If I told you that I know of a marketing scheme that could add $50,000 or more in revenue to your bottom line this year, and every year after, would you be interested? How much would you pay for a system like this? $2,500.00? What if I told you that you could get it for under $1,000? Are you interested now? But wait, what if I said that for under $100 we could deliver the same results? Do I have your attention? Do you feel like there’s a MLM pitch coming? Read on!
No, there is no MLM pitch coming. No uplines or downlines. So, what am I talking about?
Yes, the staid and somewhat boring business card!
And just like us, they are not dead!
A business card is designed to fit anywhere—purse, pocket, glovebox, Rolodex, or like me in a stack held together with a rubber band. Rarely are they tossed away—unless we start talking uplines and downlines!
With the right information, a well-designed card can bring you business time and time again for literal pennies.
Think of all the opportunities to distribute them.
- When you meet a new acquaintance. You never know who will become a client. And it is easier than tapping info into a phone or jotting it down.
- Anyone that engages you professionally. Make sure the florist knows what you do!
- All of your friends. And don’t be shy about asking them to call you. How many times have we heard the “I didn’t know you sold travel.” Or worse “I didn’t want to bother you so I went online.”
- All of your existing clients. Send them cards (plural) with a note reminding them that you are alive (H/T to Mike Marchev) and be blunt about asking them to give some to their friends.
These are all very warm prospects for you. When you meet someone new, usually the conversation circles around to your profession—there’s your chance. All of your friends should know what you do and if comfortable, they should use you for travel—there’s your chance. Why give a card to your existing client? What better advertising than having a client hand out a card with your name?
A little guerilla marketing can’t hurt either. Many years ago, I used to purposely put several cards as “bookmarks” in the in-flight magazines on planes (remember those?). Before electronic payments, a business card was included with every check mailed. And it worked.
Never underestimate where you can distribute a business card either. I absolutely love Keith Powell’s story about when he was in Hawaii, in the Pacific Ocean, chatting up a stranger (in the ocean) and the conversation came around to what each of them did for a living. Keith, NEVER without a business card, floated a laminated one over to him right on the spot!
I specialize in single-parent travel. Every client on a trip gets a small stack of cards to give to their friends—we single folk like to hang together. I always tell them it would be a great compliment if they could refer me.
I don’t have any numbers to back up my opening paragraph, but I bet they are pretty spot on and the business card will give you the greatest ROI on any marketing initiative. And as we come out of COVID, we all realize that all marketing dollars are precious.
Now, go order 2500 cards! And make sure you leave a few behind for the printer!
Pro Tip: Pay for the cards. Don’t get the freebies. They are not THAT expensive!
