Clients often ask me what accessories they can carry to enhance their image. The answer is simple: a business card!
Now, I don’t mean you should just carry business cards for client meetings or industry mixers. I mean you should carry business cards all the time. The gym. The post office. The grocery store. Your kid’s soccer game. Your best friend’s cocktail party. The bank. Everywhere.
Why? Because you never know when you will meet someone who is interested in your business, or who represents an opportunity for your career. And to be empty-handed at that moment and forced to scrawl your contact details with a borrowed pen can be, let’s face it, embarrassing. But having a professional card at the ready shows that you care about your image and are organized and professional at all times.
I recommend buying a stylish business card holder so you don’t have to dig through your purse or wallet. And even if you’re unemployed, it’s worth your while to have free or inexpensive temporary cards made with a phone number and professional email account listed. Who knows—it could help you land that next job!