So far in our Marketing Essentials series, we’ve explored how to discover your brand, creating a marketing message, and the importance of web presence, no matter what your business.

Now it’s time to focus our attention on the humble business card – one of the cheapest, most effective marketing essentials every business needs.

Have you ever stood in the checkout line of a store and noticed the rack of business cards waiting for your attention? Did any of them catch your eye?

Probably not. Stuck in a rack that holds sometimes up to 20 competitor cards, those little cardboard pieces didn’t engage you at all. You probably didn’t even notice the business name printed on even one of them. You very likely left them all there, paid for your items and walked out the store.

Your business card has a very important job. A business card is a low-cost multisensory marketing tools that convey your brand, your message and the personality of your company in one powerful shot.

Think about it – you can touch a business card and feel the quality the company stands for. You visually take in the colors and design to feel the emotional impact of the brand and message. And you read the information on the card.

Your business card is often the first impression and contact people have with your business. It tells people about your business, gives them a way to contact you, creates a memorable effect and allows people to pass on your card to others – that’s free marketing for you.

Read on to learn how to get the most from your business cards.

The Dos and Don’ts of Business Cards

“There’s a problem with your card, sir.” You may have heard that when a clerk tells the person in front of you at the checkout line that card payment didn’t go through as expected.

The same line can be said for many a business card out there. Here are some important business card mistakes to avoid – and some tips on what to do:

Be true to your brand
Having a unique card is a great idea, because you do want to influence people with it and be memorable. But if your business car is too unique, too funky, or too interesting, people don’t remember your business – they just remember the cool card they have.

Make sure your business card reflects your brand and image. The colors and design should match that of the main feature of your logo or website banner. Stay consistent with your image for a sure hit.

Don’t Cheap Out on Quality
Money is an issue for most small business owners, and scrimping where you can to invest in other areas is important. Your business card is not the place to do that, though. Low-quality paper stock, amateur design or home-office printing reflects poorly on your business.
That costs you sales instead of saving you money.

Avoid homemade cards at all costs, even if you only want 50 or 100 cards. The expense of professional design and printing has come down considerably and it’s within reach of all small business budgets. There’s no excuse to neglect better quality that enhances your image.

Don’t Get Too Complex
There are some beautiful design concepts out there. Graphic art is truly a technological wonder these days. It’s tempting to let loose and create the most stunning card ever.

Rein in that enthusiasm. Business cards that are clear, uncluttered and simple are often far more effective than wall-to-wall colored images with meticulous attention to the tiniest detail. Use your logo and minimize the use of colors. Avoid too much splash or an overly difficult font to read.

Be Bold without Screaming
Color impact does play a big part in the effectiveness of your business card. Pay attention to the emotional impact that color can have on a person’s state of mind. The proper use of color can enhance the positive image of your business.

Garish, loud colors scream for attention. They leap up, leap off the card and shake people by the shoulders. That’s not the effect you want your business card to have. Do a little research. Select colors that convey the image you want for impact, not implosion.

Think About Your Sizes
Two sizing issues come with business cards: the size of what’s on the card and the size of the card itself.

If no one can read your small font, you’ve lost opportunities to reach consumers. If the logo is so big that it overwhelms the contact information, toss more customer leads out the window. Keep logos visible but balance the size with the space of your card, and make sure fonts are easily readable at a glance.

Also, if no one can tuck your card away easily for safekeeping to retrieve it later, they’re not going to keep it. Your card gets thrown in a drawer or worse, thrown away. Avoid odd or oversized cards and pay attention to shape.

How to Use Your Business Cards

Here are some tips on how to use your business cards effectively to tap into all the marketing potential:

Always have business cards handy. Your business card should be traveling with you each time you leave home, no matter how casual the occasion.

Give a small supply of cards to network contacts. Let people market for you and make sure they have your business card handy to pass around.

Exchange cards with people. At events, meetings and gatherings, ask people for their business card. It puts them in a positive, receptive mood, and they’re happy to take yours in exchange.

Leave some cards in smart locations. Find related businesses that aren’t your direct competition and ask if you can leave cards for them to offer their client. This also opens for networking opportunities.

Attach your card to your product. Staple your business card to bags, tie it to gift baskets, attach it to documentation… Each time a customer receives something from you, he or she should also receive your card.

Write on it. Never underestimate the power of writing a secondary email, your cell phone number or a relevant note on your business card. People feel special to have custom info and take greater care not to lose it.

