Folded Business Cards

There is no better value in marketing materials for impact and cost than a folded business card.
Also known as a tent card or mini brochure, the folded business card effectively doubles the space you have to tell your message. Folded, it is the same size as a conventional business card; when it's open, you have 4 panels to work with instead of 2 sides of a regular card.
People appreciate having a lot of information in a small place. Inside the card, the possibilities are endless. List your services or give helpful hints to prospects. You can use them to write down appointments for clients or the size and style of item they chose from your store. You have more room to tell them why they should do business with you. Including a teaser gets people talking: "Ask me how to get free widgets for life."

Advantages of folded business cards

Like regular-sized business cards, folded cards are highly portable and easily retained in a purse, pocket, or wallet. They are less expensive than larger brochures and easily changed and reordered, unlike larger pieces. They are also functional, as you can easily measure results of coupon campaigns.

You might use them in addition to larger brochures or as an added piece in a direct mail package. If you choose to eliminate your larger marketing pieces altogether, mini brochures can be used as handouts at trade shows or on the street. They serve the same purpose as flyers, in a portable, more compact format.

With the extra space, you can add more eye-catching graphics or valuable content including a(n)

• Mini brochure with photos of your products
• Survey, redeemable for a free gift
• Order form
• Punch card for frequent buyers
• Advertisement for a sale
• Coupon
• Map to your locations

Put folded business cards to work for you

A beauty salon might use a card with a mirror in it. A vitamin retailer might adhere a trial pack of a few capsules to the inside of the card. Writers could add a list of commonly misspelled words or explain confusing usage. A chef might include a favorite restaurant recipe. A restaurant might print a sample menu on the card, vertically, mimicking the style of a full-sized menu.

Anybody who uses measurements, from carpenters to nutritionists, could print handy conversions on the card. Artists or graphic designers might print a color wheel; a paint store could include sample chips inside. A fabric retailer might include swatches of their best fabrics. Any industry can print a map, calendar, or testimonials from satisfied clients.

By adding something of value, your cards will be kept and used over and over. It's a waterfall marketing effect that will grow with each card you hand out.

Folded business card design guidelines

Remember to give the card a clean sharp look, and don't go overboard. The card should be legible and eye-catching. With so much extra space, it's tempting to add too much information or to make the card too large. The beauty of business cards is that they're compact and you are forced to tell your message succinctly.

Finally, upload your designs to a commerical folded business card printer who will print and score the cards for you. Free shipping and three print options are available. Add them to your mix of marketing materials and watch your business grow!

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