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7 Card Tricks That Improve Your Personal Networking Power

by Debbie Jenkins

The humble business card has been a mainstay of business and industry for years. But despite its small size and cost, it's one of the most powerful marketing tools you will ever possess. Because of its low cost many people take the business card for granted and don't even think of the effect it can have on their networking and sales success.

Your business card can perform many different promotional jobs and usually all at once. I call these little jobs "Card Tricks" because they work like magic. All you need to do is be aware of what you want the end effect to be and then set your business card up to work the magic for you.

Here are 7 Card Trick ideas:

1. Get A Most Wanted Response

This is the action you want your new contact to take next as a result of your communication. In this case it?s your business card that provides the communication.

You are responsible for the outcome of your communication so it goes without saying that you must have a clear outcome in mind to make the most effective use of your business card. If you don't create a business card with a clear idea of what you're expecting as an outcome then you can't expect to generate a consistent response. Your networking will be hit and miss and you?ll miss more opportunities than you deserve to.

Although your eventual goal will be to get someone to buy, buy again and then tell all their friends your first MWR when networking will rarely be "buy my service" straight away. You may want your prospect to give you permission to follow up first or to book a meeting or request more information. These types of response all build the relationship and make your final goal much easier to achieve.

A good first response is to create curiosity and then follow it up with a specific action. Consider the following ideas:

a. Make them visit your website and leave contact details by offering a FREEBIE on the back of your card. You could handwrite the URL (website address) each time you hand one out for that extra personal touch.

b. Get them to set up a meeting immediately by offering a FREE consultation and providing an appointment reminder form on the back of your card which you fill in as you're talking to them.

c. Get them to call you as soon as they return to work by suggesting you have a secret FREE report and repeating your phone number nice and big on the back. You could give them a password or phrase to say when they call to be told more. People love to learn secrets, don't you?

All along you should be looking to build your credibility and their level of trust. Your business card isn't 100% responsible for this process but if it's wrong you'll be causing yourself unnecessary problems.

2. Get Read (break the ice)

3. Get Kept (And Referred To)

4. Get Passed On

5. Qualify/Disqualify Prospects

Be explicit about what you do, for whom and in what situation. This will help your card to do the difficult job of separating the wheat from the chaff, in terms of people you'd like to do business with.

A strong, targeted message on your business card will free your phone line up for enquiries from inspired, interested and applicable prospects. People who don't fit your target will then know not to waste your time or theirs, and if they like you they can pass your details on to people who are right.

6. Sell Stuff

7. Make YOU A Celebrity

A key goal when networking is to stand out and be recognised. When people know your face and know what you can do for whom, introductions and positive gossip will become rampant.

The problem is, people in general, aren't very good at putting names to faces until they've met you a few times. If you want everyone to know your name and to say, "There's Mr/Mrs X" when you enter a room then here's a really easy trick:

Put a photo of yourself on your card. Maybe even use up the whole of one side and include a link to a FREEBIE or a quote with it.

Then if you frequent the same networking groups and events often enough, your name will go before you.

It's also a great ice-breaker and gets people to take a second look.

Some people believe that a picture could put people off who judge by appearances (i.e. too young, too old, don't like the colour of that sweater etc). My question is: Do you want clients who make such assumptions in the first place? If not then fine. If you do then this might not work for you.

"Dangerous" Debbie Jenkins is an author and speaker who takes no prisoners with her explosive and scathing attacks on the greedy and lazy textbook marketers who've never spent a penny of their own money on marketing in their life.

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