By Nayita Wilson
Every now and then, I attend a networking event and meet someone engaging. Of course, the goal is to stay connected with the new contact, but there’s just one problem: the new contact doesn’t have business cards.
Such individuals have included young professionals who are looking for new opportunities, executives who are waiting on the next batch of cards to arrive, and rising entrepreneurs who are just getting established. In each case, the rationale for not having business cards on hand is quite plausible. But would such reasoning remain acceptable if the presence or lack of a business card could potentially impact your bottom line?
Case and point: NVisions Communications & Consulting received its very first PR client as a result of a business card exchange that happened one year prior to securing the contract. When we first met our client, a prospect at the time, the executive director was transitioning into the role. The organization had many needs, but our services, while attractive, simply weren’t priority at that moment. Ultimately, we left a business card behind and received the call to provide services one year later—when the time was right.
Whether you’re building a platform for your next move, bidding out a contract or seeking employment, the information you leave with prospects on the front end could very well be the key that unlocks what you’ve been seeking all along.
Business cards are cost effective, mini marketing billboards that reflect your services and brand, while providing key information for follow-up. Stock up on a healthy supply of business cards., place extras in inconspicuous, yet easy to reach, locations (i.e. wallet, cell phone case, glove box of the car), most important, share them!
Nayita Wilson is owner & CEO of NVisions Communications & Consulting, a vision driven public relations firm headquartered in the Greater New Orleans region that specializes in media relations, messaging, strategic communications, talent management and brand positioning.
Connect with NVisions at Facebook.com/NVisionsCommunications and on Twitter @NVisionsPR.
©2015, NVisions Communications & Consulting LLC
