A business card is one of the most common forms of marketing. Practically every business has a card in some form or another. Traditionally, people hand out business cards at networking events, leave them with friends and family, and place them at checkout counters and on bulletin boards. To be competitive, many businesses need to be creative in where they leave their business cards.
Inside Magazines in Waiting Rooms
Audrey Okaneko, a 17-year veteran in network marketing, suggests leaving your business card inside magazines at the doctor's office. Drawing from this suggestion, the entrepreneur ought to scan articles in various magazines in waiting rooms and identify features likely to be read by potential clients. Placing a business card on the first page of an article that a potential client may read allows the reader to make the connection between the business and its area of expertise. However, before leaving the card, check with the doctor or the receptionist and ask for permission. The doctor's office may need to avoid appearing as if it is referring patients to a business.
Near Products Related to Your Business
In similar fashion as targeting magazine articles, companies should consider leaving business cards near products that relate to the company. An interior designer, for example, could leave her business card near window treatments or fabric samples at craft stores. The idea is that the customer is looking to purchase something related to the business. If that purchase involves some degree of work, such as painting or repairing an automobile, and the customer notices a business card featuring someone who can do the work for them, the customer may be likely to contact that person for help.
Bathrooms and High-Traffic Areas
Places that receive high traffic should be targeted for business card placement. Betternetworker.com suggests leaving cards inside bathrooms or waiting areas at an airport. NextDayFlyers.com suggests contacting a taxi company and asking whether the drivers would be willing to keep a stack of business cards in the cabs while on shift. Here, the idea is to increase the overall scope of exposure of the business card.
At the Competition
Competition can be healthy in business and it need not be adversarial. Entrepreneurs can inspire friendly rivalry between competitors by offering to carry their business cards in return for displaying theirs. This requires confidence in the business and some trust that the competition will actually display the business cards.
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