Card Tricks

I think it was at my first Anacortes Festival, more years back than I can comfortably count with socks on, that I overheard a vendor complaining to a friend about card collectors.

These are people, usually kids, who go from booth to booth and pick up business cards. The other vendor agreed they were a nuisance, then added "I only ever give business cards to serious customers," noting that he'd paid a premium for full-color cards of his jewelry, and didn't want to waste them.

Wait, what?

Okay, I admit I have strong feelings about business cards. I think they're a tremendously useful sales tool, but to use them, you have to give them away. If they're too precious to hand out, you're doing it wrong.

I make mine cheap--black ink on a nice natural colored card stock, half-tone photo of a typical pot, printed twelve to a page at a local copy shop for pennies apiece. I issue them like popcorn. Stop in my booth to look at the pots? Have a card to remind you what you saw. Just browsing today? Have a card, you might want to get in touch. Here from out of town? Have a card, it has my web address, and I ship.

Buying a present? Have two cards, so you can give one with the gift. Writing a check? Here's how my name is spelled, in big bold letters. On my card.

For some reason, I always seem to wind up in the block closest to the entrance. Nobody wants to buy until they've seen everything, so I wish them happy scouting, and give 'em a card. Sometimes they come back on their way to the car; sometimes they contact me after the show to order something. Sometimes they give it to a friend, drop it in a spouse's pocket.

Even if they don't, what am I out? Pennies. Have a card.

Card Tricks II

I'm not sure when I noticed it, but when Denise offers someone a business card, she says "Would you like a card?" As often as not, they'll say "No, thanks."

When I offer, I say "May I give you a business card?" Nine times out of ten, they'll say "Yes." and even "Thank you."

Funny how words work.