Blogging With Success and UPrinting Giveaway: 1000 Business Cards to Be Won

I hope to build upon the experience I gained running my own custom digital design business to benefit my new career as a blogger. My business card for my design company acted as my proverbial foot in the door. In many cases, it was my first impression and I knew the value of a good first impression.

For my design business, I created my own business card in Photoshop and went through several versions before settling on my final one. It needed to display my contact information as well as represent my work. It needed to be clean and simple and concise but eye catching as well. The quality of the card was vitally important as well: thickness, color, clarity, etc. If I provided a prospective client with a cheap, thin card, what was that saying about my work product? My business card had to reflect the same degree of quality and commitment I put into my clients’ work.

I will apply the same principles to a business card I create for my blog.

I’ll also apply the same marketing techniques I used in my design business. Because mine was a small business, I could not afford a marketing or advertising company. It’s the same with my blog. I can’t afford to pay someone to get my name out there. I have to do it myself and with a budget of $0.00, this is difficult, to say the least. However, this is what I used to do with my business cards and what I fully intend to do with any I create for my blog:

1. Carry at least 5-10 with me at any time, in a business card holder – NOT sitting at the bottom of my purse stuck to an old lollipop and a pile of receipts.

2. Use it anytime I need to give out my email address … whether it’s to a friend, the school, the doctor, a store, anywhere.

3. Leave my business card in every single “win something” drawing around town. You know the ones … win a free lunch, win a free coffee, win a free …

4. Pin it on every single bulletin board I see.

5. Leave it in any library book I take out, almost as if I used it as a bookmark.

6. Leave it in any dressing room I use, as if it accidentally fell out of my purse.

7. “Accidentally” leave it in any restaurant booth, restroom, passenger seat … basically anywhere I go.

I know I’m forgetting several other methods I used, and I know that these seem like somewhat basic tactics and not at all what a “professional” marketing campaign would do but they’re free and easy and they do work – several prospective clients contacted me because they “stumbled” upon my business card, were impressed with its quality and were intrigued enough to contact me.

I hope the same happens with my blog.

Hi there,

The only best way I can see to use the cards is to promote my business to various direct contacts I have. I’ve always considered business cards and Poster ads a good form to spread the word and to get in business deals and proposals.

Cheers,
Eddie Gear