Possible Online Business Issues
Starting an online business can be a lot of fun; not to mention profitable. But at the same time, you cannot expect everyday to be a walk in the park. When it comes down to it, there are many potential online business issues that you may have to deal with. While you will have some days that go smooth, there will be others that never seem to end. The way that you deal with these problems will determine if you succeed, or if your business goes under after only a short amount of time.
Anytime that you run an online business, you need to be aware that you are hinging your success largely on technology. For this reason, you should come to grips with the fact that you may run into some technology related glitches along the way. These problems include everything from an internet outage to being booted from the search engines. Remember, there is a solution to any problem that you run into. For many, finding the solution is a problem in its own right.
Believe it or not, running an online business can often times become boring. Not because your business idea lacks spunk, but because you may be working on your own, day in and day out. Most people who run an online business start small. This means that they work from their home, but this also means that there is nobody else around. Will you be able to deal with this? Some people have a difficult time working alone because they are so used to being involved with co-workers and clients on a daily basis.
You should not let the possible downfalls of an online business stop you from getting started. If you do, you may end up regretting this decision in the months to come.
10 Business Card Basics – Does Yours Have Them?
Do you consider your business card a marketing tool, or just a basic business necessity? If your answer is “a basic business necessity” you’re missing out on an inexpensive, often overlooked, valuable marketing tool.
I think many small business owners miss the boat when it comes to their business card. I’m looking at a variety of cards right now that I’ve received over the past few months.
Most of them are missing at least one key element that could be helping them attract more clients and prospects.
Most business cards include the basic contact information, but that’s where they stop.
Your business card is a marketing opportunity. Every time you hand one out, it’s a chance to communicate something about your business. It’s a chance to help establish your brand identity.
And, it’s a chance to attract prospects and clients to your business.
But only if you include the proper information.
Following is my list of 10 things every business card should include, along with a few basic tips on creating a business card that works hard for your business. While some of it seems pretty basic, you’d be surprised what I see on some business cards!
Use it as a checklist to evaluate your business card to see how it measures up.
1. Your Name
Obvious I know, but please make it easy to find and read. No mouse-type and don’t bury it among other information.
2. Your Title
You’d be surprised how many people leave this off. I recently received the business cards from two gentlemen who work for a major public relations firm. One is the founder and president, the other an assistant. Neither of their cards feature job titles. If time goes by and I forget who they are, or if I pass along their cards or contact info to someone else, they might not have any idea one of them is the owner of the company.
Too bad. It doesn’t cost any more to print a title on the card.
3. Your Business Name
Most people get this one right. If, however, you don’t have a business name, and you’re operating as “Mary Smith, Accountant” you need to get one. Even if you’re operating as a sole proprietor, a business name tells your prospects you’re serious, that this is a business and not a hobby.
4. Your Mailing Address
Make it easy for people to contact you. Five of the 20 business cards I just pulled out of my files do NOT include a mailing address. If you work out of your home and don’t want to publish your home address, get a P.O. Box or Postal Mail Box.
This again will help establish yours as a bona fide business and not just a hobby.
5. Your Email Address
Most people are pretty good about including his, but many are still using personal email addresses instead of “yourname@yourbusinessname.com”. Be professional and obtain and use an email address that features your web site domain name. It says you’re a professional AND it reinforces your brand/business name.
6. Your Phone Number and Fax Number (if you have one)
You may also include your cell phone number if you choose to. Whatever phone numbers you include, make sure they are clearly marked. How many times have you picked up a card and dialed a fax number by mistake only to receive that lovely screeching sound in your ear!?!
Make sure the font size is readable. You want to make it easy for prospects and clients to call you.
7. Your Logo Mark
This is one of the items I often see missing from small business owners’ cards. Probably because they don’t have a logo mark. A logo mark is your opportunity to begin establishing your brand. It sets the tone and personality for your business. In my opinion, it is a business must-have.
If you think you’re not big enough or can’t afford a logo, think again. If you want to be taken seriously as a business you need one.
8. Your Tagline
This is another one I scarcely see. What is a tagline? It is a short statement that sums up the solution you provide, or the key message or unique selling proposition for your business. When combined with your business name and logo, it communicates a lot about your business.
It’s a huge missed opportunity when you leave it off your business card.
9. Your Web Site Address
The most common reason for leaving this off a business card is not having a web site. I believe ALL businesses should have a web site. It gives your prospects and clients the opportunity to easily learn more about your business and the products or services you provide, if they’re not yet ready to contact you directly.
