Business Cards Go Fishing!
By Gloria Cohen
Posted Sunday, October 10, 2004
The offline effort of business cards should focus on getting your website address out there for everyone to see. How do you broaden your reach by using this simple, but one of the most effective marketing tools? (Assuming that you already to have a good stack of business cards with the who, what, where, why and most importantly your URL information stated in them.) Most likely, you have handed out numerous cards to people you have met on the streets and you’ve hit up various business/retail storefronts with your business cards that sit by the cash registers which pretty much go unnoticed. The good news with leaving your cards at the checkout counter is that it’s still a viable place to get people to notice your cards if it’s presented in a unique way. What you need is some serious ‘bait’ for potential customers to sink their teeth into. This is where we go ‘fishing’ folks.
Business cards are left everywhere, and seriously, left behind. If they are just sitting in a pile, it’s hard to grab the attention of the person if it’s just dormant, or if there isn’t a ‘catch’ to it. Instead of just leaving business cards at the counter, offer various retail places a fishbowl. Yes, I’m talking about those small, clear glass fishbowls. Provide a small sign to encourage other patrons, business owners, corporate employees, and anyone who has business cards, to drop in their cards, conducting a monthly drawing for a free prize. Of course, on the sign, you would indicate what the prize would be. It can be a free service or product that you currently provide, gift certificates to local restaurants, or even tickets to a Broadway show. You will find that you will get more people to take your business cards because you’ve ‘hooked’ the patron in participating in your contest. People just love to do things for free, and if it only takes dropping in a business card to enter a simple contest. Each month, after you conduct your monthly drawing, you would announce the winner on your website for others to see, and even put a small article in the newsprint about who won the monthly drawing. This will get people to keep dropping their cards in those fishbowls, because people are always ‘fishing.’ What a great way to ‘lure’ potential customers. That’s what I call a serious ‘hook’ to new consumers!
What’s even more appealing about using this form of tactic is that you’ve gained two valuable things through this process. One, you have gathered email addresses, and pertinent information to build up your email database. Secondly, you are promoting your business through an effective means of offline advertising that gets noticed. Business cards are a terrific way to ‘reel’ in more visitors to your site, simply because you are offering something of interest and value for potential customers.
Business cards go fishing! It’s the most versatile, affordable and portable form of marketing tool out there. Get your marketing ‘tackle’ box out and get those ‘minnows’ to your website. So, cast away folks, because people are always ‘biting’ for the next free deal!
About the Author:
Gloria Cohen has a strong background in Internet marketing in helping businesses find new customers by using effective marketing strategies. Gloria is currently an editor of eMarketing Answers.
