More Than Just A Business Card

[Ardynn Media Founder Michael D Harris Jr]

Most professionals view a business card as a hand out to potential clients. I see it as more than that. It not only acts as my calling card, but as the # 1 advertising piece for our marketing strategy. I probably go through more than 10 times the amount of cards than the average business owner. The reason for this is that I leave them everywhere. I leave them on bus seats, on the subway, in elevators, next to the slot machines and even on the ground at the mall or market.
The thought behind this is that you never know who will pick them up and become your next client. I was at the Chamber of Commerce' Annual Dinner last week and had run down to the casino floor with a few people to have a drink. One of the women I was with is running for city council and she had a number of promo cards with her. As we turned to leave the casino floor and head back to dinner, I took a few of her cards and left them next to the slot machines. The candidate asked why I had done that and so I explained my theory to her and she thought it was clever, but was not sure it would work. Anyways, about an hour later while listening to a so, so speaker, I decided to check my email and lo and behold, I had an email from a women that had found my card on the floor of the farmers market. She launched her new company about 4 months ago and just happened to be looking for a firm to handle her marketing and advertising when she found my card. I immediately shared the email with the city council candidate and she has now hired me to handle the PR for her campaign.

The point of this is that you never know where business will come from and how your message will be reached. One thing leads to another and the next thing you know, you are thriving in a depressed economy.