Every Business Needs a Billboard!

What does your business card and signature file say about you and your business?

Your business card or signature file is often all the customer has on hand to tell them about you and your business. Cute pictures, lively sayings and other attention getting graphics or logos are great but only as additions to the basic information needed.

One card that brought this home to me was given out at a large show for the trade only by a company who paid a great deal of money to set up their booth. This card was very clever, had a graphic used as the logo, of a sprightly elf, the woman's name, followed by the letters CEO and in parenthesis below her name the words Chief Elf Overall. Also on the card were an address, a phone number and the name of the company Designs, Inc. When I got home and looked through the cards I had received this card was cute, caught your attention to it but told you absolutely nothing about what she designed or how it would benefit to you, the customer. Since this was a craft show did she design craft projects or would she design you a logo or business card?

If you think of your business card and in all your email dealings, your signature file, as a billboard that your customer sees and can refer to later, then know that the important things on that card or signature file are: (listed in the order of importance).

1. The company name

2. What your company does or what services you can offer

3. Your name and position

4. Contact information, address, phone, fax and email, and URL

5. Special orders invited (if and when you do accept special orders)

With this information in hand the customer knows what you do, who you are and has several ways to contact you. He needs nothing else to know if your company can provide what he needs. If you have room an eye-catching graphic or logo would be a plus on your card. Your sig. file should be less than 8 lines long and where possible the URL should be a link to your Web Site. It is possible to use the keys on your computer to design pictures.

With the correct information on your business card it can become the basis for any classified or display ad, flyer or handout. This tiny billboard can be printed very economically if printed black on plain white without embellishments. With the present software it is possible to print them yourself, but even so, it may be more economical to order the plain cards through the chain office supply stores. It is recommended that you do have 1,000 of these printed and hand them out freely at every opportunity. Be sure to include one with each purchase.

If you like, a second smaller run can be printed with the addition of your logo or graphics. These will naturally cost more but can be handed out sparingly to special customers.

If you sell in a craft mall the inexpensive cards can be left in a holder in the area where your goods are displayed so that those who don't wish to purchase now, when they get home will have all the information they need to contact you when they need your products or services or when family or friends need your products or services, they will have your information to give them.

This card has some information:

Leap of Faith Company

Jane Doe Owner

125-356-2344

P.O. Box 123

Any town, USA

This card is more complete:

Leap of Faith Company

Hand Painted Wooden Decorations

Jane Doe, Artist and Owner

(000) 356-2344

P.O. Box 123, Any Town, St. Zip

URL of your website

Email Address

If you have the information (what your service or product is) a phone call made to the number or a letter written to the address even without your name or the name of the company will reach the company, but if you have a company name and don't know what they do there is no need to attempt a contact.

If you wanted a decorated paper towel holder for your kitchen which of the above cards would you rather have in your file? Any business benefits from a well thought out developed business card. It can't be emphasized enough that this little billboard is often the only contact a customer has with your company. You and your products are not with the customer except the few minutes when he gets the card (and sometimes not then) so when your customer wants to make a purchase he will go to the product or the what you do area of your card to jog his memory about your product or to contact you for the product he needs.

All means of advertisement are important to your business but none have "the bang for the buck" that a well produced business card does. It is truly your business billboard in miniature. Given to the customer it is a constant reminder of you and your product in his home files. The most important thing, even more important than your name and the name of the company "What are your products or services? What do you do? How can I contact you?".

On the Internet your business card becomes your signature file. This should contain the same information that your business card has with a few restrictions. A signature file should not be more than 8 and preferable 6 lines long. It should contain your name, business name, what your business does, your URL, email address, physical address and phone number.

A business logo or slogan can be added if you have room. When writing your URL include the http:// written as an entire URL it becomes a clickable link on most email programs. When the http:// is left off more people will need to copy and paste and the extra step cuts down on the number of people who will take the time to visit your site.

Every business truly does need a billboard. Make yours count.