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Is Your Business Card Costing You Real Estate Business ?

Is Your Business Card Costing You Business?

Your business card is one of the most basic marketing tools you have – but certain mistakes can make it ineffective, costing you business as soon as you hand your card to a prospect.

Check out this week’s video below, for 6 tips on how to make sure your business card is working FOR you instead of AGAINST you.

 
 

6 Important Elements for Your Business Card

You never get a second chance for a first impression- and your first impression can be defined by your business card, especially when you’re attending a conference or event. Faces and names may blur, but you’ll be left with a stack of business cards that can mean important connections later. And buyers and sellers may meet with several agents, but your business card hangs around longer than you do. Does your card have these important elements?

  1. Tactile. Your card should be printed on high-quality cardstock, with a nice weight. People should be able to hold it in their hand and have it feel valuable. The card should feel like it’s not something you can just toss away.
  2. Raised Lettering. Text printed in raised ink also adds to the tactile quality of your business card. This raises its value in the unconscious mind of the holder of your card. They’ll feel the card is classy, and that classy feeling extends to the person who gave it to them- YOU are classy.
  3. Can You Read It? The fastest growing population isn’t the young folks. It’s people like me, over a certain age, who have started to have some vision issues. Is your card in grey ink printed on a black background? If I can’t read it, I’m throwing it away. Don’t make me squint!
  4. Utility. These custom sized and shaped business cards are fun to look at, but when it comes to entering info in your database, or a buyer or seller hanging on to it- guess what, if it’s an odd shape it’s more likely to get tossed. Glossy cards can look nice, but if it’s glossy on both sides- people can’t write notes on them with additional info they got when talking to you. Make sure to have a nice matte finish on one side at least, so folks can add their notes.
  5. Does It Fit In A Wallet? This is just like the last point- utility. Many cards are saved in those business-card shaped pockets in a wallet, or the clear sheets for holding business cards. Is it oversized or too small to fit in a wallet? It’s probably getting tossed.
  6. Specific Cards for Specific Purposes. When I was at the peak of my real estate career, one of the things I did with business cards was to print them for certain uses. You can really WOW a seller when you show up to a listing appointment, with pre-printed business cards with a picture of their house and estimated terms next to it. You can lay out these cards on a simple desktop software program (I used Microsoft Publisher), add their photo to the template you’ve created for just this occasion, and use your desktop printer to print a few out. This was one of my most effective direct response marketing pieces. That card can pre-qualify prospective buyers- they know they can afford the terms listed on the card, and it’s got my contact info ready for them to give me a call.

Some other tips- if you’re adding your social media icons, make SURE you put the actual address/extension of those media accounts, so people can find you without having to look. Cuz if they are having to look, guess what- they’re not going to! And PLEASE don’t split up your information on both sides of the card- definitely USE both sides. But don’t have your name on one side and your number on the other side. People use scanner technology now to add your info to their contacts or databases- and if they have to scan two sides, guess what- they aren’t going to.

I hope this has been helpful- if you have business cards tips or questions, leave them for us in the comments below.

 

21 responses to “Is Your Business Card Costing You Business?”

  1. Ernie Coates Avatar

    Your comments about business card size is very important. I use wall mounted business card holder to keep business card of people that I may refer such as lawyers, home inspectors, electricians, plumbers etc… If the card is an odd size, I just throw it away. Also, remember to put your address on the business card, I have realtors that give me business cards and they don’t have the city. I have a poor memory and can not remember the City of the realtor.

    1. Michael Krisa Avatar
      Michael Krisa

      A wall mounted holder … how creative Ernie – never seen one of those.

      So true how the little things about a business card and affect a business and many agents don’t realize just how much.

      Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment!

      All Good Wishes,
      michael

  2. Robert Ryals Avatar
    Robert Ryals

    Ingenious and creative! Congratulations on such thought provoking ideas. I definitely learned something! At 87 (60 years in commercial real estate mainly in commercial site selection work in SE US) I feel like its an incomplete day If I fail to learn something each and every day in my field….so you made my day!
    Thanks,
    Bob Ryals
    Robert Ryals Realty
    4130 Buttercup Way
    Tallahassee,FL
    850-926-7791

    1. Michael Krisa Avatar
      Michael Krisa

      Robert thank you so much for the words of support!

