A business card won't make you memorable at a networking meeting. That's your job.
But once you've had a good conversation, a well-designed business card can make it much easier for someone to remember who you are, find you again and continue the relationship.
I've handed out and collected a lot of business cards through networking and exhibitions over the years, and I've learned that the best ones don't try to do everything.
The business card is the icing, not the cake.
So, before heading to your next networking meeting in Eastbourne or ordering another batch of cards, here are a few things worth checking.
The physical quality of your business card says something about your business.
It doesn't need to be ridiculously expensive or elaborate, but a thin, flimsy card can undermine an otherwise professional impression.
Think about the stock, finish and print quality.
You're handing somebody a physical representation of your business. Does it reinforce the impression you've just made?
Your logo and business name might be obvious to you.
They aren't necessarily obvious to the person you've just met.
If somebody finds your card a week after a networking meeting, will they immediately remember what your business actually does?
You don't need a clever slogan for the sake of having one. A short, clear explanation of how you help people can be far more useful.
Clarity beats cleverness.
This sounds obvious, but check.
Is your phone number current? Is the email address correct? Does the website work? And are those actually the ways you want somebody to contact you?
You don't need to squeeze your website, email and every social media account you own onto one small card.
Every piece of information should earn its place.
If LinkedIn is somewhere you actively build business relationships, include it. If you rarely use a particular social platform, there's little point sending somebody there simply because you have an account.
Make the next step obvious rather than giving somebody eight different choices.
It doesn't necessarily have to be one or the other.
A QR code can make exchanging information incredibly easy, particularly at a busy networking meeting or exhibition.
It could take somebody directly to your website, LinkedIn profile, contact details or a page specifically designed for people you've met.
But the same rule applies.
What useful thing happens when somebody scans it?
Don't add a QR code simply because there's room for one.
And before sending hundreds or thousands of cards to print, get somebody else to scan it and check that it goes exactly where you think it does.
Technology should make continuing the conversation easier, not add another obstacle.
This is something I learned from my exhibition days.
Blank white space on the back of a business card can be incredibly useful.
When you're meeting lots of people, being able to quickly write a note on someone's card can make following up much easier.
Introduce to Sarah.
Interested in Business Boost.
Send article.
Even a couple of words can bring an entire conversation back when you look at the card later.
And it works both ways. Someone you've met may want to make a quick note about you before putting your card away.
So before filling the reverse with another list of services, photographs, offers or marketing messages, think about whether leaving some of it empty might actually make the card more useful.
Sometimes the most useful thing you can print on the back of your business card is nothing at all.
Don't sacrifice readability because you're trying to squeeze everything onto a small piece of card.
Tiny text, too many typefaces, poor contrast and an overcrowded layout make somebody work harder than they should.
And remember that not everybody you're networking with has perfect eyesight.
If you've had to reduce the font size to fit something onto the card, that's probably a clue that something needs removing.
Your business card doesn't need to win a design award.
It does need to feel consistent with the business somebody has just encountered.
Your logo, colours, wording, quality and overall presentation should reinforce that impression rather than contradict it.
If somebody visits your website or LinkedIn profile afterwards, does it feel like they've found the same business?
Consistency makes you easier to recognise and remember.
This is probably my most important check.
A business card shouldn't need to sell your entire business.
You've already met the person.
You've already had the conversation.
The card's job is to help them continue it.
That might mean visiting your website, connecting with you on LinkedIn, calling you or simply remembering enough about you when one of you follows up.
That's why I don't think success at a networking meeting should ever be measured by how many business cards you collect.
What matters is what happens afterwards.
I've written more about that, including what following up other people's boxes of forgotten business cards taught me, in How to Get More from Networking Meetings in Eastbourne.
Take your current business card out and look at it as though you've never seen it before.
Does it feel good?
Can you immediately understand what the business does?
Can you read everything comfortably?
Is every piece of information useful?
Is there an obvious next step?
If there's a QR code, does it work?
Is there somewhere to make a note?
And most importantly:
Does your business card make it easier to continue the impression you've already made?
If not, make the changes before ordering your next batch.
Then put it to work.
If you'd like a second opinion, bring your business card along to Business Boost.
I'm always happy to take a look and tell you what I'd keep, what I'd question and what might help it work harder for you.
And while you're there, you'll have the opportunity to meet other Eastbourne business owners, make some useful connections and put your business card to the test.
Because handing somebody your card isn't the end of the networking.
It's what you do next that matters.
