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Why free business cards just don't cut it |
By:
Mark Knerr |
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If something sounds to good to be true, it probably is.
In our world of rampant consumerism and endless freebies, it's
good to keep this old adage in mind - especially when you're a
small business owner looking to make a splash with new business
cards.
Free business cards may sound like a great way to shave a couple
of dollars off the old operating budget, but what will the
standard backside advertisements and generic backgrounds that
accompany these freebies say about how competent and serious an
entrepreneur you really are?
If you are of the mindset that a card is just a card, you should
keep in mind that your short-term savings may have some
undesirable long-term repercussions. These may include:
Bad first impressions: You have three business cards in front of
you. Two are printed on cheap paper, while the third is splashed
in a photo-glossy finish. Which of those is most likely to
capture your attention and curiosity and make it into your
wallet? Which of those will most likely scream out 'amateur
cheapskate' and knock the professional image you are so
desperately trying to portray? You guessed it.
Misguided attention: If your prospective client is distracted
from your business card by the advertisement on the back, he may
be thinking more about free business cards and less about your
company's service. This type of co-branding sort of defeats the
whole purpose of having a client's full attention, does it not?
Lost potential: The backside of one's business card can be a
great place to include information about your company or include
a voucher or rebate that will actually make your card valuable.
It's hard to do that when you are competing with advertisement
from the guy who printed your free business cards.
In the end, free business cards really only benefit the very
companies that are supposedly cutting you a break. Customized
business cards, on the other hand, come across as more
professional and allow you to have full control in expressing
just what your business believes in and stands for. In the end,
it will actually go a long way in grabbing someone's attention
and making your company more competitive in the business world.
After all, nothing in life comes for free. Better not to learn
that lesson the hard way.
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Article Source: http://www.powerdirectory.net/articles/article50610.html |
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