Do you think Donald Trump passes out business cards at every function he attends? No Way.
Really successful entrepreneurs find other more creative ways to get people to remember them (including their bank manager and other potential business loan sources).
Business coach, Craig Duswalt, says successful business people do such out-of-the-box activities such as:
- Write articles
- Produce YouTube videos
- Use social networking sites like Facebook and LinkedIn to get the word out that they exist
- Blog at least once a day
They do not need business cards.
Dusawalt says, “I don’t hand out business cards because, first of all, my brand as a RockStar Speaker doesn’t allow me to. If I’m being true to my brand, I have to act like a rock star even though I know I’m not a real rock star. Second, I don’t like to waste money on printing cards that most people will probably ignore.”
So if you don’t have a business card, how do you get people to contact you? Dusawalt recommends two ways:
#1. Search me
“If people want to contact me because they are really interested in what I have to offer, I tell them they can either Google my name, which is not easy to spell, or even better, to Google the name of my business.”
Through search engine optimization tools, I make sure I’m all over the first page of most search engines. The search results direct searchers to my website where they can view all my contact information and find out everything there is to know about me.
#2. Books, not cards
“I hand out my ‘RockStar System For Success’ books instead of business cards.”
I recently wrote five books in about 12 weeks, because I know and teach that small books are key for entrepreneurs and small businesses.
It’s a means of standing out from their competition
People often throw away business cards as soon as they get back to the office. But they will never, ever, throw away a book. It just doesn’t happen. A book can cost, on an average, about $1 each to print.
Yes, printing a book costs more than a business card, but think of all the promotional items you buy for your business — pens, mugs, hats, golf balls, etc.
A book is about the same price as a promotional item, but it is filled with information about what you do and how you do it.
If written properly, your book is a glorified sales letter
So instead of business cards, hand out your latest book. And just like a business card, it have your contact information on every page.
This marketing twist sends the right message
You will be perceived as being successful because you can afford to give away books. And people always want to associate themselves with people who are doing well (including your business loan sources).
In addition, the Law of Reciprocity basically states that if you do something positive for someone else (giving them a free book), they will do something positive in return (give you their business).
Think of it like this — successful musicians rarely market themselves personally. (Promoters do it.)
But every fan knows when their favorite band is coming to town, and exactly where they’re playing.
You don’t want to go see your favorite band perform because they gave you a business card — you want to see them because you’re a fan of the band’s work and the band has been properly promoted.
Successful entrepreneurs get clients (and possibly even business capital) because they build a base of fans. They don’t need to pass out business cards.
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Source: http://www.the-signal.com/section/25/article/39321/
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