For a long time, business cards had one purpose: sharing your business information with other people. While these cards can still perform this function, you can do more with your business cards in surprising ways. Put on your creative cap and check out these things to do with business cards.
Create a Referral Network
No business exists in a vacuum. Whatever your business does, from tutoring college students to providing waste management, depends on other businesses. Use this interdependence to your advantage and partner with relative, non-competitive businesses. You can include their information on the back of your business card or trade business cards so some of your cards are at their business and vice versa.
Suppose your business tutors college students. You could partner with a local coffee shop near a college campus. Put their information on the back of your cards or place their business card next to yours in the waiting area.
Use Your Card To Teach
Giving your card multiple purposes doesn’t just surprise and delight recipients; it also ensures your card doesn’t end up in the trash. Choose relevant facts or information and print them somewhere on your business card. While you can choose a fun fact for the recipient to learn, add something that will require continuous study. For example, if you’re a waste management company, print the local trash and recycling collection schedule on your card. People will need to check this information regularly, so they’ll keep your card handy.
Give Your Card a Second Purpose
If you don’t want to add helpful information to your card, you can still give it another purpose besides advertising your business. As we mentioned previously, experimenting with new materials is sometimes necessary. For example, you could print a long, thin, plastic, rectangular card that shares the necessary information about your bookstore while doubling as a bookmark. While the information hasn’t changed, the presentation has—since the card has a helpful second use, recipients are more likely to keep it.
Advocate for a Charity
Your business card can do more than help you and related businesses. It can also do good for your community. If you can fit all the necessary information on the front of your card, then you can use the back to advocate for a local charity. Share the name, location, and business hours of this charity, as well as what help they need. Your advocacy will give the charity the exposure it needs and change how card recipients view your business. You’re not just advertising yourself; you’re advocating a way to help others, and they’ll appreciate that selflessness.
We Can Help
You can do more than advertise yourself with your business cards. When you use your business card to help others, like reminding them about their trash schedule or promoting a local charity, you can impress recipients and make the world a better place.
If you want to print business cards that surprise clients in these or other ways, we can help.