the most effective way to utilize business cards

"Here's my business card why don't you give me a call and set up a time to come in and we can sit down and chat about your situation and get you losing weight the healthy way. It sounds like you are editing and losing muscle tissue which can be detrimental for your metabolism and your long term body weight stabilization"

This is a typical conversation that occurs in most gyms, BBQ's and social setting throughout Western Australia. This is how I started in my business and the use of business cards only to find that I went through stacks of them without getting a client. Then I changed my tactics and my results sky-rocketed! Let me share with you the most effective way to utilize your business card.

The first shift is in changing the traditional focus of handing out lots and lots of business cards. This process depends on the person you handed your business card, to get back to you. Secondly in a busy fast paced world people are having dozens of conversation everyday and the chance of them remembering you after 24 hours is minimal. In fact I don't have a business card anymore, I find picking up everyone else's and making a note on the card about our conversation a far more effective way of building business. Instead of giving out my card I always take the other persons and with permission email them some great information, like an article, interview or anything else relevant to their situation as well as add them to my database and put them on my newsletter list.

Now my approach to the initial scenario has changed a few degrees. Here's what I do now. So the typical conversation occurring throughout most social settings should now go more like this.

"It sounds like you may have gone about losing the weight in a way that might not have been quite as effective as it could have been. Give me your details and how about I send you some great tips on losing weight and keeping it off forever".

This process allows me to send information in return for their details. I also add to my best business asset, my database. Furthermore, the prospect and I feel comfortable in the follow up phone call because it is all about them and their weight loss as opposed to me trying to sell to them. I can then market to this person regularly via my email newsletter, ring him personally every month to see how his efforts are going and when he is ready he will utilize my services because I have kept in touch.

So next time you can see an opportunity why not offer to help out first before asking for the sale. This process is more effective than giving free sessions and consumes a lot less of your time, assuming follow up.

David Virgo