6 tips for a great business card online or offline

Business cards come in many formats, but they should all have the same important factors so that they get noticed by potential clients who see them.

1. First you need to provide simple information and references that are short so that your potential business associates or customers are clear on what it is that you are backing on behalf of your business goal, the main objective, the main product or service that you provide.

2. Displaying your photo on your card goes a long way in branding yourself to your business services and products, people will more than likely remember a face than just a wordy business card, and more importantly a name to go with the face.

3. Always stick to the standard credit card size business card as this is small and just enough for people to handle and not to be overwhelmed by, it also is useful to have something that fits into your pocket or wallet for easy reference later on.

4. Include a catchy slogan that engraves your business in time and places your business name up there with the best of your competition, and remember if you get your slogan out there, then there will be more of a chance that you will get people recognising it more often and once a brand is recognized, then there is no stopping it from nationwide if not global recognition.

It's best to trademark your slogan, so long as it is not too descriptive and does not tread on other companies toes, and of course online it is also best to add your main long tail keyword search terms into your slogan or brand catchphrase, five to six words are usually enough for the purposes of a business card.

Additionally a logo could just be your trademark image that you want people to recognize, so it's entirely up to you.

5. Always have extra cards printed out so that you have the opportunity to give them out to extra people you wouldn't ordinarily think of, such as friends of friends or friends of colleagues or business partners, this makes your business spread virally in the offline world, especially if you have an unbeatable service that is unmatched by anyone else in the industry.

6. Keeping your card updated with current contact information is vital to your business success and growth, so make use of both sides of the business card to include valid contact details such as a postal address, phone number, email and if applicable a fax number.

Bear in mind there are other points to note about a great business card but the ones to really think about are the ones above and making it as clear as possible and less wordy for the casual reader who may not have the time, it has to have that attention grabbing quality about it, plus there are some targeted aspects to your business aswell, but in all your business card should speak volumes in as little content as possible directing to your business web address.

You could however create an online ecard that is essentially a business card but sent through email, that is the power of online publishing today!