13 March 2008
Start thinking about that little card of yours in a new way!

So, a business card holds your name, title, company logo and contact information, right?

Well, yes. But could it hold even more? That may be asking a lot ... you only have 3.5 x 2 inches of available space, so how much could you possibly fit on that little calling card? Where would you put it, and what would you add to your card if you could, anyway? Following are a few ideas ...

First, recall that there is a backside to that small business card, so if you have more to present than your "name, rank and serial number", make use of that second side! If you want to go a step further, you may consider a folding business card that opens to a size of 3.5 x 4 inches and affords you with a front, back and two inside panels. The suggestions below, however, will all work with well traditional 3.5 x 2 inch cards.

A Billboard - Measuring 3.5"x 2"!
Text and modestly-sized graphics set on a solid cardstock aren't the only way to design your business card. An effective and unexpected approach is to treat the second side of your card as a mini-billboard. Fill the entire side with a large, attractive photograph or other image bearing your brief but bold advertising message. Cardstock that is glossy on one or both sides would be a great choice for this type of card. All the typical information one expects will still fit nicely on the opposite side, but now your very graphic card stands out from the crowd.

An Invitation
If your business offers recurring seminars or your organization has regular meetings, use the backside of your card to invite the card recipient to an upcoming event. Invitations could be preprinted, such as "Join us for our next meeting on the second Thursday of the month at 5:30 at the Civic Center ..." or "You're invited to attend our next business seminar! Call our office for full details." Or, labeled blanks for a speech's title or seminar topic, the meeting place, date and time could be placed on the back and you can fill in the details by hand for a nice personal touch.

An Offer They Can't Refuse
Even a small 3.5 x 2 inch card can accommodate a small "punch section" with numbered boxes that you or your sales associates can punch out each time the client visits your store or makes a purchase. Once the punch card is full, the customer receives a discount or a special gift (and receives a fresh business card). It's a great way to induce customers to hold onto your card and frequent your business. Be sure to spell out the offer right on the card so the recipient understands its value.

A simpler version of this idea is to have your business card do double-duty as a coupon. Use the backside to offer the card holder an ongoing discount or one-time free gift when they present the card at your store or reference a code on the coupon side when calling you.

A Noteworthy Card
If you often talk to your prospects and find that you're jotting down price quotes, model numbers, or appointment dates, consider using side two of your business card specifically for those notes and accommodate them when designing your card. For example, you might include labeled lines to hold particular pieces of information that you will fill in. Or, leave the back more of a free-form note area with simple titling, such as "Notes", "Recommendations" or "Appointment Details" and perhaps an understated watermark or margin design for a bit of added interest.

A Wealth of Information
Is there useful information relevant to your business that you could supply on the second side of your business card? If your card becomes a reference piece, it's sure to be kept. Perhaps you could fill the back with a list of your products, or a subset of the products you offer. Are there industry terms that someone placing an order may encounter, but aren't common knowledge? If so, list terms and definitions. If weights and measures are relevant to your business, offer a list on the backside with conversion information. If your business is gift-related, list gift-giving holidays by month and encourage card holders to remember that "special someone". Ideas can be very specific to your business, for example, a florist might offer floral suggestions based on the symbolic meaning of the flowers, such as "Love: Red Roses", "Devotion: Lily" and so on. 

We hope this gets you thinking about that little card of yours in a new way!