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Business cards are the talk of the town at Alt Summit. How creative can you get? Does your card have stopping power? Did you make them by hand? Did you attach a bunt cake to each one? (JK…not kidding) Sheesh! We could drive ourselves crazy over thinking it. So to ease the pressure and to maintain my sanity, I try to keep it simple and remember just 4 things:
4 Keys in the Biz of Business Cards
1. Your Face is Your Logo
So show it off! In a room of hundreds of faces (and at a conference like Alt where everyone is so drop-dead gorgeous and stylish) it’s easy to get lost or simply forgotten (our brains simply can’t remember it all). While some people shy away from it, I recommend putting your beautiful mug on your business card. When people walk away they are much more likely to remember your face. It will trigger the amazingly engaging conversation they had with you way better than your name, blog url or Twitter handle. Just to clarify…make sure those are on there too. 
2. Have a Call to Action
Believe it or not, sometimes people enjoy being told what to do (my preteen daughter is an exception). This can also take the pressure off that awkward “so…what’s next” follow up time after a conference. Literally tell those who take your card how to follow up with you. You could say something like “Let’s hang out!” or “You seem cool. Let’s be friends.” And direct them to a specific way to do so (i.e. follow you on Facebook). You could even direct them to a cool video of you talking about how excited you are to meet them.
3. Focus on Collecting
Remember when we were kids and we collected trading cards (Cabbage Pail Kids were the bomb)? Well instead of worrying about on how many business cards to bring and your goals for how many you want to hand out per day, set an intention to collect quality cards/contacts. This way, you can control what happens afterward. On occasion, I’ve been so obsessed with handing my cards out that I forget to ask (or suddenly get to shy to ask) for that person’s card in return. When I do this, I lose control over the follow up process and the possibilities for collaborations and partnerships. Collecting = control.
4. Add a Hint of Handmade
We’ve all been there before…we slave for days over the perfect handmade business cards. I sewed fabric to line the backs of a hundred cards once. Super cute though I’m not sure if those who received them truly valued the time spent. I’ve learned to manage my creative spirit and deep burning desire to make everything (never mind the fact that I’m making clothes for Alt) by adding hints of handmade instead of heaps. A touch of gold was added to my business cards via camillstyles.com for a subtle surprise using Krylon spray paint (by Alt sponsor Serwin-Williams). Just the right amount of handmade for me.
