More About Giving Out Business Cards

[Mark]

I want to talk some more about giving your business cards as a prospecting tool.

Business cards are a great way to start a conversation with the prospect. Most agents think that handing out cards is about the client taking your card and calling you later and it is not. Very few will do this. The time to sell them is when you hand them the card. It really does not have much to do with the card, until you have talked them into wanting more info from you and then they can use the card if they are busy and don’t make an appointment then.

Don’t get me wrong, I do just hand out business cards while pumping gas and other places without talking much to the client when I’m in a hurry. That is just a numbers game. But if you have the time, try and start a conversation with the client. Let them get to know you and what you have to offer.

“Hey, I would like tell you about my services and see if I can help you for a moment.”
Here is my card and let me introduce myself.

It is about relationships and getting to know your clients. It is about sharing personal stories with them and listening to their needs.

People talk about what is on the card all the time, but don’t stop and think about how important the conversation is also when handing out the card.


One trick that I do is I hand them a piece of candy with my card a lot of the time.


Make sure to give out as many business cards as you can and start as many conversations as you can.

 

[somarco]

Handing out $20 bills with your card works well too. Probably better than a piece of candy.

Candy can get you in trouble with the kid's parents.

Of course so can the $20 bill if you give it to an under cover vice squad agent.

 

[GreenSky]

One trick that I do is I hand them a piece of candy with my card a lot of the time.

I usually just go to parks and give candy to the little kids. Sometimes I ask them to give my card to their mommy; sometimes I don't.

Rick

 

[Amber Scherloz]

Very interesting tricks you have hear. I also go for giving business cards and give a little chat to the prospect. It would surely help a lot by numbers. I always make sure to distribute a card in every opportunity I have.

 

[Clint]

Umm. Somarco...is that from experience?

 

[somarco]

No Clint. I just watch way too much TV, including those "To catch a predator" series . . .

 

[CHUMPS FROM OXFORD]

I never give out my cards to people I don't know. I know I may have mised a lot of business over the years, but that's OK.

 

[Clint]

I never give out my cards to people I don't know. I know I may have mised a lot of business over the years, but that's OK.

With being a founder of a 47,000 member association, that's a pretty impressive number in and of itself. Make the assertion you have given cards to all of them?

 

[CHUMPS FROM OXFORD]

Actually...no. Naturally, Association members receive email updates, and quarterly newsletters, but I have never sent anyone a card.

Our annual meeting is next month in Lancaster, Pa so there certainly will be a lot of cards being given out to each other by members. One of our popular raffles is picking out 100 cards from a giant 15-feet diameter fishbowl and awarding random prizes.

Rick, from this Forum has won a big-screen TV two years in a row.

http://groups.google.com/group/top-independent-agents?hl=en

 

[SportsNut]

I never give out my cards to people I don't know. I know I may have mised a lot of business over the years, but that's OK.

But look at this way Chumps... You still have all those business cards left. It certainly cuts down on supply cost if you don't exhaust your supply of biz card needlessly, as well.

I think you are definitely onto something here Chumps. Maybe you could write a marketing course on "How to keep your bidnez cards to yourself"... Or did they teach that course in Oxford in the 70's...?