Business Card to Business Blog

AR Biz Cards the Future?

What do you know about augmented reality business cards? Is this a glimpse into the future? Here are a number of video demonstrations I found on YouTube.

In short – - an augmented reality card has a printed target typically printed on the reverse side. When you scan the target with your webcam it displays some sort of 3D (three dimensional) image or simple animation. Consider how this can be used. Is it just a novelty or can you see some practial applications. I’d like to read your comments.

If you are looking for a more in depth explanation of this technology check out this article – - http://www.adobe.com/devnet/flash/articles/bow_cards.html

Two Guys on Business

Had a great interview with two guys on business; talking about business cards, networking, QR codes, web video, cell phones and more. Tune in and check it out. Here.

Listen to internet radio with 2 Guys on Business on Blog Talk Radio

Is Selling Girl Scout Coookies Good Business Experience?

Here is a link to an article about selling Girl Scout cookies and whether it is valid business experience. I left my comments at the Fort Wayne Sentinel. You can do the same or share your thoughts here which is easier.

Authors Must Learn to Sell What They Write

By Yvonne Perry – Guest Blogger

Many a writer aspires to be a published author—by any method whether self-publishing or being accepted by one of the “big six publishing houses,” such as Hachette Book Group, HarperCollins, Macmillan, Penguin Group, Random House, or Simon & Schuster, or one of their imprints (subsidiaries). What most new authors don’t realize is that once a book is published, it requires a lot of time, effort, and money to market it. The book, like any other product other than toilet paper, won’t sell itself; it has to be presented to its target market over and over.

Promoting a book can become a lot like owning a business. I learned this the hard way when I published More Than Meets the Eye, True Stories About Death, Dying, and Afterlife (http://deathdyingafterlife.com) in 2005. I knew little about book marketing at the time, so the book didn’t start selling until two years later when I published my second book, Winning the Political and Religious Wars Over Stem Cell Research in America. That’s when I paid a publicist about $3,000 to do my book marketing for me.

The mistake many newbie authors make is becoming too attached to their book and not allowing others to critique it or suggest changes for improvement. Another error is not having a professional editor help them develop the book or at least provide a copy edit. Most authors assume this service is too expensive and will skip this very important step in bringing a book to the market. I’ve heard things like: “I had my friends proofread my book and they didn’t find any errors,” or “My cousin is a high school teacher and she said it is a great book.” That’s like going to the dentist to buy lip gloss! Even an English teacher cannot provide the same level of editorial assistance that a book editor can. Because an editor knows the book industry and the reader market, he or she can offer consultation about publishing methods and important tips about what makes a book appealing to readers. That’s in addition to having extensive knowledge about various style guides, acceptable word usage, character development, transitions, making dialog work, formatting, and being able to assist with publisher query letters and book proposals.

A book is a product and must be sellable. It’s not just about packaging. A poorly-written book ,with a so-so cover, or an ambiguous title/subtitle that lacks keywords is not as marketable as a page-turner that jumps off the shelf and causes the reader to say, “This is just what I’m looking for.” That reader becomes a fan and automatically starts helping you promote your book via word of mouth. If I don’t enjoy a book, I won’t write a review (at least not a positive one) or recommend the book to others.

I had a “first” last week when an author I am working with told me he wasn’t sure he was ready to be an author because of the time he would need to spend marketing his book. Usually, new authors have no idea of the amount of time and energy involved in successful authorship. I recommend authors do as many of the following things as possible:

Create a marketing plan
Maintain a blog specifically for the book
Get domain names and build a Web site for the book
Query to obtain radio and TV interviews
Be available to record radio and TV interviews
Create promotional videos and post them to YouTube and other social sites
Conduct a book tour (in-person or online)
Participate in the launch of other authors’ books
Do an Amazon launch campaign
Write and send media releases
Write and post articles to online article directories
Write and send articles to print magazines
Participate in online forums pertaining to the topic of your book
social marketing such as Facebook or Twitter
Comment on and link to other peoples’ blogs

I am employing these methods in promoting my latest book, Whose Stuff Is This? Finding Freedom from the Thoughts, Feelings, and Energy of Those Around You (http://whosestuffisthis.com).

In an age of social marketing, we authors are able to befriend and interact with our readers. Because I had built the buzz the entire time I was writing the book, I sold two copies of the e-book within a matter of hours after its debut on Amazon’s Kindle Store: http://tinyurl.com/EmpathKindle . I have a virtual tour planned for February 28 through March 28 to launch the printed version of this book to help people who unknowingly take on the burdens of others at the expense of their own well-being. See the tour schedule at http://tinyurl.com/EmpathTour .

