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Believe it or not, your small business marketing efforts can grow leaps and bounds with better use of your cheap business cards.

Because they’re so tiny, many business owners overlook the small business marketing opportunities that exist with business cards to position their product or service in the mind of potential customers. Using the space well (design, content and graphics) as well as how you distribute them are all key elements on making the best of your business card.

And, for just a few cents more, you can add color, put them on CD…and make them magnetic, too.

Here are five tips to improve your business cards:

1. Stick with horizontal design. Many folks think that making the design vertical will make it stand out. Well it does, but in the wrong way. People organize their business cards in the standard horizontal fashion. Making yours differently frustrates them. Think of this: if your prospect has a stack of business cards offering similar services, and yours is the one thy have to flip-and-turn to read — they are likely to bypass it. With business cards you only have a few seconds to grab their attention.

2. Try a full color business card. If you are are a florist, an artisan, or an interior designer (as examples), then perhaps a photo or other graphics an be best displayed in a full color business card. If your service has a “before and after” photo, that also can be a great way to demonstrate your services.

3. Consider a CD business card. How could you use a CD-ROM business card format for your business? Turn your brochure or catalog into an interactive format. Offer audio, video or photographic samples of your products or services. Use the CD business card as a premium or gift to a prospect or customer. CD-ROM business cards are also available in shapes, too. For example, if you are a real estate agent, you can order CD business cards in the shape of a house. A shaped CD business card can really grab attention.

4. Use the back of the card. Running out of space? Consider printing the back-side of your card (it usually doesn’t cost too much more to print the back side in one color). Or consider the folded card style (where the card is twice the size and folded down the middle — along the longer side). This style allows you to list more of your specific services you offer on the inside. Just make sure that you put the pertinent contact information on the outside, so your prospective customer can easily and quickly find out how to contact you.

5. Make your message stick with magnetic business cards. This format usually has some color and will generally give you the opportunity to plaster your prospects’ refrigerators with your sales message. Consider making it even more useful by making the magnetic business card a calendar, list of useful phone numbers, or other useful item for your prospects. Making it useful will make them want to keep it and use it frequently.

Scott Thompson, publisher of One Hour Marketing, has authored several articles on using cheap business cards as an effective small business marketing tool. Scott has nearly 20 years experience in helping small-business owners create affordable marketing programs that successfully attract new prospects, convert them to buyers, and keep them as repeat customers. For more information visit: http://www.onehourmarketing.com/public/main.cfm