Business cards have too much power to be slapped together without a care. They can help seal a deal, land a sale or promote your business properly. With a little thought and foresight, you can create – and use – a beautiful business card that provides strong positive influence.

For more information on our notepads, click here.

This stock has no coating of any sort, and is the best option for those of you who prefer to write personal notes, extra phone numbers, etc., when you hand them out. Let’s just say that if you want to scribble on a card, without it smearing all over, this is the stock for you.

Find out more about our business cards by clicking here.

Do you think your business doesn’t need a website? Do you believe that people in your town don’t care about the Internet? Do you feel that selling locally absolves you of web presence?

You might want to think again.

According to eMarketer.com and Techweb.com, nearly 400 million North American residents had Internet connection in 2007. By 2008, over 67% of Canadians and 70% of Americans were plugged into the Internet. In early 2008, 7.8 million Canadians were online every day, and 172 million Americans were online as well.

Not too shabby.

What are these people doing online? They’re surfing the web, culling information on what they want and need, from music to online education to telephone numbers to store hours. They’re being entertained, they’re getting informed, they’re making decisions…

…and they’re shopping.

No matter what type of business you have, from local to international, from small to mega-corporation, from car mechanic to sports equipment store to handcrafting artisan, you need to be online. Ignoring the Internet’s existence translates to neglecting your business.

Not An Online Business? Not A Problem.

A website doesn’t mean you need to sell over the Internet or get into ecommerce. Web presence can be as simple as a single profile page and some contact information. Consider a website as an introduction to your business that gives consumers the information they need to know.

Web presence is a virtual 24/7 sales representative working hard for you all the time, every minute of every day. Having a website conveys credibility, helps reduce your workload by answering questions and encourages consumers to become customers.

Information, Please

A website is a great place to pitch your products or services, and it helps cut down your workload by giving people answers to their potential questions.

Include information most frequently requested by customers. List your products or services, indicate your location, post your store hours, add an FAQ page and have past client references. Make it easy for consumers to access your business and learn more about what you offer.

Contact information is crucial. If people can’t contact you, how can you sell to them? Clearly post your email address and/or a telephone number where people can reach you.

Low Cost, High Returns

The cost of having web presence is very low, but there are some expenses involved. They’re tax deductible as a business expense, though, and the potential for high return makes the cost worth it.

You’ll need web hosting (or a place to put your site in the virtual world), and that averages about $250 a year – or even lower. Choose a hosting service that offers good support and one that you can reach easily for help.

You may need to hire a designer to help build your site properly. Shop carefully and compare the quality of services, not the prices. Ask for samples and client references, and make sure you know what you’ll receive for your money.

There are also many do-it-yourself web presence options, too, if bootstrapping is a consideration. Do make sure that the DIY option you select offers quality design templates and options. Keep in mind that most free options are noticeable as such, and that clients may think you cheap for choosing free.

Before making a move to build a site or to have one built for you, consider branding and design carefully. Have a nice design that reflects your business brand and one that shows you’re serious, not skimping. Be consistent with your business colors and logo, too.

You’ll need content as well, and you can write your own or hire a skilled copywriter for your needs. Your content should clearly indicate who you are, why people should choose you and the benefits they’ll achieve from your products or services.

Little Details that Matter

Select a domain name that is the same name as your business (or a shorter version of it if your business name is long) or a name that is extremely representative of your business. Think carefully and choose a domain that is easy to say, type, and remember – being memorable gains you customers.

Choose a design that reflects your brand, your image and your business. Be consistent with your brand throughout all your marketing. Convey a good emotional impact, a clear message and the same image. Help people associate feelings with your business to reach them easily.

A website is built like a physical store. There is a door to enter (your landing page) and pages people can visit (your departments), as well as a general flow of traffic around displays (your navigation). Plan how you want people to arrive, what you want them to see first and where you want them to go after they arrive.

Using your Website as a Marketing Tool

Some people erroneously believe that slapping up a website instantly brings in customers and fortunes. That’s a myth. Today’s Internet is very crowded and competitive, and people won’t find your site unless you tell them about it..

Exposure doesn’t mean extra work for you. Add your website address to your business card. Put up a sign at your store. Tell friends and family; spread the word. Integrate your website address on your answering machine message and include it in your email signature.

