Remember in the previous posts I denounced the practice of giving out namecards blindly and indiscriminately? Well, that advice only applies if you ARE doing it blindly. The only occasions when you should be giving them out are
1)when requested and
2)when given one
Whenever I tell people that name cards need to be ultra unique, and have solid Personal Branding elements in it, they usually roll their eyes and say, “Yeah I know, just get some metallic cards or some funky snazzy materials for your cards and everyone will remember you for it”
Well, I beg to differ. Want to see a REALLY unique card? Here it is.
Personal Brand CardWhat’s so great about this card? Hmm, where do i even start?
1)You clearly see the main unique selling proposition(or point) under the company name ,”Marketing your small business for BIG Profits, GUARANTEED”
2)You clearly get SOCIAL PROOF via the testimonial.
Don’t be shy to include the testimonials you’ve got on your card. Whether your prospects realise it or not, they are subconsciously attracted to your services via these smatterings of SOCIAL PROOF. What exactly is social proof? Let me copy and paste the changingminds.org version. I hope it explains why social proof is so powerful among the Homo Sapiens species, at least.
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ChangingMinds.org Definition of Social Proof
Principles
a)If I am uncertain I will take a cue from others.
b)If other people are doing something, it must be ok for me to do it too.
c)If other people are refraining from doing something, then it is probably not a good idea for me to do it.
How it works
We are social and tribal beings, and what others think about us remarkably important. In our need for a sense of identity we seek to belong and so easily conform with what others are doing.
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There you have it.
3)The card includes a clear “call-to-action”
Prospects can be guilty of inaction at times. That is why call to actions are very important to induce actions. So what if they now have your card? What do you want them to do? Throw it away? Of course not! Explicitly mention your main differentiation point. The fact that you offer a free consultation.
It says on the card “CAll now for free 35 mins no strings-attached consultation now!
(Of course, they fail to realise that this consultation is an opportunity to build rapport with them and hopefully win some business from them!)
Where is the proof that such calls to action still work? It sounds cheesy I know (Call NOWWW) 
But it works. You see those ads on late night television selling you the super chamois(or shammy) that soaks up water like no other cloth in the world? You remember the samurai sharp set of knives used to butcher already dead meat on the kitchen tabletops that look like Martha Stewart’s?
Recall the main call to action. It is ALWAYS “CALL NOW TO AVOID DISSAPOINTMENT”!
And this guys aren’t marketing amateurs. They employ marketing consultants, brand image consultants, media consultants to tailor the message and get as many purchases as possible. And all these experts seem to concur on one thing- Direct calls to actions still work in the 21st century!
4)FREEEEE 
Well, it has been shown many times that the number one opened email still has, in its subject lines, the word FREE. (of course this only applies if the spam filter didn’t catch it already before it lands in the Inbox)
We cannot resist the word. Don’t ask me why.
5) There are 2 sides to a coin (or card)
Remember, your card is your marketing tool. You want the prospect to learn about who you are and what you do.
For this reason, this card is great because it includes a second tier call to action, with an incentive. In hand-written font( which makes it more personal), the card says, “See surprise gift on the back”!
Hmm, reminds me of the times when I bought Chickadees snacks and there on the cover states, “Toy Inside” or when i snapped open the can drinks tab, having been promised the chance to “win $25,000 in cash if you see the code AV45643 under the tab”
It works!
1)Prospect takes your card
2)He flips the card over to claim his free surprise gift
3)At the back of the card, prospect is told to log on to a website to claim his free DVD on whatever.
4)He goes online, and finds that the DVD is free, but shipping and handling is 8.99 dollars.
5)HE shrugs and says, “well, its still technically free, I can’t be missing out”
6)He pays the 8.99 dollars, enters his home and email address and receives the package.
7)YOU, on the other hand, lose nothing. You cover the DVD production cost via the 8.99 usd. BUT, you manage to do 4 things.
4 things you managed to do with the back of a card
- You become an authority, an expert in your prospects eyes. Prospects are more willing to buy from you now
- You get a chance to spend 2 hours in the bedroom or living room with them (you in the TV set, them on the sofa couch)
- You captured their email, and you can now set up autoresponders to send them a series of email selling your products and services, when you are asleep. The best part is, it is ALL automated. (For those of you who don’t know what autoresponders do for you, please remind me to write up a post on that one soon.
- You captured their home address, so you can conduct whatever direct mail marketing you want to their home address. They are not “targeted prospects” meaning they have expressed an interest in buying your products before. Now, tell me, who is it easier to sell to- Your grumpy neighbor who doesn’t know or care about what you do or a prospect who has bought a DVD from you before and seen you speak on TV?
- In short, you just managed to lead your prospect down a marketing funnel!