You might be wondering what all the talk about business cards is about.
Why should you have one?
A business card, in the simplest possible terms, is a portable
advertisement, targeted only to the people who can make the most
difference in terms of your business's success or failure.
To see why business cards can make such a difference in the health of
your business, think about the classic methods of advertising. Each of
them has significant advantages, too--but each also carries a
significant disadvantage.
For example, take mass media advertising. Most local independent
newspapers carry advertising for local businesses, as do magazines and
the larger city papers. Print advertising has the advantage of carrying
a great deal of information, and of reaching a wide audience. In even a
fairly small ad--say two inches by two inches of page space--a creative
graphic artist can include contact information, some details on exactly
what services the business provides, and even a catchy slogan or piece
of artwork to give the business an identity and to make it memorable
when your prospective client picks up the phone or fires up the
keyboard. And if the paper or magazine has a sufficiently high
circulation across all levels of the city's population--young, old,
professional, non-professional--then your advertisement can reach
people whom you otherwise wouldn't be able to meet, people who might
have a strong need for exactly what you're providing.
However, print advertising also carries with it several major
disadvantages, not least of which is price. Although advertising in
small-circulation specialty papers is comparatively cheap (maybe $100
for a sixteenth-of-a-page ad, or even a half-page), there's a tradeoff
in terms of potential audience and their willingness to use your
services. For larger papers or high-circulation magazines, the price of
advertising can climb, in some cases even into the thousand-dollar
range. High-volume businesses can offset these costs in revenue, but
for small or client-based businesses, a print advertisement can mean
the difference between profit and loss--and not to your business's
advantage.
Radio or TV advertising is also a popular option for many businesses:
for a few hundred dollars, you can buy advertising space in popular
programs or between music playlists. Radio and TV advertising has the
potential to reach an even wider audience than print advertising, and
the increased technological possibilities--music, a good announcer,
even short skits or memorable jingles--can both give potential
customers a good sense of your business and make your business
memorable and appealing.
But radio… There's also a significant cost issue to consider:
while one radio spot during peak hours might cost only $50-100, one
radio spot is unlikely to reach exactly those listeners who will both
benefit from your business and be willing to contact you about your
services. In order to make radio advertising a workable option, you'll
need to spend money on more than one spot: hourly ads, ads on multiple
days of the week, around the clock. And even though the cost of a
single ad is low, the cost of multiple spots quickly adds up. And
considering the increased production cost for radio and TV
advertising--recording equipment, editing tools, talent, and even
potential licensing fees for music or images--radio and TV advertising
is often out of the reach of a startup or low-volume business, and
often not the most cost-effective option even for an established
business owner.
One might consider a billboard the queen of advertisements. Billboards
are large, reach the greatest audience of all, and make a dramatic
statement not only about your business, but about the success and
financial solvency of the business owner.
This article has presented a set of very valid points to you about
using business cards. Business cards are a great promotional vehicle.
Find
out ways to make money using these ideas
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