Archive for October, 2011
What Should Your Business Card Say?
Are you planning to start your own business? Do you work from your home? Are you employed at a company where you have a specific job title and function? If any of these are true or if you want to offer freelance services to the community, a business card may be one of your first steps in making others aware of your goods and services.
A business card is your calling card, post card, appointment reminder, and contact piece all printed on one small card. That is what makes this multi-purpose item so useful. A resourceful businessperson will want to make the most of this unique advertising strategy, since business cards can sit on someone’s desk, find a place in a Rolodex, join others of its kind in a wallet, and be posted on a bulletin board. Dozens or even hundreds of passersby may view your card, depending on where it is placed.
With all of the speedy online printing services available, or using popular software applications, you can have a stack of business cards in your palm within a day or two, or no longer than a week in most cases. Yet this is a promotional tool that should not be rushed. Take your time to map out this marketing strategy to maximize its benefits for your business.
1. Consider the color. You can choose from a fiery neon shade, a soft pastel, a neutral tone, or even a design with a decorative border. Keep in mind the type of readers who will receive the card. Conservative staffers in large corporations may prefer a subtle card with a low-key, professional image. But a creative advertising display could grab the attention of marketers and sales managers. Attractive, color-sensitive images may draw the attention of everyday customers or those who shop from home and enjoy the attractive appearance of your thoughtfully designed piece. You can use color on one side or two.
2. Lay out the print. Practice with a sheet of paper or on your computer screen to get the look and feel you want in a card. Experiment with different fonts and type sizes for proportionate spacing and headings as well as neatly designed spaces. If you don’t have one already, create a logo for your company that will serve as an instant identification item when people come across advertisements for your business.
3. Arrange the information. You may want your name and title to be the biggest parts of the card, with contact information and other service options printed in smaller type. On the back of the card, you might decide to place additional details about your product or services, although you won’t want to overwhelm the reader with too much information. Keep the overall effect simple and readable.
Your business card announces your presence in the world of commerce, so make it a welcome piece that will incite readers’ interest and enthusiasm in what you have to offer.
What is in a Business Plan? The Key Sections
A business plan’s contents are no secret. Many books, articles, and courses describe the major sections of a business plan. Although variations exist, there are key sections common to most outlines in business planning literature.
Executive Summary
An executive summary, generally one page to a few pages at most, covers all of the main points of the business plan to come.
Company Overview or Description
The next section begins with an overview of the current situation of the company. This covers who the founders are and why they started the company, what the products or services offered are or will be, and what steps have been taken toward the launch to date.
Market Analysis
Sections detailing research and analysis done on the market for the business come next. This should begin with an overview of the market or industry, including its size, breakup, and trends it is experiencing going forward. Data on the specific customer segments and competitors for the new business follow.
Marketing Plan
A marketing plan then covers what is generally called the 4 Ps of Marketing: Product (description of the products or services offered), Promotion (the promotional tactics to be used), Pricing (the pricing strategy for the business), and Place (the location for a retail facility or other means of distribution for the product or service).
Operations and Management Plans
The next section or sections detail the plan for how the company will operate and be managed. This must include details on who the managers are and their qualifications, whether they are partners or hired employees.
Financial Plan
The business plan continues with a description of the financial results the business intends to see, and the underlying cost and revenue assumptions. The financial section also details the amount of capital needed, what the funding will be used for, and the sources of funding that are being sought.
Appendices
Finally, a business plan concludes with appendices of documents which support the plan further. The appendices include full pro forma financial statements (income statement, balance sheet, cash flow statement) as well.
Business Cards: The Other Side
All of us have business cards. Most of us have standard-size cards, printed on one side. How much more mileage could you get from your cards by using both sides?
There are lots of uses for the back of a business card. Why not try one (or more) of these? If you print your own business cards on the computer, you can make short runs of different types and see what works best for you.
Put a map of your location on the back, with directions on how to get there. Print one or more client testimonials, with their names. To repay them for taking the time to give a testimonial, you could also list a web address or other info for them. List your specialties, topics, or other information about your products and services. For example, a massage therapist might list the modalities they employ. Show a picture of your book cover or product. The visual will help them to remember it. Make your card a coupon for a free consultation, a dollar or percentage discount, gift with purchase, or other value. Consider using an expiration date, or print “Offer good through,” and leave a space where you can write in an expiration date. List your seminar schedule. Give instructions for subscribing to your ezine or newsletter. Print quotes or sayings. In the Franklin Covey store they give out cards with beautifully printed quotes on one side and their contact information on the other. Print a product or service description from your catalog. You might want to leave off the price, or state a date the price is good through. You don’t want someone showing up 10 years from now trying to claim an outdated price. Put a survey or response card on the back, and promise a free gift (such as a booklet) when they respond. Of course, also send them another card. Print a form to encourage people to pass your card along as a referral. Hand write a note, or print a note in one of the handwriting fonts. It could be something like, “I enjoyed meeting you! Please call me the next time you need an attorney.” Put short (clean) jokes on the back of your card. Use a variety of jokes, not just one or two. These make a great icebreaker at a networking event.
Whatever you do, make sure you always have a supply of your business cards with you. And give them out to as many people as you can!