Free Business Cards – Are They Worth the Effort?
Getting something for nothing is a baited hook used by many Internet marketers. I’ve used it myself. The bait is usually something digital, like an eBook, not something tangible, like a wide screen T.V. Some online printers promise free business cards. Are they worth it? Probably not.
When it comes right down to it we all realize that ‘Free’ never really means ‘ABSOLUTELY FREE’. There are strings attached. Snoop around a little and you’ll find them.
The strings attached to free business card offers usually make the free cards not worth having. Answer the following two questions to find out why.
Question One: Does the printer print their business logo on the backside of the business card? For the privilege of owning free business cards you get to help market your online printer.
In what way is that free? Having the backside of your business card branded with someone else’s logo is the worst way imaginable to market your own business.
The moment your prospect turns your business card over and sees someone else’s logo on the back they’ll view you as a cheapskate. And deservedly so. You can kiss that prospect goodbye. Your job is to make prospects respect you not ridicule you.
I’ve had some free biz card advocates say that free cards are great for startup businesses to help save some money. This is a weak argument. Any business that is so cash poor that they can’t afford their own business cards aren’t ready to go into business. My advice is to borrow $50 from your mom and invest in your own business cards.
Question Two: Do you have to pay for shipping? I was testing out a free online card offer and discovered that I would be paying around $10 to ship the cards to my home. I complained to the printer that my having to pay $10 kind of nixed the free aspect of the offer.
He didn’t see it my way. He replied by saying that I was receiving free business cards not free shipping. So much for ‘Free’. I was disappointed and decided not to fork over my ten bucks.
Are there free business cards somewhere on the Internet? Maybe. The Internet is a big place, I haven’t looked everywhere. Every hour I spend online looking for something like free business cards it’s costing me something more valuable than money – time.
In the long run business cards are cheap enough that you shouldn’t have to resort to getting free one’s anyway.
About the Author:
Mark A Hanson invites you to visit his website at BusinessCardBasics.com BEFORE you get your business cards printed. To get your free business card design tips Click Here.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mark_A_Hanson
Are the first 250 VistaPrint Business Cards really FREE?
When you order your first 250 business cards, are they really free? Is there really no catch to this?
Will they charge you after?
They’re free inasmuch as you don’t pay for the business cards directly.
However, you have to pay the postage and packing costs.
Vistaprint have been advertising “free” business cards and other stuff for several years – no one can stay in business by giving their products away. Vistaprint cover the cost of the “free” business cards in p&p charges.
They also hope that you’ll upgrade from the basic business card or that you’ll purchase other products.
That being said, if you think that you’re getting a good deal, then you are.