Ask customers if they’ve seen your new site, too. Promote your website all the time. Give people a business card and point out your site address. Tell them to visit and give you feedback or indicate there’s more information about your business easily available.

You can also use email marketing to promote your new site launch. Email marketing lets you send out a message to people that tells them the big announcement.

The more that people see your business name – no matter where or how – the more exposure that brings you. Presence keeps you in the mind of the consumer, and the more they think of you, the more likely they are to buy.

One surefire way to maintain that presence is through the use of business cards – no, they haven’t gone out of style and yes, your business needs them, even if all your business is carried out online. In the next article of this series we’ll teach you about the types of cards that gets pocketed, when to give them out and where, and fast tips to get the most from a true marketing essential.

Reaching consumers with your message is one of the top Marketing Essentials. If people don’t hear what you’re saying and see what you’re showing them, why would they do business with you?

But what is your marketing message? What are you trying to get across to people? It’s simple: You know their problem, you have the solution, and you are the best business to buy it from.

That’s easier said than done, of course. It’s difficult for many small business owners to figure out exactly how to market that they can solve problems. One of the most common mistakes is touting features or going on about being the best.

Everyone is the best these days. No one wants to hear it again. And yet, you need people to hear you, feel your message and believe it. How?

Creating a solid marketing message makes a difference in whether consumers pay attention to you, whether they trust you and whether they decide to buy. It combines specific elements to:

• Grab people’s attention and interest
• Tell consumers how you solve their problem
• Convey why people should trust you
• Indicate why you’re different or special
• Show why people should choose you

By following just a few easy steps, you can compel interest and evoke the power of a message that people not only hear but feel as well.

Identify your target market

Every business has a target market, and no, it isn’t everyone. Before anything else, you must know the consumer who will buy from you intimately.

What is this ideal customer like? What is his or her personality? What demographic does the individual belong to and do you know his or her realistic income? What kind of shopping preferences does the customer have?

Find your market’s needs

Now that you know your ideal customer, identify this person’s problems. Everyone suffers, whether it is mental, physical or emotional – and people want to ease suffering quickly. If they know you care, you have a better chance of making them a customer.

Know your customer’s problem. Make sure that your message tells consumers that you understand their pain and that you empathize with their suffering. How do they hurt? What are they feeling?

Offering a solution

You’ve identified your target consumer. You know the person’s pain and problem. Now give them the solution and present the cure to their suffering. Address the situation in a way that makes the consumer relive his or her pain so that it is clearly felt – and so that the person sees you can ease the hurting.

Benefits tie in closely at this point. The ways you change a person’s life convince consumers that you offer what they need. Your benefits establish that you can remove the suffering and help consumers achieve their goals.

Minimize the risk

Remove as much risk as you can when presenting your solution. Consumers need to feel that the end of their anguish will happen quickly and easily. Banish the uncertainties and make your solution one they can implement right away, if possible.

Also, remove any barriers to taking action. People are increasingly busy and tired of jumping through hoops to get what they want. Make it easy for people to choose you. Keep in mind, too, that the more you do for them, the happier they’ll be – because it’s easier to pay someone to help us than to help ourselves.

Show them proof

People are funny creatures sometimes. No one likes to be the first to try something new or the only one standing in line. Consumers are more likely to buy if someone has already bought and had good results and a great experience. If it works for others, it’ll work for them.

Show your target market that people in the very same situation with identical pain have had positive results. Present proof that what you sell works, that it eases suffering and offers the cure. Word of mouth referral is the best marketing.

This is where testimonials, before-and-after stories, case studies and statistics come into play — the more measurable and credible the proof, the better. It makes your message more believable and backs up your promises.

Be different

You have competition out there, offering the same solutions that you do. What makes you different? Why is your solution better? Why should people choose you over someone else?

This doesn’t mean bad-mouthing the competition or putting them down. It’s often a better idea to avoid comparing your solutions to everyone else’s to boost your reputation. All you need to do is know why you’re different – and communicate those differences clearly.

A solid marketing message captures the elements of knowing your audience, their problems, and your solution. Communicate these elements to consumers in a credible, believable manner.

Use your message everywhere — on fliers, in your website copy, on your business card — and you’ll quickly be on your way to small business success.

Building a foundation for your marketing starts with branding. Every marketing campaign, every piece of print promotion, every message your business delivers should start with a solid brand.