      All Good Wishes,
      michael

  3. Larry Paletta Avatar

    It’s the small helpful hints that make a difference.

    1. Michael Krisa Avatar
      Michael Krisa

      Yes they do Larry … and my wife leaves me MANY small hints about things to do LOL!

      Have a great my friend and thanks for your comment.

      All Good Wishes,
      michael

  4. Nancy Bittman Avatar
    Nancy Bittman

    Hi, Michael,
    Great tips here! Thanks. Can I use this info to share on my Social Media pages?

    1. Michael Krisa Avatar
      Michael Krisa

      Nancy thanks for the kind words and ABSOLUTELY please feel free to share.

      All Good Wishes,
      michael

  5. Nick Avatar
    Nick

    Good morning Michael-Your Business Card suggestions are the best that I have heard or seen in the longest time. The “Specific Card for Specific Purposes” suggestion, to me is the best of all.
    Thanks for sharing your recommandation with your followers.

    Nick

    1. Michael Krisa Avatar
      Michael Krisa

      Thanks Nick – trust me when I say that you can generate A LOT of busine$$ with those specialty cards and all you need is a colour printer and card stock from Staples or any office supples store.

      FSBO’s loved these cards to hand out as part of a marketing package I would give them – which ultimately turned into a listing.

      Thanks for commenting!

      All Good Wishes,
      michael

  6. Steve Parker Avatar

    Great reminder, simple yet so effective. I think as an industry we get so carried away trying to differentiate ourselves from
    M the pack, build a unique brand that we lose sight of what is important. A lot of marketing that looks fantastic on the computer in design mode does’t always translate well to the real world. The well designed business card is like a great for sale sign. I always want to be able read my name & number when driving by at 30mph. Thanks for 6 simple truths.

    1. Michael Krisa Avatar
      Michael Krisa

      Steve we one on the easiest industries to sell to and we buy without thinking … because it’s shinny we we’re told it will gives us a competitive advantage.

      A lot of this stuff it just pure ego stroking.

      Thanks for getting this and taking the time to leave a comment.

      All Good Wishes,
      michael

  7. Terry Avatar

    VERY HELPFUL. Listened to a friend of mine and bought a card that was a funky shape. Letters were so small, very few of my clients could read it.

    Now I use them for return address on any letters I sent out.

    Expensive return address labels.

    1. Michael Krisa Avatar
      Michael Krisa

      OUCH Terry costly mistake indeed.

      Thanks for taking the time to comment!

      All Good Wishes,
      Michael

  8. Lucy Uecker Avatar

    Good article — needed reminder and information as to what and how on a real estate business card!

    1. Michael Krisa Avatar
      Michael Krisa

      Thanks Lucy glad we could help!

      All good wishes,
      michael

  9. Sharon Altieri Avatar

    I liked that you listed the most important aspects of the business cards. It is important to remember when designing your business ID Card that people can read, understand & know how to contact you. Also keeping it a uniform size is what keeps it within people’s reach. In a personal recent research study, I found that a sturdy card slightly larger than others was always the first card to be pulled. Great for Broker’s drawings!

    Liked your cap, but notice there’s no snow on the ground outside…bad hair day?

    1. Michael Krisa Avatar
      Michael Krisa

      Hey Sharon I stopped worrying about bad hair days a loooooong time ago LOL!

      Thanks for taking the time to comment.

      All Good Wishes,
      michael

  10. Marty Douglas Avatar
    Marty Douglas

    Great video Michael – we frequently overlook the basics, particularly when we focus on personal branding and forget the end user of the business card. Marty Douglas

    1. Michael Krisa Avatar
      Michael Krisa

      Thanks Marty – appreciate you taking time out from vacationing, skiing and all the other stuff your BC-types do to comment ๐Ÿ™‚

      All Good Wishes,
      michael

  11. Donna Murray Avatar

    Great helpful hints, thank you

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