Re: business cards anyone? - Posted by ben
Posted by ben on March 14, 2000 at 20:09:53:
Hello Marc -
You are going to get about a thousand different answers (and opinions) on this one.
When I talk to a contact, I do have a business card which gives him/her my name, phone, cellular phone, fax, partner’s phone and URL to our company’s Web Site.
If he or she doesn’t call back, it won’t be because he or she didn’t know how! I give one to everybody I speak with during the course of a day - including the young lady / barista who I ordered my latte’ from during break. Sometimes I give a person several, asking her to give one to a friend.
Some people do this part-time, some spare-time and some full-time. I do this full-time, it is my ‘job’. I don’t have the discipline or energy to do this while still going to work for somebody else every day.
I’ve found that having a separate business phone number is great and that you can get some good business packages that bundle phone, cellular, fax and more.
I’m not sure what others will tell you about a business license, but I think you have to have one to do this. I got mine before trying to do any deals.
Members of clubs, etc. - I recommend paying for memberships in civic and business chambers. After being dragged into joining the Chamber of Commerce by my partner, I did realize the huge benefits. The people you meet, network-worth, ideas, referrals and affiliations are great. It also makes a nice impression when somebody asks for references and you tell them you are a member of the Chamber of Commerce, etc. Again, you will get varying answers on this, but for me it’s the only way to go.
Printing your own business cards … I guess most people do that these days, Marc. I print my own, but always use a GOOD quality, stiff stock - which most people who print their own cards do not. There are some great software programs out there for making business cards and I can name a few: MS Publisher 2000 (about $129), Serif Page Plus 6.0 (good templates, about $59.00), Corel Office 2000 (good selection, about $99.00), for the budget-minded, there is Pro-venture business card maker which has some good templates and a good degree of self-design flexibility.
An alternative of course, is to have them made for you. There are some good online sources, such as iPrint.com where you design your card online and order it in the same session. Local ordering is till a little less expensive and you don’t pay for shipping - such as Office Max, Office Depot and Staples.
Good luck, Marc. Please send questions if you have them.
ben