In business should you do business with someone who recycles their business cards?

I’m grateful to Deanne Gold of Key Connectors for providing the inspiration for this blog. Apparently she was at a networking event and was introduced to a gentleman who had just set up his new business. On being given Deanne’s card, he handed her his card. He apologised went on to explain that he couldn’t afford to have cards printed and had decided to use up his old business card first. According to Deanne he had used a biro to blank out his old contact details and scribbled his new details.

The question must be asked that with the plethora of free business cards available on the net, why he couldn’t afford the cards. This got me thinking, would I want to do business with this gent or anyone who had this attitude. The question has to be asked if money was so tight that they couldn’t afford the business cards what other corners will they have cut?

Being a serial networker (or network tart as friends call me) over the years I’ve spoken to a large number of people who had just set up there business and the first thing they did was to get business cards printed. In fact, I remember when I set up Deanem Collections the first thing I did after the company was registered and I had decided where I was going to work from, was to order business cards from Vista print. I was delighted when they arrived and took great delight in passing them out at every opportunity, including at a funeral!

I realised after about six months that my cards looked and felt very much like a lot of other cards, the board used wasn’t very substantial and you could tell that they had been ordered from Vista Print. I decided that I had to bite the bullet and spend some money on having my business cards printed by a regular printer. I also decided that if I was going to do this I needed a company logo and instructed a graphic designer to come up with a design that could be used on all company literature, including the website. I remember the day I went to the printer to pick up my new business cards and letter head and the subsequent apprehension I felt the first time I handed out my new business card and the relief that I felt after being told that they looked very smart.

I have never regretted instructing the graphic designer and the invaluable advice he provided, for instance he recommend that back of the card should also be printed. He reasoned that this way if I put my card in to a hat or bowl for a prize draw, my details would be seen regardless of which way the card was placed in the hat or bowl.

The best advice I have been given about business cards is that if you have run out or worse forgotten them, apologise and explain that you’ve just run out and ask for their details so you can email them your contact details.

Please remember you only get one chance to make a first impression and if you look like your in a mess you’re unlikely to secure new business.

If you would like to know more about David or Deanem Collections please do not hesitate to send me an email or visit our website www.deanemcollections.co.uk