How to make your card be got kept

Often, your professional business card is the first impression you leave with a customer. But for many people your business card is just another advertisement. So it is not surprising that more than 90% of business cards wind up in the trash the day they're received. Your unique business cards are in competition with all the other cards that potential customers and investors collect throughout the year. And it goes without saying that they pay little to no attention to generic-looking cards. To make sure your cards don't get thrown out, a good impression matters.

How to make people retain your business card

How can you be sure your business card grabs attention? How can you make people get it kept? And finally how to make prospects recall you when they are in need for your goods or service? The answer is to learn the psychology of business cards. First, you should learn the reason why people retain business cards.

To make it more understandable, imagine that you are in healthy food industry. One day you meet Guy Greenhorn, a restaurant holder, who seems to be particularly interested in fat-free cheese. After a long conversation you give him your business card, thinking that you have ensured a new customer. But days go by and no Guy Greenhorn appears in your office. There are many reasons why it may happen. Guy might simply ask you because his wife is on a diet, or because his mom thinks that fat-free food is good for digestion. He may be new in town and just wanted to satisfy his conversational needs. Maybe he liked your trendy tie and just came closer to see it better. He may as well collect business cards and so on.

Dr. Lynella Grant, author of "The Business Card Book", supposes that there are eight reasons why people may retain your business card. They get it kept because:

1. It is a link to a resource or a supplier  
2. It is a link to a prospect.
3. It may be given to other people (referring business).
4. It is a link to a partner.
5. It may be used for non-business reasons.
6. They want to update information they already have.
7. There is something nice, or useful about the person or their business card.
8. They leave it just in case it may be necessary.

Keep these reasons in mind, when deciding to create your business card, since knowing them can dramatically affect the image and ultimate effectiveness of your card. Make it clear what you do and for whom you do it. Your business card may be passed on to someone else, or the receiver may be trying to recall you.

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