My business card is crap?
Amid this slow-job-recovery I've seen more than a couple articles, news items, and YouTube videos speaking to the enduring importance of the business card - one that leaves an impression. I couldn't agree more about the following:
1. As a marketing medium, the business card is as relevant as it's ever been.
2. One's business card should be memorable (i.e. leave an impression).
However, let me stop right there. If you've seen this piece on CBS Sunday Morning, or (heaven forbid) watched this guy's YouTube video, you're getting only about half the picture in my humble opinion. There's a difference between being memorable and being meaningful.
I rarely say never, but it applies here. Never, never, never evaluate your marketing activities by starting with a single medium (in this case the business card). If you do, you're missing the point. Begin instead with your customer, your product or service, your message, your brand promise. What are your marketing goals, objectives? How do you want to be perceived by your customers? What do you want them to do? How much can you reasonably spend marketing your message? Only after you've thoughtfully pondered these bigger questions should you begin to approach your media, whether billboard or business card. In other words, don't look at any medium in a vacuum. It tends to narrow and distort ones marketing planning, ideas and perceived options. This applies to any size business.
Now, let's say you've done your marketing homework, and you're ready to address your business cards (no pun intended). When it comes to business cards there's thinking and then there's over-thinking. I'm not saying a business card can't be different, but in light of one's goals, budget and overall media mix, what makes the most sense? Is it necessary for you to reinvent the wheel (e.g. spend $8 per card making it pop-up, fold out, sparkle or whatever gimmick you want to throw in)? Most business cards I would rate as ineffective simply try too hard. They say too much, pack in too many visuals and copy, use too many colors and generally lack any subtlety or design sense. The result can be perceived as busy, difficult to understand, amateurish and even obnoxious. Is this the impression you want to leave with someone? Sometimes, a little de-cluttering, selective copy editing, and uniform design on a premium, heavy paper stock goes a long way in improving the effectiveness of a business card (and doesn't break the bank). Don't rely on your business card to do too much or to portray you as someone you're not.
If you're Joel Bauer, a self-proclaimed all-in-one life coach / motivational speaker / self-help guru, claiming to have reinvented the business card over a 25 year period is what you have to do to get noticed. Or, then again, maybe all you have to do is film a two minute YouTube video lambasting everyone else's business cards while defending the merits of your own. Get my point?
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Andy Slipher came to me strongly recommended and then exceeded this high praise. My company was investing in a multi-million dollar systems conversion and requested building internal awareness and excitement. The mandate was to create a consistent buzz from the grass roots to the executive suite across five business units. For an initiative that, at first blush, sounds pretty boring and mundane, Andy partnered with me to create a unique and widely lauded marketing campaign. Thanks to his talents to capture the right pitch, tone and timing of a stream of messages which were reinforced with eye-capturing images, my company’s Marketing Communications Department got A+ marks from the Chairman, senior executives and employees. Even the software vendor – an industry leader – and business process consultant applauded us. The consultant commented: I must say in all my years working with newspapers to manage and communicate change, you have done THE absolute best I’ve ever seen. 
Meg F., Communications Manager, Marketing & Sales Force Effectiveness
The Dallas Morning News
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