Post by PickyChicky on Jun 6, 2015 16:37:04 GMT -6
Kim Komando's site has been a trusted source of important information that covers everything related to digital technology and more. Here's the latest bit of info I found on her site that I thought everyone would find useful since it's a question that pops up every now and then...
Free Business Cards: Where to Get Them and the Gotchas
by Kim Komando -- June 6, 2015
I'm constantly telling you that to get ahead in the modern digital world you need a website, and how to get one for very little money and hassle. If you don't have an online presence, many people aren't even going to know your business exists.
Today, though, I'm going to talk about an older business practice that is still essential for getting your name out there and making connections. It's low tech, but if you don't have it you could miss out on a lot of opportunities.
Imagine you're standing in line at the post office and you get to chatting with a fellow customer. They mention that they're planning to paint their house, and you say, "Hey, I paint houses!"
So you tell them your name, phone number and website address. They promise to give you a call or look you up, but then you never hear from them. It could be because they were just being polite, but it's more likely they totally forgot your number and Web address.
That's why you need to be carrying business cards that include your business name, phone number, Web address and email address. Hand them out to everyone you meet and you might get some business from surprising places.
Of course, before you can hand out business cards, you need to make some. They aren't very expensive to get printed, but when running a business you want to save every penny you can. That's why I'm going to tell you how to get them for free and what pitfalls you need to watch out for.
Run a good search for "free business cards" and you'll turn up a bunch of options. The popular Vistaprint, for example, has Economy Business Cards.
You can add your information to one of 45 templates and get 100 cards printed for free. However, you can't change the layout of the template or upload your own logo.
If you want free cards with higher-quality material and design, Overnight Prints lets you apply to get free business cards in a weekly contest. If you win, you'll get 50 of its single-sided Fat or Sandwich business cards.
That brings me to one of the drawbacks of free cards: quantity. You're only looking at 50 to 200 from one company. If you go through business cards slowly, that's not a problem. But if you visit a trade show, or you hand them out everywhere, you're going to run out fast.
Another drawback is that free cards are usually the most basic that site offers, with the least interesting designs and not a lot of room to customize. Definitely don't expect features like rounded corners or raised lettering.
Because these sites are hoping you'll buy more cards from them, the print quality will be good, but don't expect the best card stock or flashiest colors or ink. It makes sense; no company is going to give away its best stuff for free.
If you're just starting a business, then free business cards are helpful to get things moving. However, I would budget in some paid business cards a year down the road. You can add your company logo and pictures, get card stock that will last longer and maybe even do double-sided printing with information like service rates on one side.
On the other hand, you might be someone who really enjoys doing things yourself. Maybe you have a crafting business and want your card to reflect that. Here's a cool site that helps you design your own business card from scratch so you can print your own.
Even though business cards are useful, you don't want to carry around a wallet or purse stuffed with ones you've gotten from other business owners. Instantly turn business cards into phone contacts with CamCard for Apple and Android.
Source: www.komando.com/small-business/310448/free-business-cards-where-to-get-them-and-the-gotchas/all
Free Business Cards: Where to Get Them and the Gotchas
by Kim Komando -- June 6, 2015
I'm constantly telling you that to get ahead in the modern digital world you need a website, and how to get one for very little money and hassle. If you don't have an online presence, many people aren't even going to know your business exists.
Today, though, I'm going to talk about an older business practice that is still essential for getting your name out there and making connections. It's low tech, but if you don't have it you could miss out on a lot of opportunities.
Imagine you're standing in line at the post office and you get to chatting with a fellow customer. They mention that they're planning to paint their house, and you say, "Hey, I paint houses!"
So you tell them your name, phone number and website address. They promise to give you a call or look you up, but then you never hear from them. It could be because they were just being polite, but it's more likely they totally forgot your number and Web address.
That's why you need to be carrying business cards that include your business name, phone number, Web address and email address. Hand them out to everyone you meet and you might get some business from surprising places.
Of course, before you can hand out business cards, you need to make some. They aren't very expensive to get printed, but when running a business you want to save every penny you can. That's why I'm going to tell you how to get them for free and what pitfalls you need to watch out for.
Run a good search for "free business cards" and you'll turn up a bunch of options. The popular Vistaprint, for example, has Economy Business Cards.
You can add your information to one of 45 templates and get 100 cards printed for free. However, you can't change the layout of the template or upload your own logo.
If you want free cards with higher-quality material and design, Overnight Prints lets you apply to get free business cards in a weekly contest. If you win, you'll get 50 of its single-sided Fat or Sandwich business cards.
That brings me to one of the drawbacks of free cards: quantity. You're only looking at 50 to 200 from one company. If you go through business cards slowly, that's not a problem. But if you visit a trade show, or you hand them out everywhere, you're going to run out fast.
Another drawback is that free cards are usually the most basic that site offers, with the least interesting designs and not a lot of room to customize. Definitely don't expect features like rounded corners or raised lettering.
Because these sites are hoping you'll buy more cards from them, the print quality will be good, but don't expect the best card stock or flashiest colors or ink. It makes sense; no company is going to give away its best stuff for free.
If you're just starting a business, then free business cards are helpful to get things moving. However, I would budget in some paid business cards a year down the road. You can add your company logo and pictures, get card stock that will last longer and maybe even do double-sided printing with information like service rates on one side.
On the other hand, you might be someone who really enjoys doing things yourself. Maybe you have a crafting business and want your card to reflect that. Here's a cool site that helps you design your own business card from scratch so you can print your own.
Even though business cards are useful, you don't want to carry around a wallet or purse stuffed with ones you've gotten from other business owners. Instantly turn business cards into phone contacts with CamCard for Apple and Android.
Source: www.komando.com/small-business/310448/free-business-cards-where-to-get-them-and-the-gotchas/all
.jpg)