How many times have you mentioned your blog or website to a family member, a friend, or a potential customer and didn’t have anything to give them as a take-away? We all know that you have to treat your site as a business but would you take any business seriously if the owner spoke to you on a chance encounter and when you asked for a card, he replied “uh, I don’t have any on me”.
That means one of two things: (1) he hasn’t made any money so he doesn’t have business cards or (2) he actually didn’t bring any cards with him. Both are downright scary and sure sign that you won’t be the first sucker on his site.
If you plan on marketing your site, how can you totally ignore offline marketing? Everyone writes about online marketing strategies but it’s amazing how often we underestimate the power of a face-to-face encounter. Something as easy to get as a business card is such a small investment but could make such a big impact.
Funny thing is, when you actually do decide on getting business cards, here’s my suggestion: don’t make them yourself! Forget about the hassle of trying to line things up and buying the right stock just to be left with perforated edges!
Enter Next Day Flyers
When I first started my own businesses, one of my the greatest moments is seeing a business card that I helped create. Seeing my name and logo on a little 3.5 x 2 inch card may as well be my name in broadway lights. What Next Day Flyers can do is get you that very same feeling I had for less than a the price of a movie, drink and popcorn.
Let me run an example by you. Let’s say you want 1000 business cards in full color front and even a black/greyscale back (perfect for printing your URL). You’ll be getting that for $16.95, or less than 1.7 cents a card! I’d bet the last time you felt foolish that you didn’t have a business card you would’ve traded two cents for something to hand them.
Here’s the best part, you don’t even have to start from scratch. I mean sure, you could start with a logo but even if you don’t have anything other than your name, URL and email address, you can leverage their templates for free! Their business card template is super-easy to use. Trust me, this might be a partner of mine (read my disclosure) but I walked through the entire process myself. Those of you who know me know that I would never post an article blindly.
So stop waiting around and go get yourself a nice set of business cards so the next time you talk to someone about your site or blog, you don’t look like such a fly-by-night. And if you have them already, check out what these folks can do with brochures!
BTW, Quality Logo Products also offers great personalized promo items you can give to people to help spread the word when you meet.
What have you done to market your site in person?
I am a business professional
with an entrepreneurial spirit. Although I have an MBA and managed websites and IT departments
for several Fortune 500 companies ...
Gabe, I’ve my card from the company I work for (obviously it doesn’t contain my blog URL). Hmmm never given a thought of having my blog URL printed on it
definitely it’s going to spread the word about my new blog.
Basant | Techno-Pulse’s last post…LightSwitch- The Simplest way to Build Business applications for Cloud & Desktop
It certainly can’t hurt. My work business cards have the URL to my personal profile on our company site. It gets plenty of direct hits.
Well, that was motivating Gabe
I actually never tried doing offline marketing, especially with friends and relatives. They know what I do for a living, it’s just that I know that they are not really interested about it. But what I’ve suddenly thought of after reading this, is that I never did consider their connections. If I go offline, I may succeed through word of mouth, right? I mean it’s really possible for our friends and families to know someone who is in need of something we can offer. letting them know what we do may be of help in terms of referring their friends on our way 
And what’s best about it, is if you are already prepared with those business cards, making you look more professional once they get to meet you in person. Just realized that suddenly. Anyway, I enjoyed this one Gabe!
Regards,
Jason
You don’t even have to be actively marketing yourself. If you keep your eyes and ears open, it’s pretty easy to find opportunities to strike up a chat about your blog. Then just hand a card and walk away.
More personally, I’ve found that on meeting people we often work around Twitter usernames. Generally they look me up and we tweet each other links.
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Lots of folks include their twitter name on their cards as well.
Good point – I forget this is a worldwide trend!
Claire @ email marketing software’s last post…Capture that data
I love this idea! I never tried this one, but I think it will work out. My sister is currently making give away items. I will tell her to include my blog on her items. Thank you! thank you for giving me this idea!
Not sure what kind of items they are but just make sure adding your URL isn’t too cheesy.
Oh sorry for not explaining it further… those are give away items for birthdays and parties, weddings and more. She used to put her contact info and her email address on those and maybe I can include my blog url there. hehehe
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by LittleXpert, Jason Acidre. Jason Acidre said: RT @pnstlion Don’t forget about spreading the word when you meet people (yes, in person!) http://bit.ly/94a4o5 [...]
I don’t see anything about free samples, do they offer them?
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Not sure. My contact there is on vacation but if you want to find out, call 800-251-9948 or email to customercare@nextdayflyers.com. Tell them Leslie sent you.
Let me know how it works out.
Greatly appreciated, thanks Gabe.
Dennis Edell | Direct Sales Marketing’s last post…Update 3 – The Newsletter
Totally agree, before I started working as a full time programmer, all my business cam from face to face encounter. Not one came from my carefully SEO’d site
I suppose it’s a good idea, but I’m not sure how many people would want a business card from me with a link the just a simple tech site, I mean people use business cards for services more so, if I had a web design site then maybe it would be a different situation
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Yes its good to tell everyone about your blog/website. Even though most people won’t really visit, some will.
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I agree, and would say probably over 80 % of our internet sales are from those we had handed cards to when the were shopping from us at local markets.
Rob, that’s a perfect example. Sites that actually sell something have no excuse not to have cards with the URL. It’s a no-brainer.
We are currently marketing our choral group to sing on weddings and some funerals. But I haven’t thought of including my blog URL on the flyers and cards. I can just include my blog URL to promote on the next print out.
I hope it does not have any negative reaction from the clients. Because the blog itself is not related to choral music. 
But It might help. Just a thought.
If it’s related to the flyer, then your blog URL makes sense.
Good think to do, huh ?
I never have my “own” business card before, I work with a company for more than 15 years. I do blogging in my free time only & only plan to do offline marketing when my blog grow bigger.
Btw, I always want to start my own business but find myself very hard to move on due to many commitment. Do u have any advice? do share with me please.
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My humble advice is: start small, simple, offer honesty and build strong relationships with your clients, and move further as you go
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I will have to give it a try and also list my blog. I will post later with the reaction I get.
I actually never tried it before. Great idea, especially to let others know who you are and what you do. I’ll definitely try it. Thanks for sharing!
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I’ve tried this quite a few times, but where I live most people don’t understand how you can monetize a blog or your opinion about things.
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I can not say anything more is that this is really great ideas, can say we are living in the 21st century – the world of technology so that the use of links with business card service is needed on the internet. I am impressed with the presentation style of your posts for this topic. Thank you for sharing, I marked your site, I will come back often.
In my mind, a business card is important to a business man, I also have my own business card.
good advice, I will do the business card.
I agree. Offline marketing is a great idea. This is a cool way to advertise. thanks for sharing. i want to try it one time soon.
Totally agree, before I started working as a full time programmer, all my business cam from face to face encounter
)
this is one of most important things when you have a blog
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Great point Gabe…I always carry 5-10 business cards with me for those just in case moments when I might meet someone I want to trade contact info with…and right on there is the address to my main website
ryan
fantastical widget. thank you so much.
nice blog and thanks for this useful information:-)
I love this idea! i will surely gonna try when i have some extra bucks with me
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