Copyright 2006 Diana Ratliff. All rights reserved.

Are you saddled with a "ho-hum" business card, one that's about as exciting as watching paint dry? Never fear. You can give ordinary cards a little "pizzazz" without spending a cent.

Given the fact that people expect someone who's serious about their business to have a card, you can't afford to let this versatile and portable marketing tool languish in the depths of your desk drawers. Here are three free ways to make an ordinary card seem extraordinary.

1. Use both hands to give someone your card. Next time you want to give someone your business card, make it a presentation. Turn the card face up with the text facing the receiver, and then slowly, carefully, give them the card. You want to convey the impression that your card contains such valuable information that you wouldn't give it to just anyone. Treat it as if it was a precious commodity, and the person receiving it will definitely notice.

2. Punch a hole in your card. Use a standard hole punch and "snap!" put a hole somewhere on your card. Odds are you'll be asked about it! That gives you a great opening to give more information about your product or service. A window washer might say: "That hole lets you see through the card very easily, doesn't it? You'll see just as well through your sparking clean windows, too!"

If you run a dating service, the hole could represent the emptiness people feel without someone to love. If you sell insurance, the hole could illustrate the gap in coverage your company can certainly fill. If you sell weight loss products, the hole might represent the "empty stomach" feeling you get on traditional diets.

Get the idea? You can even spend $5 or so and buy a themed punch, say in the shape of a house or a heart.

3. Write on your card. Anything you do to personalize your card increases its value and makes it more likely to be kept. You can merely sign your name, or go further and write down the name of the product you recommend. You can write "10% discount" on the card, initial it, and tell the receiver to bring it into your store. You can even write private information on your card, such as your home phone number, which really makes the receiver feel special.

Another way to add value to your card (and to other people's cards, too) isn't free but offers great returns on a one-time investment. And that's the purchase of a classy or unique business card holder or case.

Try to find one with two sections so you can separate cards you give and cards you get. Buy two separate cases if you can afford it. And make a point of using them! You can really impress a prospective customer by taking time to study his or her card before carefully tucking it away into a sturdy case. The care with which you treat that card subconsciously equates to the care with which you'll treat their business.

Remember, creating a card that people keep is only partly about the card - it's about you, too. If you're creative and helpful when presenting your card, you'll be perceived as someone who's creative and helpful in business dealings too. And who would toss the card of a valuable contact like that?

Copyright 2006 Diana Ratliff. All rights reserved.

Business Card Expert Diana Ratliff is giving away free subscriptions to her private Prospecting with Business Cards mailing list. To learn how YOU can get more prospects than your Rolodex can handle using business cards, visit http://www.BusinessCardDesign.com/newsletter.html while free charter subscriptions last.