What is your calling in life? Does your calling card prompt people to call you? Your business card should compel people to want to do business with you. A business card is one of the basic tools, that every successful personal brand should have, unless you are an A-List celebrity. In that case your point person should have business cards. A business card communicates your message, your brand, who you are and what you do. I can’t tell you how many people I meet when I am networking who don’t have business cards or have cards without the proper information. My database has tripled this year and my business cards have been an important part of that.

Personal branding is about making a positive first impression. Every touch point of your brand is critical. Listed below are a few points to remember when developing business cards.

1. Be Branded: Communicate your brand with your business cards which should be consistent with your online presence.
2. Be Prepared: Take business cards everywhere you go.
3. Establish an email address with your dot.com: Using free email accounts (i.e. yahoo and gmail) for business purposes, communicates that you are not serious about business.
4. Quality is Important: Do not use inkjet printed cards or cards printed with your home computer.
5. Give and Take: Never give a business card with getting one in return.

You can tell a lot about a person by their business card. My business card is set up like a hang card for clothing, the concept is that I brand human life (ISBN as the barcode). I will be unveiling my new business cards in 2008, stay posted. Does your business card accurately reflect your calling?
my business cardOriginally uploaded by h_flemings