Quick Tip – Make Your Card Memorable

Remembering faces vs. names – Issue #117

This tip is a follow up to my recent newsletter: Do Business Cards Still Matter?

One of my concerns with relying on cards is that you expect them to do too much. There are better ways to stick out and become memorable (e.g., being the one up on stage giving the talk).

However, there are some cases when a card is still useful. So, you might as well create them in a way that gives you a fighting chance of being remembered later.

I find traditional cards to be so dull, though. They all start to look the same.

So, I was happy to discover Moo and their mini cards (in the photo above). I design and print my cards using them. If you want to check Moo out, you can get 25% off your first order (that’s my referral link).

You may have noticed that my photo is on the back of my business card. A card with a headshot is something you’ll often see real estate agents do, but not folks in Tech or consulting.

So, why did I do it?

I was meeting numerous people at speaking engagements, conferences, meet-ups, and other events. I frequently handed out my cards, and I received tons of cards in return.

When I went through them a few days later, I realized something. I couldn’t remember who many of the people were. Seeing their name and business wasn’t enough to trigger recall.

However, I came across a tiny number of business cards that had the individual’s photo on them. I instantly recognized who they were, and remembered our conversations.

That day, I went online and designed a new business card that included my headshot. Now, I receive frequent comments regarding my photo being on them (e.g., “Oh, you have your photo on here. That’s a great idea! I should do that.”).

I’ve also had people come up to me later after an event and say that they recognized me, and found me in the crowd by using my business card photo. So, I guess it works!

When is it appropriate to include your headshot photo on your card?

• When you have a professional headshot that is recognizably you

• When you look approachable and friendly in the photo

• When your professional brand is associated with you as an individual

• When you want people to remember meeting you in person

• When you want your card to make it easier for people to find you later in the physical world

In my case, my business was founded by me and is primarily run by me. My name is pretty much synonymous with the company. So, I’ve found that using my photo on my business card helps people remember me, and it aligns with my branding all over the web.

On the flip side, if your business is more about the brand of the company and not you, you may not want your headshot photo to muddle the branding on the card.

For example, I never had my photo on my corporate business cards when I was working at IBM, Apple, eBay, and Yahoo.

What do you think? Would putting your headshot photo on your business card be helpful for you?