With all of the marketing techniques, tools, and tactics available today, it can be easy to overlook a basic marketing tool that you probably use all the time - your business card!

Business cards are the ultimate permission-based marketing approach. When you offer your business card to another person, he or she almost always takes it, reads it, maybe makes a note on the back, and then saves it somewhere in a collection of other business cards. Business cards have staying power - people tend to hang on to them and actually re-visit them from time to time, unlike other kinds of marketing collateral that is read once or twice and then tossed.

To make the best impression, your business card should:

Have consistent corporate branding - use the same logo, corporate colors, fonts, etc. that you use on other marketing collateral for your business

Provide up-to-the-minute contact information - don’t cross out an old phone number and hand-write in a new one ( just order new business cards instead)

Make use of white space - don’t cram too much information on the card, and make sure the layout is clean and attractive

Be professionally printed - don’t print business cards yourself unless you absolutely have to. If cost is an issue, try using a web-based printing service that prints high-quality, low-quantity jobs

Include your slogan, marketing message, or call to action, if possible

Be complete - don’t forget to include your web address and email address on your business cards, and if either one changes be sure to print new cards!

Even though business cards present a large amount of information in a small amount of space, they can still be very creative and interesting. Try using colored ink or colored card stock to add some interest, or consider using an image or photo as long as it doesn’t clash with your company logo. Be creative, but use good judgment. Business cards are a great marketing tool, so make sure yours live up to their true potential!

Lauren Hobson is the Editor of Biz Talk Newsletter and the Five Sparrows Marketing Blog from Five Sparrows, LLC. Read the most recent Five Sparrows articles on small business websites and marketing on our business blog at http://www.fivesparrows.com/blog or subscribe to our free newsletter at http://www.fivesparrows.com Copyright 2007 Five Sparrows, LLC.