The business card has stood the test of time as one of the most effective marketing tools a company can employ. The reason is simple – it features your contact information, and is easy to carry and pass along. While most auto upholstery shops have the basics of a good business card down – shop name, slogan, phone number and address; there are other bits of information that can be added to enhance its usefulness.
Below are four additions you should consider making to your next order of business cards.
1. Include a Map
Whether you’re handing someone a business card or someone else is doing it for you, the first question recipients often ask is where your shop is located. Make it easy for potential customers to find your shop by printing a map on the backside of your business card. Nothing too fancy – just a drawing of how to get to your garage from the nearest main road or recognizable landmark. Maps are especially helpful for shops located on back roads.
2. Leave Space for Estimates
If you don’t need a map, consider printing lines on the backside of your business card to write notes or estimates. With the number of customers you see per week, it can be difficult to keep track of price quotes. Detail the job and cost on the reverse side of a card before handing it to a customer, and instruct him/her to bring it back when ready to have the job done. This way both you and the customer are reminded of the cost. Just be sure not to order glossy business cards – as the ink will smear.
3. Consider Quick Response Codes
Quick Response (QR) codes are barcodes that smart phones scan to access information on a product or company. With the popularity of QR codes on the rise, it’s a good idea to make one for your business and print it on your card. These barcodes can hold far more information than a business card, and may link directly to your website or social networking page. Search for “quick response code generators” in Google for a list of sites that offer QR codes for free.
4. Feature Your Online Presence
If QR codes are too advanced for you – no problem. But at least print your shop’s website, email address and social networking accounts (Facebook/Twitter) on your business card. The days of only having a phone number and address are long gone. To compete in today’s business environment, you need a virtual presence as well.
Of course, don’t forget the simple stuff that never change. Keep your business card at 3.5” x 2” so that it fits into a wallet or Rolodex; use bold, clear fonts so that the information is easy to read; and if your company has a branded logo and color scheme, stick to it.
Are your business cards unique? Share with us any tips or tricks you’ve used to make your business cards stand out and be more useful in the comments section below.
Loved the tip about getting a bar code for our business. never entered my mind, but wow the possibilities that can lead to.
good article! I will admit my buisness cards are somewhat boring.
Ok maby they suck…. They are straight to the point with no color. I have a picture of a streetrod on the back but that’s about it. I did come across this website a while back that has hundreds of ideas though. Definitely worth a look.
http://stocklogos.com/topic/ultimate-creative-business-cards-collection
That’s an awesome some! It gave me a lot of great ideas, thanks.
That’s a great link Tip – thanks for sharing it. So many great ideas…
I paid a professional graphics artist and illustrator to design my business cards. He has a lot of automotive and hot-rod style work in his portfolio. The simple black on white design leaves a blank white back for notes, estimates or anything else you want to jot down for the prospective customer. I had them printed on much heavier 16pt cover stock. I always get comments on how sturdy the card is. It makes an impression I had not expected.
As an occasional graphic designer, I wanted to toss my two bits in.
Demand quality – just like your customers, you have the right to quality work. Check the cards when you get them, all too often there are errors in the cutting, and you can see the print on an angle when the card rests on the table.
Don’t clutter the card. Too much info is as bad as too little. A cluttered card is harder to read.
If you can, get a business package – cards, letterhead & envelopes at the same time. It looks more professional, and makes sure everything matches.
Finally, if you have the cards done professionally, request the artwork, fonts and layouts on a CD so you can have a copy, and take the CD elsewhere if you need to. The artwork should be in an EPS file – it is the preferred standard.
Lastly, don’t be afraid to experiment, letting a designer have free rein is likely to get something unique that no one else has – and that makes you stand out!
All great tips, thanks Geoff!
For those of you who do not have Corel Draw or Adobe Photoshop/Illustrator skills… Try using http://www.vistaprint.com under search type in sewing and you’ll find some cool business card templates.
Do include the following info:
Business name/logo
Contact Name
telephone # or Cell #
webpage, facebook, myspace, or other
email address
Less noise (pictures advertisment) will attract a better eye (will make you more noticeable)… Meaning, if you put a picture of your work, make sure it does not interfere with your information so that it can be better noticed by the eye.
Make it a point that the phone # is large enough for the customer to see easily. The phone # is one most important piece of information on the business card and most of the time it is the smallest.