What Does Your Business Card Say About YOU?

I ran into a colleague last week at Walmart of all places. She was buying groceries and I was buying dog treats for my four toy poodles. One of my poodles died in June 2007 but I still have four toy poodles.

This attorney works at a large law firm in downtown Cincinnati, Ohio. We exchanged business cards. She commented on the colors and the format of my business card. I looked at her business card and we both laughed because I used to work in a large firm and I had a similiar looking business card then.

What does your business card say about you? I have experimented with business cards since starting my own law and consulting practices. Several years ago I used a business card with my picture on the front however I stopped using those cards because I change my hairstyles frequently from straight, crimps, braids, twists, and everything in between. I am wearing twists now for the summer and will sport a curly roller set in the fall except when I have to travel (then its twists).

Do you think its unprofessional for attorneys to have their pictures on business cards? Realtors are light years ahead of attorneys as far as marketing so please don't say its something a real estate agent would do. Real Estate Agents and Real Estate Companies know how to market and could teach us lawyers a few things!

Consider adding a splash of color to your business card. Maybe change the fonts and typesetting. Or better yet, "party like a rock star" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3LMoplcpRJM and market at "the edge" by adding your picture to your business card, website, blog, brochures, and other marketing and advertising materials.

Comments

[Joe Flores, RN,MSN,JD]

I agree we need to be more informative on our cards. Same old boring card. What I have done on some is on the back of the card I have put the type of law I practice and I also refer to my web site for more info and then they can go to the site and learn more. I also have a local TV show called South Texas Crossfire I upload on youtube.com and they can see my shows on legal topics (we always emphasize that the show is a general tool and not to be relied on as legal advice). Good point. Joe

[Latonia]

Texas Crossfire!

I have experimented with colors, fonts, etc. with my business card. I even went through a period two years ago were I had my picture on my cards for a while.