you have to offer, and gives them a way to learn more without fear of being pressured by a live salesperson. It also lends credibility because when something is recorded and put out in the public, people will trust the message more. Set up your educational free recorded message, and advertise this on your business card: Consumer Awareness 24-Hour Free Recorded Message 555-1212.

2. Secondary way to respond. Promoting your website on your business cards, and sharing what they can learn from your site, is also another way to leverage your business card as a selling tool. Your website is your full-color brochure, so driving prospects to the site to learn more about the value you have to offer gives you the opportunity to make a sale. Using testimonials on the site to show social proof on how great your company is and sharing expertise through tips and other information will robotically create a selling process to convert interested prospects into ready-to-buy customers. Use your business card to get them to your website.

3. A big, bold guarantee

Competence in business starts with guaranteeing your work, so if you cannot give a guarantee then you shouldn't be in business. Guarantees remove the fear of people working with you, and they can greatly boost your sales conversion rates, so be sure to put your bold guarantee on your business cards. Maybe it's your unconditional "100% Money-Back Guarantee" that if they are not thrilled with your work they not only get their money back, but you'll make a donation to their favorite charity. You may have one or two people take advantage of your guarantee to get something for free, but the number of jobs you'll get from a bold guarantee will dwarf the few bad eggs.

4. A compelling offer

Use a compelling offer on your card that speaks to the benefits of what you provide and remove the risk of them choosing you. Think about what your prospects really want and why, and then craft an offer that speaks to that want and makes it easy for them to say "yes." Determine your compelling offer and incorporate it on your business cards.

5. A referral tool

Use your business cards as referral tools. By implementing a referral reward program in your company, you can have clients distribute your cards to friends with an offer on the back of the card that gives new customers a "new client" discount, and also has a space to show which existing client was the source of the referral. Clients who refer multiple people who become your clients can receive rewards like coupons, cash and other gifts. The program makes your existing clients into your sales force, out there spreading your name in the marketplace at a fraction of the cost of running ads in media.

6. Use testimonials

Use social proof on your business cards through printing testimonial comments on the back side, or directing them to other sources of social proof (recorded comments from your clients) or website (posted testimonials from clients). You can say you are the best in town, but other people's words will always be a thousand times more persuasive in convincing others to do business with you.

7. A frequent buyer program/prize drawing

Transform your business card into a frequent buyer card, where the back side can be stamped to show multiple sales. A certain number of sales can lead to a free product or service. You could also use the "completed" card as a ticket in a drawing for a prize you give away on a regular basis. This gives them a reason to return to you, and a reason to keep your card handy instead of crammed into a "mystery drawer" at home.