I’m reading (scouring really) my first ‘for Dummies’ book - “Marketing Kits for Dummies”. It’s actually one of five books I have on the go right now - one being about blogging, one about PR, one on copywriting and another by Seth Godin called “Small is the new Big”. I’ll review them all in detail as I finish them, but I read one part in the ‘Dummies’ book last night while I was watching ER that I wanted to share (Is it just me, or is that show going downhill?). It was about business cards. The author was saying how, as business people, you try to ensure that if you’re meeting with a client or a prospective client, you take care with your appearance. Professional clothes, nice hair, no body odor (he actually said that) and a nice smile. He went on to say that while there is often great care taken with your physical appearance, sometimes people don’t put as much thought into their marketing materials - which is a big mistake. When a person meets you in person, you are there to help give a great impression, but when you’re not there and your business card is doing all the talking, it has to be fabulous.

Your business card is a very important (and underrated) marketing piece, and I agree with the author of this particular ‘for Dummies’ book. Although it might set you back a couple hundred dollars, it is money well spent when you consider that it is often the first impression a prospect has of your brand.

What does it say to a prospect when they turn over your card and see advertising for the company that printed your business cards for free? What about the ones that were printed at home and still have the perforated edges? Go look at your collection of business cards - which ones stand out to you. Which ones made you say, “Wow, that’s a great card!”. The ones with raised ink? Vertical layout rather than traditional horizontal? Double sided? Some stand out and others are…well…dull and boring.

A good business card is memorable. It is an important piece of your branding and more thought should go into it’s design than often does.

If you are on a budget, as most of us are, this is one thing you should not scrimp on. You can get a business card designed very inexpensively by a virtual assistant - Mann Made Time offers this service, as do many other VA companies. Printing doesn’t have to cost a fortune either. There are a lot of companies online that are very inexpensive, and if you prefer to go with a local company it might cost a little more, but it is a legitimate business expense and the service is often better.

Bottom line is this. You want your card to be better than your competitors’. Take a look at your business card. How does it stand up?

1 Comment »

I was thinking last night about a couple of meetings that I have on Monday at my favorite coffee shop - Beanz. Then I started thinking about their policy to give discounts to people that bring their own mug. Then I thought that I should go get a cool mug to bring with me when I work down there, or meet clients there. THEN I thought it would be cooler still if I went to CafePress and got a Mann Made Time mug!:

When I got up this morning, brewed my coffee, and reached for one of my plain Jane coffee mugs, I couldn’t help but think how much fun it would be to bring a mug with my company logo on it to a coffee shop frequented by business people.

Have you heard of CafePress? You could get customized corporate t-shirts, mouse pads, note cards, wall clocks, baby bibs, and so on and so forth. There’s no minimum, so I don’t have to order 200 Mann Made Mugs (tee hee) just one for the CEO….(yes, that would be me). I have ordered things from there more than once, and I’ve always been happy with the product and with the shipping time.

This could be a great time to order some things for Christmas, even as corporate gifts. Maybe you could get one of your clients’ logos put on a canvas tote bag or wall clock for her, how cool would that be?:

Think outside the box. I could go to Beanz and use their own mugs or get a take out cup. OR I could bring my own while doing something good for the environment AND showing off my logo. Win-win.

Great idea, but no time…you say? Hire a VA to do it for you. Done!

2 Comments »

Mann Made Time has recently suffered an identity crisis. What? You say! I know, I know, the series of ebooks that I co-wrote includes a book entitled “Preventing an Identity Crisis” but it happened!

First of all, there was nothing wrong with my old logo - I loved it - the problem was that people were getting confused about what I did. People kept asking me if my husband makes clocks…not a nice assumption that it’s my husband that owns the business, either! This is my former logo:

Now I have a new logo which incorporates the clock from my old logo and the colors are the same, but it gives a better idea of what Mann Made Time is…which is, of course, a VA company. It’s a caricature of moi, and it is much more fun. Of course with a new logo, I needed a new website design. My new website, created by Signature Worx has much more of my personality infused in it, and I’m getting great feedback.

When I first started my business, I had very little of my own personality in my web copy and marketing materials. I said what I thought I should say, and I set up my website like everyone else did.

Then I got confident and decided that I wanted clients that would appreciate my quirky sense of humor. I don’t particularly want to work with someone that doesn’t want to smile while they’re perusing a website. Let’s face it, I am my brand. I am ‘The Mann’ in Mann Made Time. Every email I send, phone call I return and blog post I make reflects upon my brand and my business. It’s important to me that my clients know what they’re getting before they start working with me, and that’s a quirky but sharp assistant who will get the job done and make you laugh - guaranteed- at some point along the line.

However, don’t expect me to show up in a periwinkle blue blazer - I don’t own one.

No Comments yet »