Can your business card make you stand out from the crowd? Let’s see how.

Let’s play a small game together. Look at this

Do you like it? It is simple and has all the essentials like contact names, numbers, and the brand logo.

Now, look at this one.

Which of these two are you more likely to remember in the long run? If I were to choose, I’d pick the second one.

These days, a business card is like oxygen, everyone needs it. But take a second and think about the last networking event you attended. How many of the business cards you received do you actually remember?

 I remember only a few. Why? Because we as human beings are attracted to unique things that have distinctive audio, visual or aesthetic appeal. Our mind thinks in terms of images, as has been proven by many scientists before so why not choose unique ways to showcase our work?

 About six years ago, I was told that we could add our photographs to our business cards. But I thought, why not go a step further and create something that has more meaningful, that showcases an aesthetic relevant to my work?

 While I was still brainstorming, I came across the business card of a friend who is into advertising. It was in the shape of a note and that’s what I took inspiration from and created mine. Here’s how it looks.

For those who don’t know, I am a financial consultant so the currency note format fits perfectly well with my industry. The dollar layout signifies how I help save and grow your income. From talking about the numbers of years we’re in business to which organizations are we associated with, everything my clients need to know about me is here.

 And now it was time to undergo the litmus test. With these notes in my pocket, I entered a networking event and began giving these to people with my introduction. To my surprise as well, every time I pulled out this card from my money clip, I received a ‘wow’ reaction from everyone around. People started taking interest in knowing what I do and keeping my card safe for future reference.

 My purpose was solved. This business card helped me create a lasting impression, passed my message, and even remained with people for future reference.

 Sometime later, I happened to meet Dr. Ivan Misner, whom we call the father of modern networking. As he held the card, he was mesmerized. So much that he asked another networker to click a photo with him holding the card.

A few months later, I decided to give an innovative gift to my clients on similar lines. Can you find from the image what it was?

Found nothing unusual? Well, look towards the center at the gold coin. That is a real one. I purchased 3mg gold coins from a jeweler and had those embedded in my card. When I gifted these to my clients, they not only loved it but kept it safe, no one throws gold away. Yet again my purpose was solved.

These things may sound like a marketing gimmick to some, but doesn’t such creativity become your unique memory hook? Tell me, if anyone shared any of the above with you, would you ever forget such a person?

 So why not become unforgettable?

‘Money tells but story sells’. What’s your story? What problem are you solving for your clients? Take a paper, pen down all the relevant elements of your service and see how many of those could translate into a compelling design.

 If you have an idea and wish to discuss it, put it down in the comments below, and let’s see what we come up with. Also, if you’d like me to talk about something related to networking, feel free to comment below or write to me. I’d love to hear your thoughts.