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Believe it or not, your small business marketing efforts can grow leaps and bounds with better use of your cheap business cards.

Because they’re so tiny, many business owners overlook the small business marketing opportunities that exist with business cards to position their product or service in the mind of potential customers. Using the space well (design, content and graphics) as well as how you distribute them are all key elements on making the best of your business card.

And, for just a few cents more, you can add color, put them on CD…and make them magnetic, too.

Here are five tips to improve your business cards:

1. Stick with horizontal design. Many folks think that making the design vertical will make it stand out. Well it does, but in the wrong way. People organize their business cards in the standard horizontal fashion. Making yours differently frustrates them. Think of this: if your prospect has a stack of business cards offering similar services, and yours is the one thy have to flip-and-turn to read — they are likely to bypass it. With business cards you only have a few seconds to grab their attention.

2. Try a full color business card. If you are are a florist, an artisan, or an interior designer (as examples), then perhaps a photo or other graphics an be best displayed in a full color business card. If your service has a “before and after” photo, that also can be a great way to demonstrate your services.

3. Consider a CD business card. How could you use a CD-ROM business card format for your business? Turn your brochure or catalog into an interactive format. Offer audio, video or photographic samples of your products or services. Use the CD business card as a premium or gift to a prospect or customer. CD-ROM business cards are also available in shapes, too. For example, if you are a real estate agent, you can order CD business cards in the shape of a house. A shaped CD business card can really grab attention.

4. Use the back of the card. Running out of space? Consider printing the back-side of your card (it usually doesn’t cost too much more to print the back side in one color). Or consider the folded card style (where the card is twice the size and folded down the middle — along the longer side). This style allows you to list more of your specific services you offer on the inside. Just make sure that you put the pertinent contact information on the outside, so your prospective customer can easily and quickly find out how to contact you.

5. Make your message stick with magnetic business cards. This format usually has some color and will generally give you the opportunity to plaster your prospects’ refrigerators with your sales message. Consider making it even more useful by making the magnetic business card a calendar, list of useful phone numbers, or other useful item for your prospects. Making it useful will make them want to keep it and use it frequently.

Scott Thompson, publisher of One Hour Marketing, has authored several articles on using cheap business cards as an effective small business marketing tool. Scott has nearly 20 years experience in helping small-business owners create affordable marketing programs that successfully attract new prospects, convert them to buyers, and keep them as repeat customers. For more information visit: http://www.onehourmarketing.com/public/main.cfm

So what do you sell? Dumb question, I know - but humor me.

Answer out loud if you need to, “What is it that you sell?” I’ll bet you that you’re wrong!

Chances are, 86% of the small business owners that answer this question are going to provide an answer that is severely limiting their ability to gain more customers, more market share and more revenue. Are you one of those people?

Let’s take a quick look at some right and wrong answers, for example, you are a(n):

1: As an accountant you think you sell tax services - ouch, not what you want to say

As an accountant you really sell peace of mind, time, hassle and frustration savings, avoiding the dreaded audit, and expert knowledge that will help your clients get back as much money as possible from the government.

2: As a personal trainer you think you sell workouts to clients - oh that’s not good

As a personal trainer you really sell the feeling of looking better, feeling better and performing better in life. You are selling a whole new lifestyle and a whole new person. You help clients move through life with more strength and less pain. You are selling self-esteem, confidence and even a little sex appeal.

3: As a computer tech you think you sell computer trouble shooting - stop the bleeding

As a computer tech you really sell increased productivity with a faster, smoother running machine, security that the computer is virus free, security that the irreplaceable data is backed up and secure, expertise in helping to provide your clients with invaluable advice on what technology to invest in.

Starting to get the picture? So, what exactly do you sell again?

Small business owners often get all mixed up in selling the features and benefits to their clients rather than the true value to the client. If you knew this already, congratulations, if you not only know this but you’re marketing it as well - you’re really ahead of your competition!

If you need help in this area, call me at 480.391.0704 and let’s talk about how to get your marketing materials to say what you REALLY want them to say.

I help small businesses build more confidence and credibility into their business brand. Through marketing and design initiatives; I help you feel better about your company. Making you feel good about your business gives you more confidence and less anxiety when you are networking, promoting or selling your business. If your business needs the reliability and talent of an in-house marketing and design department but doesn’t want additional employees, salaries and benefits, give me a call at 480.391.0704 - I have a new approach for you.

If you are looking for more free insight and inspiration, you’ll want to get in on the “Can-Do Confidence Builder”. Emailed weekly, the Confidence Builder provides you with essential marketing and design insights that help you get the most out of your investment and help you to stay one step ahead of the competition. Email me at comments@candographics.com and asked to be added to our list or visit http://www.candographics.com

What is a “micro-small business” looking for in a small business IT consulting professional? You need to know desktop PC hardware. You need to be good on notebook PC’s, have a good comfort level with PDA’s and various kinds of printers, and be familiar with modems, dial-up, cable, DSL and power protection.