10. A Call-to-Action
This is one that most people do NOT include, but one that can provide a huge opportunity. If you look at your business card as a promotional tool, why not include a call-to-action, such as “Visit our website at [your website addresss] to get your Free Report, [Free Report Title].”
Use it as a way to drive traffic to your web site and generate new leads or prospects. It costs next to nothing and can make a huge impact, especially if you hand out a lot of cards.
This is something that can easily be printed on the back side of your card and two-sided cards don’t cost much more than one-sided cards to print.
It only cost me a few dollars more to print both sides of your business cards and it allows your to make the cards work that much harder for your businesses.
Take a look at your business cards. Do they feature all 10 of these items? If not, you’re probably missing out on a great, low-cost marketing opportunity.
(C) Copyright 2005 Debbie LaChusa
Law Firm Business Card Design That Gets New Clients
I am asked from time to time what an attorney should do about their law firm business cards since they are about to get some new cards. Actually I would recommend you not wait until you run out of cards currently to think through your business card strategy. You may or may not have to throw out your current cards. That is not important. What is important is what results can you expect from your business cards. Let me list for you some guidelines for your business card strategy that will improve your results. Business cards need to be created to get you business are they not?
1. You probably need more than one type of law firm business card. One card that is conservative and is used in situations or with people you think will respond best to a more conservative card like other attorneys, court personnel, bankers, and the like. You need a more “sales oriented” card for other environments to be used in situations where you are dealing with some referral sources or with your prospective client. Particularly if your practice areas are family law, criminal law, personal injury, elder law, immigration law, residential real estate, etc. In fact if you market to an ethnic market like Hispanics then you need a third card that works for them and preferably has been done by a vendor who specializes in Hispanic work.
2. Please don’t use the templates available at your local printer or print them off your computer. Go to http://www.guru.com and hire a graphic artist to design your law firm business card. Do be sure it is readable for your market (older people need larger and easy reading fonts). Have them design a logo if you don’t have one as well. It will be inexpensive ($8 per hour and up) to hire a graphic artist type since this website is a worldwide marketplace. You can hire vendors from places like India, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, Canada or the USA and be safe since they do understand our market. The United Kingdom is expensive with respect to the US dollar currently and they tend to be overly conservative for our market. Some USA vendors are young, eager and/or want to create a portfolio so their fees are low but their skills are fine for this purpose.
3. It is probably better if your law firm business card is at least a two-color card (maybe even a four color card for some practice areas like criminal law or personal injury for instance). What I mean here is either different color inks or a difference between the color of the card and the ink. You need something to make the card more visually interesting. Always use a quality paper for the card.
4. Be sure your website address is on the card and it is a domain name you own that reflects your practice area if possible. Naturally name, address and phone number as well on the card.
5. Consider putting your email address on your law firm business card or maybe instead of putting the website address. One caution here is be sure you have an email address on your card that is your own domain name and not AOL, Hotmail, Yahoo, or a vendor at your home like Comcast, Road Runner, Bell South or the like. Why? You don’t look like someone who is a solid business unless your domain name is one you own and is business/keyword related.
6. Consider putting your “slogan” on your law firm business card. One of mine is “Guiding your practice to increased revenues while reducing your work hours as you serve your clients better than ever.” Now, clearly a bit long for a business card and you get the idea. If you don’t put a slogan at least put something that indicates your major practice area focus on the card. Also you may need different cards for different practice areas thus more than 3 different cards (conservative, sales oriented, ethnic type for each major practice area) for some.
7. A bit more daring yet effective is putting an offer for a “free report” or “white paper” offer on your law firm business card. The article title needs to be very appealing to your market. Usually the article needs to be a “how to” or “7 ways to” or “secrets of” type of title. Maybe saying on the card “call or email me for the my complimentary report on XXX” on the card or even “download at xxx.com” which also doubles as putting your website address on the card.
8. Up to this point you probably have been thinking only about the front of your law firm business card. Let’s get a bit outside the box and think about the back of the card. How about that long slogan, the quote or the complimentary report offer on the back?
9. OK, lets get even more outside the box and say put your picture on the front of the card. Research on business cards shows those cards with a picture on the fronts are noticed, kept and remembered better than other cards without a photo.
10. Having said all of the above do be careful not to have the card cluttered so you don’t have to put everything I wrote about on your card.
Now you have it. Some ideas to consider with law firm business cards. I am sure some would say this is too much and maybe so. There is much to consider in law firm business cards that really makes a difference in getting you new clients or not.