Business Cards, Business Cards...Where Are They?

I was out one evening last month eating dinner outside at a Newbury Street bistro (in Boston) with my wife and our poodle (perhaps you saw a photo of Sandy or "Moose" in my "Alarm Clock" blog).  At the table next to us were three twenty-somethings talking in some foreign tongue...however, from a cell phone call I overheard one of the three was having in English, he spoke about an open house.  I assumed he was a real estate broker.  Later I would find out that I was correct.

As Sandy settled in, this broker petted her, and eventually asked my wife for the dog's name.  It was then that I jumped in and spoke about Sandy and then used the opportunity to confirm that he was in real estate.  He was surprised that I guessed, but in my business it is ALL about recruiting...but the conversation quickly became about how we both worked for "Weichert".  In fact he worked for a company that I helped "recruit" into the Weichert family.

Anyway...Weichert has a strict non-recruiting policy, which is great, but I was embarrased that I didn't have a business card with me...and neither did he.  "Shame on both of us", I said.  And that it was it...but was it?

I hand out so many cards that sometimes I run out.  Should I ever run out though...should you ever run out?  No...never ever.  Our business cards are part of the best marketing we have...next to yard signs, web sites and word of mouth...and they are only 10 cents each!   It cements the notion into another person's mind...the one right in front of you that you are a professional.  No matter what you are wearing, what time of day it is, where you are...always have a business card on you to hand out...ALWAYS!