The Free Business Card Myth
The same rules that apply to our fast-pace world of rampant consumerism also hold true for business cards:
If it sounds too good to be true, you can bet your bottom dollar it probably is.
Free business cards may sound like a great way for startup businesses to get there name out there and save a couple of bucks in the process, but the message they give to prospective clients isn't a very positive one. In fact, if you're a small business owner looking to hit the ground running, then ask yourself the following question: What good can come out of a business card mindlessly decorated with generic clip art and whose backside is solely dedicated to providing free publicity for the printer who gave you the supposed deal?
If you can't answer this question, the prospective client who you are supposedly trying to dazzle sure will. And chances are his answer will have little to do with your competence and originality and more to do with you being a cheapskate.
So before you opt for the short-term savings, keep in mind that free business cards are a great way to make a really bad first impression.
Not convinced? Well, just take a professional business card splashed with a glossy lamination and set it down on your desk next to one of those free business cards printed on the cheapest card stock around. One of these two business cards is staring right back at you with the words 'Amateur cheapskate' printed all over it. Care to guess which it is?
Of course, in the end, you're harming a lot more than just your financial credibility Think of it this way: If half of your free business card is dedicated to free promotion for the printing company, than both of you are now competing for your client's attention. That would be tantamount to renting out just half of a city billboard and allowing another company to advertise on the other half.
The fact of the matter is that the back of a business card - if it is used at all - should include important information about your company; maybe a voucher or redeemable gift certificate. Even a map of where your business is situated is more useful.
In the end, the only person who's getting the free ride in this situation is the printer who is supposed to be cutting you the deal. That is the last person you should be worrying about.
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