Picture yourself at the next networking party or business convention.

As you work the room, your “A-game” clicking on all cylinders, you’re feeling confident about what you can offer a potential client, and with the smell of new business is in the air, you’re determined to leave with a piece of it.

First impressions at these events are critical, lasting, and should never be overlooked. That’s why handing a memorable and well designed business card to a new business prospect should always be goal number one and leave them saying, “Wow, this is a really nice card!” That way, when they go to pick up the phone, yours is the first number they dial.

And because you efficiently and effectively made useful contacts at the event, and provided the precise information prospects were looking for – then handed them your unique, high quality business card that says exactly what you do with contact details – your potential new client leaves with positive feelings about how you can help their business.

Here are some other great ways to make sure your business card ends up next to their phone and not in the recycling bin:

1. Have them professionally printed and produced.

Nothing yells amateur more than a perforated business card printed on your inkjet. Dig a little deeper into your wallet and have your card professionally produced. This crucial $100-300 investment could payoff with a first meeting!

2. Use paper that is thicker than the usual card.

Thin cards just can’t help but seem cheap which, unfortunately, reflects on the quality of work your prospect thinks you can do for them. And because printers can only put certain thicknesses of paper through the printing press, you can also have different types of paper glued together after printing — giving you a thick and unique business card.

3. Utilize materials other than paper.

Your business cards can also be made of plastic, metal, leather, or even rubber! You may have to do some research to find companies that will print on these materials, and they’ll likely have special printing processes. On the down side, unique materials could make it hard to write notes on them, so choose carefully.

4. Change the size.

This is a great way to stand out, but be careful about going larger than the norm because they tend to get folded, damaged, or sometimes even discarded when they can’t fit in a wallet. I like to make the card a little shorter.

5. Round the corners.

You can use a small corner rounder found online for about eight dollars, but I recommend having a die made for optimum results. You don’t have to do all the corners, either.

6. Die cut it.

Now you’re talking! A die cut is a sure way to stand out. It should complement your design, not distract from it. Die cutting is definitely the way to go if you want to change the outer shape of your business card, or cut out a star shape in the middle.

7. Emboss it.

Add another dimension to your card when you mold the paper. Maybe it’s your logo, or a nice visual element that relates to your business. Your paper choice should be carefully chosen and it is best to talk with your embosser for recommendations that will best suit your design.

8. Utilize a fold.

Folding a card gives you more “real estate” and also adds a level of interactivity. Utilized with a die cut, this could be a really cool, unique option. I recommend having these produced with a score but hand fold them as needed, which allows for easier storage.

9. Utilize thermography/letterpress and flat printing together.

Thermography/letterpress is the raised printing you see on some business cards, but if you utilize it sparingly and pair it with flat printing, you’ll create a multi-dimensional card that stands out.

10. Make it unique.

Scratch n’ sniff, scratch-off, adding buttons, grommets or gems. Some of these options will have to be made by hand but you don’t mind. You want to have a business card that stands out.

After deciding on which of these options are best to create your sparkling new business card, you may find the price to print them is considerably more than the traditional “speedy print” business cards. Expect to pay $1 or more each for small quantities, and a lot of the costs are set up costs. Metal laser cut cards can be $10 each, but remember, your business cards are an investment in you! If you want a business card that will make a great first impression, you should hire Enzo Creative to design it.

Here are two places to see a bunch of creative inspiration:

http://stocklogos.com/topic/ultimate-creative-business-cards-collection
http://www.webdesignerdepot.com/2009/05/100-really-creative-business-cards

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