The Importance of a Strong Software Background

From a software standpoint, you want to be successful in this one to ten space as part of your business. Again, a strong software background should be a part of your small business IT consulting practice; it should not be the main focus of your business.

Be Familiar with Operating Systems

In terms of a software perspective, in small business IT consulting, you should be really comfortable with desktop and notebook operating systems, mainly Microsoft Windows. However, depending on the industry and your specialty, the small business could be utilizing Mac or Linux operating systems.

A small business IT consulting professional should be really comfortable with things like Microsoft Office, Quick Books, ACT and Goldmine.

Security and Networking Abilities

As a small business IT consulting professional, you should be really comfortable with anti-virus software as well as personal firewalls and remote control software. From a networking standpoint, a micro-small business will require a small business IT consulting professional to be familiar with peer to peer lands.

A small business IT consulting professional should be comfortable configuring the popular Silho (ph) routers that are on the market for being able to share a DSL or cable connection. Additionally, you should be comfortable setting up live access points and adapters.

The Bottom Line about Small Business IT Consulting

At a minimum the small business IT consulting professional should possess knowledge of 25 to 50% of the areas mentioned above if you want to be able to effectively support a micro-small business. Keep in mind that in supporting a micro-small business, you are generally dealing with a non-technical small business owner.

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Joshua Feinberg helps small business computer consulting firms get more steady, high-paying clients. Learn how you can too. Sign-up now for your free access to a one-hour audio training program on Small Business Computer Consulting Tips.

The more you focus and concentrate your marketing, the greater impact your message has on your intended market.

Remember, your goal is to deliver your message as many times to your target market as your budget will allow. You are buying exposure to a certain audience.

The more we are exposed to a message, the more of it we retain. You need to be exposed to a new idea 8 to 15 times (or more) to remember it. Repetition enhances retention.

And, the more channels the message is delivered through, the more believable it is. Diversity delivers credibility.

So, focus and concentrate your advertising by using several media to deliver your message to the same audience. You’ll get a better return than if you spend the same amount of money delivering your message fewer times to a larger audience. Lay it on nice and thick rather than spreading it too thin.

I have talked with many people who have complained their advertising is not worth the money it costs. After some discussion I usually learn they bought ads that deliver their message to a large audience once or twice. A typical example might be a direct mail piece that goes to 50,000 households in an area with a 10 mile radius around their business.

For the same money they could buy different media that delivers their message 10 to 15 times to a smaller audience, maybe in a two mile radius. The smaller market gets more repetition of the message and they see or hear the message from multiple media. It’s more likely they remember and believe it.

So, as you plan your marketing, remember to focus. You’ll be glad you did.

Kevin Stirtz has developed a unique concept called “Blow Up Your Business.” He speaks to groups of professionals and business owners who want to attract more customers and put more money in their pocket. Kevin can be reached at http://www.KevinStirtz.com or 952-212-4681.

When I was in college, one of the many jobs I had was as a security person in a department store. We were the “spies” who lurked about waiting for the local “Louie Light Fingers” to snatch something so we could arrest them.

One of the guys in our group, Steve, was always getting himself in trouble.

One day, as he was driving down the highway, Steve decided the person driving the car next to him was doing something wrong. I don’t remember if the guy was speeding or failed to use a turn signal or what. It’s not important.

The important thing was, Steve, didn’t like the way this guy was driving and Steve had a security badge for his job at the department store. So, Steve flashed his badge and he pulled the guy over.

I suppose his ego got the better of him and he just couldn’t stop himself. Or maybe he had too much coffee that day. Who knows? Anyway, Steve gets out of his car to give the other guy a piece of his mind and finds himself face to face with a real badge from a real police officer.

Oops!

Steve got lucky because all he got was a lecture. And the police officer got a great story to tell his pals on the force. It could have been much worse.

When I see a lot of marketing I think of Steve. Too often people puff up their promotional language and try to be someone or something different than who they really are.

It’s easy to do this. We’re proud of what we do and so maybe we get a little over the top in how we tell our story to the world. The problem is when we go too far, we can get ourselves in trouble, like Steve did. And as we promote our business, the last thing we want is for customers to think of us as people who over-promise and under-deliver.

For our marketing to be most effective, we need to reach the right people with the right message. If we stray too far and try to be something we’re not, our message will be wrong and our market likely will be too. Sending the wrong message to the wrong market is a cardinal sin in the world of marketing.

So, as you plan and implement your marketing, take some time to make sure you’re telling the right story. Make sure your message is based on who you are and what your business can do for your customers. Keep it grounded in reality.

You’ll have a greater impact and you’ll get better results. And, you’re less likely to get chewed out by an angry police officer!

Kevin Stirtz has developed a unique concept called “Blow Up Your Business.” He speaks to groups of professionals and business owners who want to attract more customers and put more money in their pocket. Kevin can be reached at http://www.KevinStirtz.com or 952-212-4681.