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If you think business cards are a piece of the past, think again. With around 10 billion being printed each year in the US alone, business cards remain to be a popular tool for engaging and networking with potential clients, vendors, and others in the residential construction industry. Your business card is often someones first point of contact with your business, so it can also play an important role in your appearance and reputation.
Business cards are believed to have been in use for nearly 600 years 1
In this article, you’ll learn why business cards are still an important tool in your construction business and what you can do to maximize the impact they can have on your business.
Despite the fact that smartphones have long replaced the Rolodex, business cards are still a critical tool in your business today. They are still the faster and more convenient way to share your information with potential clients and can even help boost your chances of closing a deal.
According to Small Business Rainmaker, business cards lead to a higher conversion rate than your website. The same article also points out that sales increase 2.5% for every 2,000 business cards that are handed out. Considering that you’ll pay between $0.06 to $0.24 to print each card, a company with $1M in revenue will pay between $120 to $480 to increase revenue by $25,000. That’s a return of over 5000%!
So, if you’re wondering if business cards are still worth the expense in your home building or remodeling business, the answer is a resounding YES.
Still not convinced business cards are still relevant and beneficial for your construction company? Here are six other reasons why your business shouldn’t go without them:
Your business card is one of the first points of contact between your company and your potential client, which means it’s one of the best ways to leave a lasting impression.
Your business card isn’t just a piece of paper with your contact information; it has the ability to tell a lot more about your business in the mind of a potential client. A well-designed business card can communicate the attention and quality that you put into your work. Or, it may demonstrate your level of professionalism and show your client the high standards you hold.
According to Statistic Brain Research Institute, 72% of people judge a company based on the quality of their business cards, while 39% wouldn’t do business with a company if they had a “cheap-looking” business card.
Said another way, a poorly designed business card can also leave a lasting impression, but likely not the one you’re hoping for.
In residential construction, you never know when a conversation may turn into a sales opportunity, so you always want to be prepared. To strike while the iron is hot, you need to be ready to provide your information in the most efficient and effective way possible—business cards still do this better than any alternative to this day.
Beyond providing essential contact information (name, phone number, email, etc.), your business card serves as a visual reminder of you and your conversation with potential new clients. Having a handful of business cards in your pocket is much more convenient than having to write down your name and phone number on a piece of scratch paper and certainly less likely to get lost or thrown away.
While exchanging information over your mobile devices is always an option, it’s also easy to get quickly buried and forgotten about. When you provide someone with your business card, you’re making life easier for them, which is a great first step in turning a conversation into a client.
Simply put, branding matters. Your brand gives you an identity and helps position you in the eyes of potential clients when they are researching their options.
Branding isn’t just about your logo or how you look. It’s also about how you communicate and promote your brand (and this ties into your business card). In order to stand out among other home building and remodeling companies, you need your brand to represent who you are and what makes you unique. In other words, your business card plays a crucial role in portraying your brand.
Your business card should represent your brand just as your job site signage, vehicles, and website do. Doing this lets you connect the dots visually for potential clients and show uniformity in your business.
In today’s fast-paced and digital world, your business card has the ability to make you truly stand out among all of the noise. To do so, you’ll need to think creatively to create a business card that makes you memorable.
Based on some survey statistics from Aura Print:
There is really no limit to what you can do to create a business card that stands out (you’ll see some examples later in this article). To get your creative juices flowing, here are some things to consider:
But no matter what you do, it’s vital that you stay consistent and on brand. Your business card’s primary focus is to provide contact information, so don’t get too caught up in the bells and whistles of what your card can provide. Sometimes simpler is better, and less is more.
Saying you have a business is one thing, but saying you have a business and having a card to back it up shows more brand credibility. A business card shows potential clients that you’re open for business and ready to handle any job that comes your way.
The best way to increase your credibility with your business card is to make sure it looks as professional as possible. Don’t clutter your business card with too much information; include the essentials your potential client needs to reach out, but don’t shy away from including awards or accreditations that improve your reputation.
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Okay, okay… the fishbowl raffles may not be a reason in itself, but the fact is, without a business card, your chances of winning that free lunch are nil. And who doesn’t like winning a free lunch, right?
If you’re looking to increase your odds even more, someone even wrote an article on How to Win at Fishbowl Raffles.
As the first point of contact between you and a potential client, you want to ensure that your business card does the job that it is intended to do. That means it needs to include some essential things:
If you want to add a digital component to your card, QR codes are a great way to provide easy access to additional information, such as your portfolio. An added benefit of QR codes is the ability to see how many times someone has scanned the code.
Remember: when creating your business card, less is more. Make sure only to include the essentials and represent your brand well on your card. Here are some ideas for designing and printing your construction business card.
Designing and printing your business card has never been easier. In fact, you can even do it yourself without any special software. If you’d prefer to have it done by professionals, that’s easy as well.
Here are a few of the most popular options for getting your business card designed and printed.
Canva: This website makes designing your business cards yourself easy (and free) without special software or design training. There are many free templates to choose from, but you can also expand your options by signing up for a monthly or yearly subscription.
99 Designs: With this service, you can post a job, specify how much you’d like to pay, and receive designs from several artists that compete for your business. You can narrow down your choices, ask for revisions, and ultimately select and pay for the design you like best.
Fiverr: On Fiverr, you can find a freelance designer from a large group of options based on your budget and design preference. You can browse previous work, read reviews, and choose to work with the designer you feel fits your project the best.
Upwork: Upwork is similar to Fiverr, but it tends to offer a higher level of talent and can be slightly more expensive. Upwork offers a huge network of designers to choose from, and unlike Fiverr, it makes it easy to continue working with your designer on additional projects if you choose.
Moo.com: Moo is well known for offering very high-quality cards and unique sizes. While they may be slightly more expensive, if you’re looking for your cards to stand out, they’re the company you want to use.
VistaPrint: This popular printer is best known for providing affordable cards with a relatively quick turnaround. They offer an endless array of options to choose from and deliver acceptable quality.
FedEx Office: Previously known as Kinko’s, FedEx Office offers a fast turnaround and convenient locations for pickup. If you don’t want to wait for shipping, this might be your best option. But they tend to be slightly higher in price, and their quality isn’t always the best.
When it comes to creating a business card that truly separates you from other home builders and remodelers, you need something more than a sleek design on fancy paper. It requires that you don’t cut corners (pun intended), and you aren’t afraid to spend some money upfront.
Here are some ideas and examples of business cards that your potential clients will save and remember for years to come.
Instead of using paper, find a way to create a business card using materials that are a part of your business, like this example of business cards made out of concrete.
To make a lasting impression, turn your card into an engaging experience that aligns with your business. For example, as a home builder, you could make a card that folds into a house, similar to the phone booth card below.
Turn your business card into a useful tool your potential clients will want to save and use. For example, check out this metal business card that is also a handy ruler.
Turn your business card into an interactive experience with a USB card. Share your entire project portfolio, accessed through your business card on any computer.
Nothing says "custom builder" more than a business card handmade by the builder themselves. The cards featured below were handmade with a plated gold core and wrapped in a fine rare wood.
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Create something extraordinary, and you’re guaranteed to get the attention it deserves (but not the ROI, most likely). The most expensive business card in the world (seen below) costs $153,000 for a set of 100 cards! Each card features 30 Carat diamonds and is made with scratch and chemical-resistant material. Definitely not a card to drop in the fishbowl.
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