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Business Card Tips for Real Estate Investors

Five ways to improve your first impression with business contacts

As a real estate investor, or any business owner, your business card can say a lot about your professionalism. Firstly, a business card is often makes the first impression on colleagues and potential clients.
A poorly designed business card can negatively impact your personal brand—as well as reflect negatively on your services and expertise as a property investor. In order to make a good first impression with your business card, here are five tips that will improve your initial impression and increase your business opportunities…

1. Respect business card etiquette
Business card etiquette recommends that if you give a business card—you ask for a business card in return. It’s all about introducing yourself and making a good first impression, so if you give a colleague or a potential client your business card, you should ask for one in return. And don’t just shove their business card in your briefcase, take the time to give it a look and ask a question about what they do. This attention to detail shows respect and will also ensure you are remembered the next time you touch base with the contact.

2. Always have a few business cards on your person
It doesn’t matter if you’re heading to the gym or a client meeting, before you leave your home or office, makes sure you pack a few business cards. You never know when a business opportunity might present itself. Believe it or not, I got two leads in Yoga class last week! Think of any social opportunity as a networking opportunity and make it a habit to always carry a few business cards with you—just in case!

3. Create electronic business cards
These are ideal to attach to any email correspondence, and they double as your signature (or sit just below it). E-business cards provide a great way to market yourself and your services. Plus, you never know who knows someone selling, buying, or looking for a rental and they might forward your information on to a potential client.

4. Also include business cards with paper correspondence
Slip a business card into bill payments, customer thank you cards, contractor invoices, etc. Again, you never know who—your bank teller, your plumber, your lawyer—knows someone, who knows someone, who you could potentially do business with.

5. Make business cards a feature of your follow-up
After you meet a contact at a conference or a potential client at an open house, there is no harm in including a paper or e-business card in a hand written note or an email thanking the person for their time. This reminds them of you and puts your contact information in front of them once again, potentially opening the door to business opportunity.