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 This is a great way to promote a business by dramatizing exactly what it is you do.

The use of the heart icon is instantly recognizable and by combing its use as both a promotional piece and a business card costs are kept to a absolute minimum.

 This is so very good on so many levels…

Special congratulations should go to the bakery for avoiding the cliche and NOT “using their loaf”

It is one of my favorite business cards of all time.

There is no better, faster, lower cost way to build a business than establishing a proactive method of getting your existing customers to refer your business to their friends and families.

Nathan from restaurantrevolution.com sent me news of this great new product and I believe it is one of the best systems I have come across in a long time.

Without me blathering on about it, check it out for yourself at www.ripcard.com

I was sent this gem recently and loved it…

During a recent stay in a hotel I discovered a “Pillow Menu” in my room.

As a long time neck sufferer (My wife terms me as a pain in the neck) It was a very welcome value added service.

A quick Google proved it is a service offered by many service oriented hotels, but it got me thinking how easy it would be for most businesses to offer similar “value added services” at their point of delivery.

Things like, choice of chairs, cutlery, binding of documents, packaging etc. etc. The point is, the simple act of offering such a choice is a clear indication to your customers that you care and regard them as individuals with unique wants and needs.

How clever is this?

It makes me want to buy a personal trainer business just to use the idea, unfortunately I fear I wouldn’t pass the physical.

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There’s no excuse for producing boring business cards that merely provide your name an address.

With a little bit of creative brainpower you can easily turn your business card into something that will capture the attention and memory of your potential customers.

This gem says it all, and you can guarantee it will be pulled out and frequently shown to the friends and families of the recipients.

Using blind and heat embossing, die cutting and textured stocks you add a tactile feel to your card, and for very little additional expense, will add to the dramatic impact of your business card.

Too often designers and printers merely “copy cat” what everyone else has, this robs you and your business of all the extra potential that is available and put your name at “Top of Mind” when a buying decision is made.

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Naomi Dunford who publishes a blog at ItyBiz.com (who just happens to be a brilliant copy writer) has just published an excellant article on producing business cards.

HERES A SHORT EXCERPT OF WHAT SHE HAS TO SAY ON THE SUBJECT:

Business cards suck.

There are about a thousand people in the world who have good cards and sadly, they all sell things I can’t afford to buy. Thinking of getting new cards printed? Here’s what not to do.
1. Don’t be too similar.

Have you ever been the unfortunate recipient of a real estate agent’s business card? Apparently, there is a rule in the house selling industry - if you don’t have tacky, laminated business cards with a bad headshot taken circa 1982, you can’t actually get your real estate license. If you take an average card and remove all industry specific information, you’ll still know it’s for real estate because it’s still shockingly ugly.

Round your corners. (Note: this is an especially good idea since the first thing to get ratty on a card is the corners. Ratty card = going in the garbage). Use strong color. Don’t limit yourself to 12-point Times New Roman or Georgia or Garamond. Use a picture of your dog instead of your own ugly mug. Whatever. Just differentiate yourself a bit.

For the full article click here

Here is a great way to tap into the existing customers

of other business’s all around you.

Click on the pic to enlarge

Create a good looking coupon with a powerful offer to attract customers. Then, make the other business (the one who already has the customers) look like the hero. Doing this, instantly gives you the opportunity to attract the “Life Time Value” of a new customer at far less than the cost of Advertising. This type of promotion is extremely powerful for almost all types of business. I have seen some astounding results from this seemingly simple strategy.

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