This seems pretty simple, but based on the amount of lousy business cards that we see every day, it is obvious that many investors are missing the point. Some of them assume that a business card is a tool to show how important they are, and use large amounts of space to display irrelevant information like their title and their company name, and forget to emphasize benefits and contact information.

Others believe that their business card gives them creative license and use too many colors and fonts; this looks amateurish and makes them lose credibility.

After months of observation and thinking about the subject, my wife and I recommend that real estate investors have two different sets of business cards. One set for direct lead generation, and a second one to network with professionals in the industry (who hopefully will give you leads).

Business Cards for Direct Lead Generation:

These are the business cards that you should distribute daily and massively among home owners, service personnel (handymen, plumbers, delivery persons, postmen), friends, etc. with the idea of reaching home owners that want or need to sell their house fast.

Since you are interested in buying houses at a discount off market price, you are most likely going to target people who have difficulty making mortgage payments, or who have a house that needs extensive repairs, or out of town owners who want to sell. Other categories in your target group may include burn-out landlords who are tired of property management and want to sell, or heirs who inherit a house that they want to turn into cash quickly.  You should acknowledge and mention each of these groups in your business card.

You must also very clearly emphasize the benefits of calling you, for example: a fast closing and an all cash payment, or quick peace of mind. You must also prominently display your phone number, email address and website so that people can contact you.

You must also take the opportunity to use the back of the card for additional information, like brief testimonials, a mention of your "referral reward" program, and again, your contact information. Another good strategy is to use the back of the card to print something useful like a calendar, or a list of emergency phone numbers, so that the recipient has another reason to keep your card.

If you are just beginning as a real estate investor and want to experiment with different card designs, there is a company called VistaPrint that offers free business cards in a variety of backgrounds and colors. You only have to pay for shipping and handling. You may need to pay extra if you want to change the layout or upload a picture or logo, but if you are not ready for that, one of their free designs will do fine to get you started.

Business Cards for Networking:

As you grow your real estate contact network you will find that another good way to get leads is through professionals who are in direct contact with potential home sellers. Among them are lawyers (foreclosure lawyers, eviction lawyers, probate lawyers), bankers, mortgage brokers, Realtors®, etc.

When you network within this group, you want your business card to project an image of professionalism; your aim is to get credibility. To target this group, your business card doesn't need to make an explicit display of features and benefits like in the Direct Lead Generation style.

In this case, you need to display your company name, its logo (very important), a tagline or slogan that explains what sets you apart, your name and title, direct phone number, email address and website. You should also pay close attention to the design, colors and fonts, since they set the tone of what you want to project. If you want to be perceived as serious and professional, blue, white and grey work better, combined with a simple, sans serif font like Arial and a clear layout with plenty of white space around clusters of words.

However, we don't advocate any particular design, since ultimately, your business (and your business card) must reflect your personality. Just make sure that whatever style you choose your business card doesn't look amateurish, cluttered or otherwise unpleasant to the eye.

Other Tips and Suggestions:

• Keep your business card simple. Don't use too many fonts or try to cram too much information in it. Try to use a pleasant layout and make sure that your main message doesn't get lost.
• Make your business card easy to read: use high contrast between the background and the type. Light background with dark type works better.
• Make sure that all the information on your card is printed in a large enough typeface to be easily readable.
• Run your business card copy through a spell checker and double-check your contact information.
• Keep your business cards with you at all times. Keep a stack in your car, in your house, in your office, and in your wallet.
• When giving away your card, give two or three at a time, so that your contacts can in turn distribute them to people they know. This will not only help you distribute them faster, but will generate a beneficial "endorsing effect".
• Include a business card with all your correspondence. People may throw away the letter, but will usually keep the business card.
• Use your business cards as name tags. Get a transparent plastic cover with a pin, and attach it to your lapel. Wearing it on your right side tends to make it more noticeable.
• Use your business card as an ad: many community publications offer "business card size" classified ads.
• Don't give your business card too quickly. It may be perceived as pushy. Try to establish a conversation with your prospect first.
• Don't try to give your card in situations where many people are hounding your prospect. Wait for a moment when you can capture your prospect's full attention or mail it to them later.
• Even if your business is a sole proprietorship or a very small business, you can make it seem like a large company if you write a title such as "account manager" or something along those lines for yourself in your business card, instead of "owner" or "president".

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