Branding is the collection of associations that people make when they think of your business. It’s the emotion they feel and the mental image that comes to mind when they hear your company name or think of your products or services. It creates a bond between your business and consumers. It enhances credibility, increases trust and improves reputation.

Branding creates a memory – and when people remember your business, you have a better chance of business success.

Read on for the essential information about branding a small business.

Branding the Mercedes Way

Every business, from small shop to international company, needs branding. The large companies do it very well. Think of Mercedes automobiles: they’re sleek, luxurious, and upper-class vehicles built for the wealthy.

Now think of the mental associations you just made when you thought of Mercedes. You probably imagined a shiny car, beautiful people, an extravagant lifestyle, happiness and confidence. Your mind told you that Mercedes cars are elite and desirable. You’d probably feel pretty good driving one around.

That’s branding. The Mercedes-Benz Company created mental and emotional associations for their cars. Consumers aren’t buying a car. They’re buying a feeling.

You can brand your small business too, just as Mercedes did. Whether you sell office supplies or offer virtual assistance, branding helps fuel your sales by creating important associations.

With the right branding, you’ll have a marketing essential that goes a long way to encourage sales.

Laying the Foundation for Branding

Building a strong brand involves a little bit of thinking about what your business represents and the benefits you offer consumers. You need to determine what feeling you want people to have when they think of your business.

Here are some questions to help you get started:

• Know what you stand for. What are your personal values? What are your business values? What’s your business mission?
• Define your unique selling proposition. What makes you different from the competition? Where do you stand out? Why should people buy from you?
• Describe your ideal client. Whom are you targeting as a consumer? What person would be the perfect customer? Can you describe their personality and lifestyle?
• Decide on the emotional connection. What feeling should people have when they think of you? Are you classy or cool? Professional or friendly? Expert or casual?
• Figure out the emotional benefits. How will people feel if they buy what you sell? What do they feel after they go home? How will their life change?
• Create the experience. What’s it like to buy from you? What do people feel when they work with you? Do they feel special? Reassured? Excited? Confident?

Branding has everything to do with psychology and perception. It creates impact on a mental level, not a physical one. The image rises above the sale and helps consumers recognize you – and want what you have to sell.

How to Use Branding Properly

Branding your business means giving it a look, a feeling and an image that you convey in every aspect and area possible, from your business card to your website, from your storefront sign to the way you answer the telephone.

A few key areas you should use branding as a marketing essential include:

• Your visual image: Choose a logo design that creates visual impact and represents your business with the proper colors and image. A picture says a thousand words, after all.
• Your message: The tone and style of the content used for print materials and website copywriting should reflect and enhance mental associations and the emotion of your brand.
• Your personality: A good brand reflects the personality of your business (and your personality too.) Be consistent with your brand in your communications and dealings with customers.

Choose branding that feels comfortable to make it easy to follow through. Reflect your brand all the time, and help convey your brand’s emotional message.

You’ll feel good about your brand, confident in your dealings, and you’ll drive your image home with consumers.

Small businesses are on the rise, and many economists wholeheartedly agree that opportunities are rife. The time is right. You can start a business, even if is just a small one.

Barriers to entry are dropping quickly and so are the startup costs. Poor economics, the rising costs of living and soaring gas prices aren’t discouraging people from launching a startup either. Quite the contrary.

Minority groups have fewer obstacles, and more people can make their dream a reality, online or offline. Consumers are looking for a more personal connection for their purchasing needs, and they’re leaning towards B2B and one-man shops.

All people need is an idea, a product or service, the will and a way to reach consumers – it’s that easy. A business is born.

Even more so, small business owners now have the power to blend offline and online marketing to reach customers, promote products or services and increase sales to create a successful venture.

But are people tapping into that potential? Are small businesses making the most of the low-cost marketing opportunities available? Are they being effective in their efforts, using every tool and resource possible to boost potential success?

The answer is, unfortunately, no.

The 5 Basic Markteing Essentials

So often, small business owners neglect the most basic marketing essentials that go a long way to help attract potential customers. These essentials create one package that no business should lack.

Does your business have each of these five marketing essentials?

• A core message
• A good brand image and logo
• A website or blog
• Business cards
• Exposure

That’s it. That’s all it takes to have all the marketing you need to promote your business effectively, whether you’re a freelancer, self-employed or a small- to mid-sized business.

The field or industry of your specialty doesn’t matter. You could offer a product or service – it doesn’t matter. If you have the proper marketing essentials and the right exposure, then your business has a solid fighting chance to do well.