I became a freelance writer and the owner of Writers in the Sky Creative Writing Services (http://writersinthesky.com) when I established my company in 2003. I quickly learned that in order to help people find me, I had to spend as much time marketing the business as I did working for clients. Now, as an author, I spend as much time writing and marketing my own books as I do marketing my writing and editing services and writing for clients. It’s like having two businesses. The way I manage this dual effort is by 1.) collaborating with a team of editors and writers to help me with client projects, 2.) hiring an assistant to help with marketing and administrative work, and 3.) being very selective about the clients I work with personally.

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My blog is participating in a 28-day virtual tour for Yvonne Perry’s new book titled Whose Stuff Is This? Finding Freedom from the Thoughts, Feelings, and Energy of Those Around You. Yesterday, Yvonne visited The Shift Guru Radio Show. Today, she is my guest blogger. I hope you enjoy the article she wrote why authors must learn to marketing their books.

Tomorrow’s blog stop will be at A Blogger’s Books. You can see her complete tour schedule at http://tinyurl.com/EmpathTour.

Networking Card

I have been a long time proponent of using a business card whether you are looking for a job or looking for new clients and customers. I have also said that you can have more than one card if you want to share specific information with a specific audience. Well it seems that vistaprint agrees as I have noticed recently that they have a category called networking cards. They suggest you might want to add a photo of yourself, which I agree in this instance could be helpful, because it is a great reminder of who you are when the recipient looks at the card days or weeks after meeting you. Vistaprint also suggest that you can use the back of the card as a kind of a mini resume which is a particularly good idea if you are job hunting. So whether you’re looking for employment or customers get out and meet more people – - and don’t forget to seal the deal with a business (or networking) card.

For those of you looking for job here are a few interview tips.

Fishing for ideas

Please sit back, relax and enjoy this short 1 minute video with gold fish, and angel fish in an aquarium as you meditate on ways to grow your business and be more successful.

Make Your Business Card Presentation Memorable

Guest Blogger: Leah Delaney

Its not easy to impress people, let alone encourage them to spend their hard earned money on the products or services you offer. If you want to gather a good number of loyal customers, you need to show and tell them that you are worth their time and money. Keep in mind that the economy is tough these days, and with more and more people getting picky and tightening their belts when it comes to their expenses, it becomes critically important to convince people that you worth their investment.

Theres no reason to worry though if you want to get the best exposure for your business. You need not spend a lot of your marketing dollars just to convince people that you can be trusted. There is actually one simple marketing tool you can use to achieve all that – - the business card.

These simple cards are a basic in any business, especially startup businesses. When you are going around introducing your business, these cards are what you need. You need to have a handful of them with you anywhere you go.

But, how do you make your card long lasting and memorable? Putting something unusual or interesting in your card will make it memorable, but there other ways you can do to make it more unforgettable:

Put something unusual in your card such as a flower, ribbon, or even a hole. This can be a creative way to catch attention with your card. If people as what the design in your card means, be sure to give a catchy response. Say, the flower represents how fragrant their home will be if they use your home fragrant, or the hole represents the tear your adhesive can prevent. Just anything creative and catchy to keep your car memorable.

Put a sticker, a photo of yourself, or a stamp to make your card outstanding. You can even add your thumbprint or your signature to your business card templates. You can basically do anything creative to your card. This is your chance to get creative and use your imagination. Anything outrageous will surely help people remember you.

Use a stylish, strange business card holder. The card holder is basically used to keep your card in neat and pristine condition. You would not want to hand out a card that is dingy, right? But aside from keeping your cards neat and organized, your card holder can also be a great conversation starter. If people see how unusual it is they are likely to make a comment and from there you can get the conversation going. This will also tell people how important your cards are for you, so they should do the same when you hand them your card.

You can also practice the Japanese way of handing out a business card: use both your hands. People will surely notice it and see your card as something valuable.

If you know a magic trick, show it to your prospects when handing out your card. This would surely impress them and remember you every time they see your card.

If you receive cards, make sure to look at it for a few seconds. You can make a comment or two and then put it carefully in your card holder. This will show the other person how much you value their card and might as well do the same to your card.

About the Author:Leah Delaney is specializing in writing articles on a printing company. Try to visit this page for more tips about business cards and find the best place for free downloadable business card templates for your different design ideas.

Articles Source: ezinemark.com