0816_TOEFL-Test-and-Score-Manual-1997

154 ● 201 Great Ideas for Your Small Business
“A good card is a great way to break through the clutter,” said Alexander,
whose cards have won design competitions and have been featured in Inc.
magazine.
His personal card is intricately layered with multicolored papers and
complex cutouts.
“The more creative your card is, the more oohs and ahhs you’ll get
from people you hand it to,” said Alexander. “One glance tells people right
away how you think.”
Although everyone thinks online marketing dominates, Alexander said
he heard that Twitter employees were handing out paper business cards at
last year’s South by Southwest (SXSW) music, film, and digital media festival.
“I’m not saying down with digital—we use everything digital in our
daily work,” he explained. But in this super high-tech world, Alexander sees
great value in a well-designed, fun, and informative business card.
Here are some tips for coming up with the perfect card:
• See what’s out there and figure out which cards resonate with you.
• Save business cards that you like to share with the designer.
• Ask people whose cards you like to refer you to their designer.
• Contact an art school to see if you can work with a promising design
student. Students are often looking for real-world experience, and their
rates are generally lower than a professional’s.
GREAT
Create a Dynamic Database
If you look at the piles of business cards on your desk and
IDEA
just see a mess—look again. You are looking at potential
income. No matter how small your business is, you need a dynamic database.
It’s easy to create one with a card scanner and simple software. Once
you have a good list, you can send all sorts of information to customers.
Add telephone numbers to your database, and you are ready to kick off
a telemarketing campaign.
Building a database is easier than you think. All your e-mail and online
contacts form the basis for your list. Next, add in names from business