Author, editor and writing coach Arnie Bernstein includes a writing tip or quote from a famous author on the back side of each of his business cards. Part of his social media strategy is to share writing tips branded as “Your Daily Word” which can be found at LinkedIn and other platforms. This use of his card’s reverse side seems an ideal way to reinforce his services and add value to his personal encounters.
Each card has a different message on the back so essentially every recipient gets one at random from a pool of choices. Bernstein accomplishes this by printing the cards himself on his Epson WorkForce inkjet printer using Avery Clean Edge matte white card stock, with 10 cards per page. The cards are microperforated and easy to separate so they don’t look ragged on the edges. A link to software with templates provided by Avery makes it easy for you to design your own card. His tips are numbered, suggesting to the recipient that this is just one of a large number available, sending a subtle message that the editor and writing coach is full of great ideas.
Writing Tip #83 Proofread out loud. The mind plays a trick. You know what you wrote, so when you proofread silently, you miss “too” when you meant “two.” By proofreading out loud you will “hear” your errors. And consider this: a missing letter in “public” can lead to unintended embarrassment. Proofread out loud to kill mortifying prose!
Writing Tip #94 Avoid the adverb “very.” It slows down and adds nothing to your sentences when they should be strong and declarative. As Mark Twain said: “Substitute ‘damn’ every time you’re inclined to write ‘very;’ your editor will delete it and the writing will be just as it should be.”
Bernstein says that this marketing technique is “inexpensive and the quotes make them stand out from the pack. So if they connect on some level, then they work. People still want business cards, which are also safer than sharing info via airdrop. I don’t put my Venmo on my card. Save that for after I get the client/connection.”
Utilizing the back of your business card is not uncommon, in fact doctors, hair salons and others often use this space for appointment reminders. Including team schedules and calendars is also a popular technique [page 49-50 “Turn Your Business Card Into Business”] that encourages people to retain and refer to your card over a period of time.
What tips could you share related to your business or service? How about a daily affirmation, joke or puzzle? Think about using this idea as a way to surprise and delight people you meet. Who doesn’t enjoy cracking open a fortune cookie and getting a secret message? This can be a similar experience.
Imagine a small group of people at a networking group each getting a different card and sharing the tip or message they received. What a great way to get people talking and even better the conversation is centered around you.
Think of this available blank space as a real word (rather than digital) social media opportunity. Use the same principles. Resist the urge to sell. Think in terms of sharing, connecting and building rapport with your recipient. Likely they have received the gift of your message in person so it is a chance to reinforce all of the goodwill you have garnered through that personal interaction.
Keep in mind, networking is not about selling, it is about connecting. The goal of a new encounter is to have your new contact walk away remembering that they met you. They only need to have a vague notion of how you might be of service to them or someone they know – – but they do need a mechanism to be able to find you when they need you, and a business card is often the best device to make that happen.
Most of the business cards you distribute will be discarded but they are inexpensive and in most cases they have already done their job of helping you make a memorable impression. Even the act of discarding your card means a person has to review your information one more time to determine if keeping the card has value or not, so that’s one more impression you have made. Of those that are retained, the only card that matters is the one that delivers a client back to you and I virtually guaranty that investment will be a thousand fold.
Well, this is just one more tip you can use to “Turn Your Business Card Into Business.”