How To Win With The First Impression

Ok, this isn’t a trip back to the 1980s, but some things that were pertinent then (if you’ve watched American Psycho) and still important is the perception you portray from your business card.

A business card remains a staple of any business, since the printer was invented. After any networking event, it’s always interesting to see the plethora of styles and messages on display. Rather than going into detail for what it should look like, the key is to create a positive first impression that positions and projects your brand in a favourable way (a huge opportunity).

A way to think about your card is to create a mini-brochure that explains who you are and what benefits you provide. For instance, there’s nothing worse than a ‘blank’ side, what about an offer or information that you’re providing to your audiences that invites interactivity (and to also build your database).

To build your social media presence, invite people to ‘follow’ you on Twitter and ‘like’ you on Facebook. By including these further options to interact with you goes beyond the email and web address, it can help build your community and maintain ongoing interaction.

Keep away from adding the QR codes, that’s so 2010!! and even trying to be too clever. We have to hold our hands up here, we went for an unconventional size a couple of years ago and the end result was that they couldn’t fit into everyone’s wallets.

Always ask yourself, ‘what message am I portraying?’ It’s important to stand out from the crowd, but never think that a 85mm x 55mm size is limiting.

Anyway, back to opening paragraph of the 1980s, when status and ego was king. This video is 2 minutes of being uncomfortable but awesome. Please don’t think we’d endorse this chap as a business mentor! Enjoy …

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4YBxeDN4tbk[/youtube]