Business Cards- think of them as miniature billboard signs!

Business cards come in lots of different shapes, sizes, and colors.They use different fonts, some are printed only on the front, some on both sides, some have lots of info, some only the basics. And some are really done well. Most are not so great. But sadly there is one thing almost every business has in common; they are under-valued and under-utilized.

The first and most important thing about your business cards is of course how they look. Your card should contain at minimum the name of your business, address, phone, fax, email, and website. If you are a retail store owner, you will want a set of cards with the store name only, and a set with the store name and your name. Do yourself a huge favor and do not have the cards with your name on them at the front counter. If you use them as your primary card, everyone who comes into the store will ask for YOU. That might sound okay right now, but in the long run, you really don't want to be that accessible to everyone. The cards with your name on them are the ones you use at trade shows, chamber meetings; they are your personal/business card. Your standard card is the Shop only card and that is the one you will hand out most often.

A retail store needs to have very fixed days and hours. It's okay to open MORE often for special things, but it is never okay to open less than your posted hours. That said, having your days and hours posted on your cards can be a really good idea.

If your store name is somewhat ambiguous- like Annie's Attic, then you definitely need to say what the store is. Hopefully in the form of a tag line. Here's one example of a lovely sounding tag line; Annie's Attic-where memories and fun come together! One problem though, it STILL doesn't say what you DO. Here's another example; Just Add Photos; Custom Framing, Scrapbook Supplies, Classes, and Fun! Now we know what the store does. Don't assume something is clear, it's a case of not being able to see the forest for the trees. Asking a complete stranger their opinion, or a few of them can be really helpful.

The next thing to pay attention to is what your cards are printed on. You cannot tell how a card will feel by handling a large piece of paper. You need to handle the different weight stocks in a business card size. Get a really high weight stock, it doesn't cost much more and you will be surprised at how many people notice the difference and comment on it. If you are a scrapbook store owner, you are in the paper industry- so use excellent quality. No matter what industry you are in, quality matters, and good- really good business cards stand out. As to what color stock you should use, white is good, so is ivory, and any color at all in between white and ivory. Stay away from anything more distinctive; it will look dated and cheesy real quick. And just to be clear,printing your own business cards is just not a quality statement.

Obviously the next point is what is on your card besides the text. Let me start with what doesn't go on your card- photos of you, your staff, your store unless it is just amazing beyond words, photos of scrapbook pages, embellishments, or anything that will at some point become dated looking. This is when it counts to have a professionally designed logo, and definite "colors". Don't busy up the background, and don't put a bunch more info. People look at business cards for your business name, where you are located, your contact info, and whatever note you wrote on the back of the card. You do not need to laundry list everything you do or have, just the facts ma'am.

Fonts are so much fun and there are literally thousands and thousands to choose from-don't get real artsy here. Use a font that is easy to read,and bear in mind two important distinctions about the over 40 crowd. They typically have the most disposable income and they need reading glasses. So make your font size big enough to be seen by over 40 eyes. I can't tell you what that is because every font is different, but you can print out several sizes on your own computer and see for yourself. If you're fortunate enough not to have that problem (just wait), then ask some friends for their opinion. It makes a big difference!

In good design, maintaining a strong amount of white space (blank space) is critical; your eye needs a place to rest. Think about the most highly visible logos we have in the U.S.; Target has the red bulls-eye on a white background, Nike is known for it's swoosh in black or orange on a white background, Starbucks is instantly identifiable by it's white block text in a green background circling a black line drawing. Starbucks however has achieved a near cult status, and it can get away with a lot. In any solid color, an upright apple with a bite taken out of the right side- we all know Apple's logo the second we see it; even their music commercials are just solid colors.

These logos are so strongly entrenched in our conscious and sub-conscious minds that we do not even need to see or hear the name to know what company they represent; it's called branding. And branding is not just for the big guys. Branding your small business is just as valuable for the small business owner. By creating recognition of your store name, your logo, your colors (and that's a big piece of what branding is right there), you are making it easier and faster for customers to spot your ads, your signs, anything having to do with your store. How does this relate to the design of your business cards? Those cards, those mini billboard signs should be absolutely representative of your branding. This is important stuff Grasshopper!

Hand out at least 10 business cards every single day. Handing out your business cards are kind of like releasing a bunch of helium balloons with notes in them . You just never know where they are gonna land, or who they are going to lead to your store. Hand your business cards over with respect. In Japan, a business card is taken quite seriously, they are never in a gentleman's back pocket where he sits on them; they are in a jacket pocket. They are handed to another person with two hands holding them, and with a bow. The receiving party accepts the card with both hands and a bow, and for just a brief few seconds, both parties hold the card at the same time; it is a matter of respect. We on the other hand dig in the bottom of our purses and find one that isn't too crumbled, with the fewest crushed corners, the fewest dents and mars. We pull them out of a leather wallet with a curve formed by close proximity to a certain part of the body. We flick them over to another person as though they are nothing, are of little importance. I'm going to ask you to add a tiny bit more ceremony; give the cards that represent your livelihood more respect. And use them- as often as possible. When you tell someone about a restaurant you like, write it down on the back of one of your cards, but hand it over with your business name up. Make a point to always tell people, this is my store, you can reach me there if you need to. And I'd love to have you stop by sometime and let me show you what we do. Many times people will say they have always wanted to scrapbook, or their sister-in-law does, or they have lots of things that need to be framed and they just haven't had time to bring them to someone. Be sure you offer a second card to pass on to the sister-in-law. Offer to pick the items up for framing-go out of your way to do business. That card with the restaurant name? Maybe that person isn't a scrapper, has no photos to be framed, isn't interested in professional photography. But the name of your business, the nice exchange they had with you, and very possibly even that card stick around for a long long time. And you just never know who it will make it's way to. It's not so hard to hand out 10 cards a day in this way- and over time it will increase your business, your brand recognition, and your bottom line.