Why have business cards printed, if you are not going to hand these out. That is a waist of money. That is the point of business cards is to hand them out to everyone you can. Business cards are a means of advertising for your business. I am sure most of everyone has a good stack of cards in their boxes! They don’t help your business sitting in those boxes — That is being stingy! So here are some tips on printing, handing out those business cards and other kinds of tips…

1. Hand them out to everyone you meet.
   
2. Have your family and friends hand them out for you too.
   
3. Put them on bulletin boards and fish bowls.
   
4. Put them in all bills you pay.
   
5. Put them in all correspondences/letters.
   
6. Make sure to always have them handy to hand out at a minutes notice.
   
7. If someone hands you a business card, you hand them back one of yours.
   
8. Go to local store and hand them to everyone you pass in the store. (I personally know a person that does this all the time, he claims it works for him.)
   
9. You can send one to me to add to my business card collection! *big smiles*
   
10. Give one to every client you meet with.
    
11. Look/Study their business card throughly.
    
12. Put them in a business card holder on your desk so that when people come in to talk to you can grab one.
    
13. Include your business card at the receptionist desk, if your business will allow you to do this.
    
14. Keep them in a business card billfold (wallet) so they are ready to hand out.
    
15. Make sure your business card has a current contact information.
    
16. It is more professional to not write on your business card. If you have changed information, get new business cards printed up with the your current information on it.
    
17. As much as you think those home printed business cards look nice, professionally printed business cards work much better.
    
18. Include key information on your business card, including contact information.
    
19. It is a good idea to include your Web site address. We are in the world of being online. If you don’t have a Web site, it is hard to be found on the Internet.
    
20. Keep spares in your glove box of your car, just in case you run out of them.
    
21. Don’t use over two different types of fonts.
    
22. Don’t over use images.
    
23. Basic Rule of Thumb: “Keep It Simple Stupid” (KISS) or some say “Less is More”
    
24. Make sure to proofread your cards. Make sure names are spelled correctly, correct phone numbers, addresses, e-mail and Web site address are listed.
    
25. Add something on the back that will make them stay in a persons possession longer. (calendar, sports schedules, coupons, appointment reminders, etc.)
    
26. Attend Networkings and hand them out. (most require a certain number of business cards for admission).
    
27. If your business card mentions your blog you can add it to a list of business cards with blogs on it A business card for your blog.
    

Please share with me any business card tips you have, like design tips, handing out tips, and other business card related tips you wish to share. I would love to hear them. All comments are welcomed.

Today I gained 3 business cards.
I gained these business cards from…

• 2 business cards from myself
• 1 business card from a sample request from Baton Rouge, LA

My new overall total of business cards is 151,243.