‘Tis the season of the ubiquitous Christmas card so I must comment this morning on the lack of creativity and the utter lack of memorable-ness of most business cards. Note to small business owners– this one tiny part of your company is the most important investment you can make… especially in the beginning.

Your business card represents your company; its brand, its voice, its quality, its character. Don’t blow your one chance to make an amazing first impression with cheap card stock, uninteresting colors, text logos (unless you’re a legal firm), and an overall lack of design with your total company brand in mind.

Or, you can try something completely different like Jeffrey Gitomer http://www.gitomer.com/
“In 1988, I had only two employees. One day, I decide to give my pet cat, Lito, a business card. I gave her a title, “Corporate Mascot.” She played a vital role in my office productivity. Whever I needed an important paper, Lito was lying on it.

“The minute I started to give Lito’s card out, word in the Charlotte business community spread like wildfire. Everywhere I went, people would ask if I had one of my cat’s business cards with me. I always did. I wrote an article about it. Hundreds of requests came in for one of Lito’s cards.

“I was at a networking event in Charlotte when a Fast 50 corporate president ran over ot me saying, ‘Hey, Gitomer, show this guy your cat’s card.’ ‘Have one,’ I said, ‘and have one of mine in case the cat isn’t in. I usually handle her calls.’”

Be different… be memorable… the card pays you back.