The five basic marketing essentials work for your business to help you create opportunity. They’re easy to procure, the cost is low and creating these marketing essentials can often be a lot of fun. It’s exciting to build a business, after all.

So what’s holding people back from promoting their own business effectively? Here are a few reasons – maybe you’ll even recognize your own comments amongst these excuses:

• “My business doesn’t need cards – I have a website!”
• “I don’t need stationary or business cards; I work online.”
• “I own a physical store, and my clients don’t care if I have a website online.”
• “My kind of business doesn’t use stationary or a website at all.”
• “I don’t even know how to use a computer. And where would I pass out cards?”

These false assumptions and self-created obstacles hurt small businesses every day. Neglect costs sales. Poor marketing can even cause a to business fail.

We don’t want that to happen.

Our business is helping your business do better. That’s why we’re going to work on clearing up some basic marketing misconceptions while giving you the marketing essentials knowledge you need to promote your business effectively.

Over the next few posts, we’ll tell you about each crucial marketing essential in detail. We’ll tell you why you need each one, what to look for to create impact, and how to use your marketing essentials as a whole promotion package…

… All on a small business budget.

Putting together a physical portfolio can be a great way to market your small business, whether it’s an offline or online venture. The oft-overlooked folder stuffed with goodies can be just the trick for getting exposure with new potential clients, network easily with other small businesses and possibly increase sales as a result.

A portfolio folder contains your business profile information, and you leave it with potential customers to browse through. It holds contact information, samples and anything that helps introduce you and your business to people.

A portfolio folder is a great marketing tool, no matter how small your business. It gives people something tangible and helps them learn who you are, what you offer and how you can help them. That folder makes you look good, gathering all your information attractively together in one handy place.

What to Put In a Press Kit

It doesn’t take much to fill a portfolio folder with exactly enough material to attract people to your business. A basic portfolio folder might contain:

1. Your business card
2. A sheet with your contact information
3. A small bio or introduction
4. A list of your services
5. A few samples of your work
6. A press release about your business
7. Some screenshots or photos of past work
8. A special discount offer or a coupon
9. A small promotional gift, like a pen or a magnet

You don’t need to stuff your folder full or spend a great deal of money. You can build your folders at home using store-bought paper, quality ink and your own printer.

It’s nice to have letterhead stationery if you can, though, and it gives your business that extra edge. An alternative is inserting your logo into a Word .doc and making do with that for now. (Make sure the .jpg is good quality and not blurry, though.)

Why Portfolio Folders Work

People like to have their senses stimulated during the shopping experience. Stores play music, they let us pick up and touch items on shelves, and some places even light candles for olfactory stimulation, too.

In fact, human beings crave as much sensory information as we can get – and the more we get, the more we’re likely to buy. A portfolio folder lets people have that sensory experience with you and your business. They can feel and touch what you’ve given them, and they can listen and talk with you.

Portfolio folders also work because they’re not as easy to throw away as a brochure or flier. People tend to keep portfolio folders for a period or even file them for reference later on.

Lastly, this marketing tool engages people easily. People open the folder, look inside, leaf through the sheets, touch the card… They take in plenty of information about your business and their interest is held longer than just a glance at a flier.

Boost the Marketing Potential

Hand-deliver your folder and introduce yourself properly to someone in the business who hires or buys. Your portfolio folder is a tool that lets you strike up a conversation, and it’s the best time to use your elevator pitch.

Hand delivering also lets the potential customer see you, talk to you and ask questions.  A personal conversation also lets people see your face and associate you and your business together better, making you more memorable. If you just drop off your folder with the secretary or a clerk, no one will ever match your face to your business.

While you talk with the person, ask the questions customers are dying for you to ask. You can also ask about the business’ current provider, too, and whether they find the service or products are satisfactory.

Be subtle with these questions, of course. You don’t want to appear as if you’re attempting to steal the competition’s business.

Questions you could ask include those about the businesses usual needs, such as how often they buy a certain product or service or in what quantities. You could inquire over any small frustrations (or large ones) that they currently experience, especially ones that your product or service resolves.

You might even suggest small improvements or propose a solution while you’re there, just to be nice.

If you can’t deliver your folder in person, one idea is recording an audio file and adding a CD to your folder? People will at least be able to hear your voice. Tell the story of how you got started or share some extra information on how you can help the business achieve more.