Question

Topic: Website Critique

What Type Of Businesses Should I Target?

Posted by Anonymous on 6/9/2008 at 9:23 AM ET 2750 Points
I have started a new business. You can see the web site here: https://www.BusinessCardArmy.com

We offer advertising on the back of other people's business cards.

I have been able to "sell" my ad campaigns through barter and strategic alliances, but I haven't yet been able to sell a cash campaign.

I need to know 3 things:

1) Do you think that this is a potentially successful business model?

2) What types of businesses should I be targeting? (Industry, Size of business, etc.)

3) Who in the company should I be contacting?
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RESPONSES

  • Posted by Jay Hamilton-Roth on 6/9/2008 at 9:34 AM Member
    It's an interesting concept.

    If I sold advertising on the back of my business cards, I'd be concerned that the products/services reflected well on my clients -- since the "ad" will look like a referral or co-marketing opportunity.

    I'd also be concerned that people only look at one side of a card, so that my contact information may not be seen after I initially hand it out (and only seen as an advertisement).

    From an advertiser perspective, I wouldn't be able to control who saw my message, how well targeted, etc.

    Do you think that this is a potentially successful business model? No, I don't. While you might find a number of businesses that want the back of the card space, I believe you'll have a hard time finding businesses that are willing to sell the back of the card (for the reasons I already detailed).

  • Posted by Frank Hurtte on 6/9/2008 at 9:36 AM Member
    I like the idea. It is definitely a winner with the two caveats:
    1) Careful attention must be paid to the types of business cards you are printing on. I would never want my message printed on the back of some shoddy individual.
    2) The match-up must be carefully thought out - I suspect the average smaller company would need assistance in thinking this through.

    As I type this I am looking at the cards of several young ladies who are recent beauty pagent winners. Each of these girls (who are students) paid to have cards printed to promote their respective organization. Last week I helped a non-profit; same senario.

    Great concept...
  • Posted by Inbox_Interactive on 6/9/2008 at 11:10 AM Member
    My first reaction was that there is no business here. I know that I would not use a business card that had someone else's ad on it. Never, ever.

    However, there's a whole segment of people and small businesses that might go for this. Basically, you're looking for people who will use a business card ONLY if it's free (or people who really want to start their business on a budget).

    I would run a Google AdWords campaign for "free business cards" and go from there, just to see if you see a common thread between your customers. You could also take some guerilla marketing tactics such as relevant blog postings with a relevant signature that includes your link. Things like that...

  • Posted on 6/9/2008 at 12:06 PM Accepted
    Hello ncain,

    To answer your first question I think that it could be a successful business model. Although as Frank Hurtte and your website suggests you need to focus this message to specific relationships. One of the examples I can think of is the Trucking industry.

    I used to work for the state trucking association and their relationship with their members would be a good target. The state trucking associations want to attracted more trucking companies and truck services companies to its membership. I could see the state association having their ad on the back of their members cards. To add to that the association could sell the other two ad spots to their truck service vendors. Now the only problem I see is whether or not you can print pre-designed business cards of the different member companies of the association.

    I believe the crux of your business model falls into the belief your prospect (the person or company paying for the business cards) has that the recipient of their free business cards is going to become an advocate for their firm or organization. In other words, what kind of quantifiable ROI has other companies achieved and how will you help them achieve the same results? When I think about applying this concept in my industry I can see how it could possibly be use to generate more discussion around our product but I can't see how to measure those results and be able to show my boss our ROI for this marketing expense. At the same time I could see many of our customers using us to print free business cards at our expense.

    In my final analysis, I believe you can be successful but you need to show the businesses you are selling this advertising to what their ROI will be and how you will help them achieve it. As far as, who you should targeting for your current 100 small businesses, you need to identify for each of those small businesses who their ultimate end-user is and then target companies that are trying to reach the sames client.

    I know that answer is still not very specific but I don't believe any of us posting a reply will be able to tell you a specific company you should target. We would be taking a blind shot in the dark because we do not know who those 100 small business are and ultimately who their clients are. Say one of your small businesses is construction company specializing in kitchen counter tops, then I would target a company that produces granite counter tops to advertise in their cards. Hope that helps.

    pauld
  • Posted by clpsf on 6/11/2008 at 3:49 PM Member
    What type of consumer targeting businesses would want to run an advertising campaign on the back of business cards?

    I can see neighborhood retail stores -- mom and pop stores -- buying advertising, and you'd need to speak with either the store manager or the store owner. If I have a bakery, I wouldn't mind having my ad appear on a local, non-competitive retailer's business cards, or have some neighborhood resident's ad on my business cards. If my business is in San Francisco and the ad on the back of my business cards is for a business in Dearborn, Michigan, I wouldn't mind. As the advertiser, however, I'd need to get some assurance from you as to exposure and frequency.

    Non-profits would be a good resource. When I volunteered at a healthcare nonprofit -- a place that provided healthcare for the poor and uninsureds -- the Executive Director and her executive staff went to a LOT of functions, so their cards were handed out consistently. The issue here of course is that they would likely welcome free business cards (as long as they are quality cards), but they would want to approve the ads on the reverse. I know that even with free cards, I wouldn't leave selection of the ad up to you or someone in your company. For small to mid-sized non-profits, you would need to speak with the Executive Director. For larger non-profits, you would need to cultivate a relationship with the Executive Director's assistant (secretary or executive assistant) and find out who makes that specific decision. Sometimes, it would be the executive assistant himself/herself.

    Other prospects are, of course, the general public, i.e., individuals, who want to have "social" cards that introduce them. These people would likely encounter fewer concerns about who's advertising on the backs of their cards, etc. Some likely candidates are high school and college athletes; high school and college entrepreneurs; young men and women who have modeling portfolios or performing art and/or art portfolios (these would be people who haven't become well known yet). Also hobbyists and small business entrepreneurs. As for all of these people, you'd have to deal with them individually, although you could automate all or most of your contractual terms online.

    A suggestion: Provide nice-looking business card holders for free so your business clients can place their free business cards right on the sales counter or on the reception desk. You can have your Web site address etched in a front corner of the card holder.




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