"Your business card is one of your most important marketing items because it's generally the most used out of all your marketing materials. When you meet a business contact, you generally give them your business card rather than a brochure, right? (At least I hope you do. If not, you might want to check out some marketing/business card etiquette articles!)



To get the most out of your business card printing budget, you need to design your business card creatively. You still need all the basic information – the business name, your name and title, phone numbers, street address and email address – but you need to kick up the design element a notch for people to hang on to your card.

Don't be afraid to get a little creative – a black-and-white card with a logo on it says “classy,” but it also says “boring.” Here are some ways to spruce up your business card to enhance its staying power so people will keep it and use it.

Make it informative

Using the back of the card for valuable information can be a lifesaver. This gives people a reason to keep your card, even if they don't have any current intentions of using it. Just by getting people to keep your card in their wallet or Rolodex means they'll see your name from time to time, which helps them remember you, and if you have valuable info people can refer to, you'll be seen as helpful as well.

Many companies put a calendar or local emergency phone numbers on the back of a card, which are great ideas. But how about making that valuable info more connected to your business? For instance, a computer consultant could list some keyboard shortcuts on the back of his card or a personal trainer could list easy exercises that can be done anywhere on the back of her business card. If your industry has common information that consumers would appreciate having a reference to, put it on the back of your card so people will keep it handy.

Make it a referral

If you have a business that works well off of referrals, turn your business card into a referral card. Give current customers a few referral cards to give out to their friends. Leave a space for the current customer's name or ask for the current customer's name when a referral comes in. Offer your current customer a discount or a free product or service for each referral. I found my current eye doctor this way through a friend's referral and I encouraged my husband to go see this guy too. My friend and I both saved $50 on our next visit. Fifty dollars off was a great incentive for me to pass on the word and the doc's card, and I did.

Use the back as a billboard

Don't ignore the back of your business card. If you don't want to use it for a calendar or if your industry doesn't easily lend itself to short, useful lists (see the “Make it informative” section of this article), use the back as your own personal billboard. Design the back as you would a billboard, with eight words or less that communicate your advertising message. You could just print your tagline on the back if you can't think of anything else.

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