There are many ways in which you can and should use your business card for prospecting. Which is why it’s absolutely critical that you learn to always have a supply of business cards on your person or close at hand. Equally as important is the means to store and administer the business cards you receive in turn.

• A fundamental method of distributing your business cards is to include one in every form of correspondence – whether it’s a letter, invoice or statement. It doesn’t matter that it goes to an existing client who already knows what you do and what your contact details are …  every card of yours that they have is a potential point of distribution. They might pass it on to others in their organization or to someone they know who could use your services. This is also a way of announcing new products or services, in which case it might pay to have a separate business card designed.
• Join relevant networking groups.
• Cross promote with allied businesses. A plumber, for instance, can tie up with an interior decorator with each handing out the other’s cards to their clients and prospects, or including a card in their correspondence. Write something like “Referred by Pete the Plumber” on the back so your “partner” can tell where the contact came from.
• Consider even the most mundane interaction an opportunity to hand out your business card. Give one to the person you rent something from, at the dentist or doctor, the car repair service, the doggie parlour who just cleaned up your mutt.
• Use the back of your card to write down a special offer or a web address where a special report can be downloaded. You can also add this information by adhering a printed sticker.
• Ask a potential prospect for their business card … chances are they’ll ask for yours in return.
• In her book, Business Card Breakthroughs, Diana Ratliff suggests you “Jot notes on the back of cards you’re given, such as date, event, common interests, physical characteristics of the giver, type of information you need to send, and so on.”
• Attach your business card to the handle of your briefcase, so that it looks like a name tag. It might open up a conversation with a fellow passenger.
• Mail your card after meeting the prospect and asking for their business card – say your own cards are still with the printer. Include a follow-up note in your mail piece.

• First of all, be sure that you carry your cards with you at all times—keep a stack in your desk, your car, your briefcase or purse, and your wallet. This will ensure that you always have a card available when you meet someone who should have one!
• Take your business cards with you to business meetings, networking events, conferences, trade shows—everywhere you go that’s business related. And be sure to take some with you to the gym, the grocery store—you never know where you’ll meet a potential client.
• Don’t pass business cards out at random—wait until you’ve made a connection with someone or until you’ve been asked for it. Making a connection with a prospect will lead to a sale far more often than just “dealing cards” to everyone you meet.
• Include a copy of your card with correspondence or packages—it automatically puts a “business spin” on all of the mail you send out. It also provides a backup return address, in case the envelope has been damaged or thrown away.
• Give stacks of your cards to business partners and other possible sources of referral and business partners, so that they can hand them out when they’re telling people about your services—it makes the referral more likely to produce results.

About the Author: Erin Ferree is a brand identity and marketing design strategist who creates big visibility for small businesses. Through her customized marketing and brand identity packages, Erin helps her clients discover their brand differentiators, then designs logos, business cards, and other marketing materials and websites to reflect that differentiation, as well as to increase credibility and memorability. As the owner of elf design, Erin is passionate about helping small business owners stand out in front of their competition and attract more clients. Hundreds of small business owners across the US and Canada have relied on Erin to create content and visuals that support their brands. www.elf-design.com

Sure, there’s bound to be certain amount of “tire kicking” and resultant wastage, but it’s a fairly inexpensive way of promoting your business when you’re not available for direct contact.

If you’re going to go this route, do it professionally – don’t stick down a handmade cardboard box onto the side of your vehicle. The best way is to get a box with a lid to protect your cards from rain – and have one on either side of your vehicle. It should ideally be fixed to the vehicle with a strong tape for easy removal. A proper card holder will also have a display area on it so you can insert an advertisement.

Here’s where you can find an example of a vehicle display unit.