Some founders will be CEOs, at least for a while. Titles are the easy way for outsiders to understand how to connect with your organization. So if you're the head, just use the title CEO unless you have some strong reason not to. That way people will know to come to you with CEO-ish things.
There's no harm in putting "founder" on your business cards as well. Answered 6 years ago. The previous answers given here are great, but I've copied a trick from legendary investor Monish Pabrai that I've used in previous startups that seems to work wonders -- especially if your company does direct B2B sales. As others have mentioned, those titles have become somewhat devalued in today's world -- especially if you are in a sales meeting with a large organization.
This conveys the image that a your company is relatively small the CEO of GM never personally sells you a car and b you are probably the most knowledgeable person in the organization about your product, but once you land the account the client company will mostly be dealing with newly hired second level staff.
By working in the Head of Sales role, and by your ability to speak knowledgeably about the product, you will convey the message that a every person in the organization is very knowledgeable about the ins and outs of the product even the sales guys and b you will personally be available to answer the client's questions over the long run.
Just because you launch doesn't mean you should lead much less that you are capable of long term thinking. Consider Steve jobs who went through this and then had to prove himself to be worthy of such role.
You can come across as more of a team player, focused in your and your company's efforts I own a web design firm, I call myself owner.
I own and run a hosting and technology it company, I call myself cofounder and chief strategist not CEO I co-own a multistate cleaning company and call myself co-founder and lead marketer. I had other startups and did also call myself a CEO until I knew better. I read a lot on management, I give presentations for successful leading, team evangelism, gaining competitive advantages, host a series of coaching sessions every year, personally helped several now successful individuals in growing their companies.
You must earn it. CEOs has huge responsibilities. Be a leader and know when you are and when you are not a true CEO or manager for that matter. On top of what was discussed here, the most important message to convey via a practical title is: a did you started the company - e. Founder, Co-Founder b what's your key role whom you make most of the decisions as - e. There will be drawbacks when your audience are not sure what you do by reading your title, e. Chief Rainmaker, Chief Problem Solver You will always be a Founder or Co-Founder and your title will change.
That should be a lifetime title so be sure it goes to the right people who played a major role in the starting of the company and who will continue to play a role in the years to come. Another option is to give yourself the title President if you have plans to find someone to run your business say if you are a technical founder.
All the previous answers are good. I'm just adding my 2 cents here, you can write yourself as Founder, CEO and retain both the titles with you. Answered 3 years ago. There are people that think that a "CEO" title for a company with 2 people for example is egotistical and looks bad. So, they stick with Founder and other titles early on. When I'm trying to talk to who represents a company for investment or doing a business deal I want to know who the CEO is so I can talk to them.
I don't want to wade through a bunch of Founder titles, I want to know the designated point person for this business. Chances are as a new business you are "Jack or Jill of all trades", and are an expert at whatever your business does, and that is why you started the business. This is the very best business book for Founders. As a start up head the title of Founder can help with you find investors and funding the main drawback is that if you list yourself as a Founder,it will show that you are in the early stages of your business and therefore can be perceived as being a risky or potential high risk prospect.
You would have to demonstrate that you have the necessary knowledge and experience to be holding the position of a CEO within the company and with all the necessary capability of what that means. There is a large difference in being a Founder and a CEO and the different responsibilities involved in being a start up and the actual CEO role of dealing with the hands on operation of the company being answerable to financial institutions,regulatory bodies,employees,the wider community and also with the greater social responsibility concerns which comes with the CEO role.
Answered 2 years ago. Salary: CEO are at the top position in company and thus, earns the highest salary in company. Including a QR code on your business card isn't going to make you look hip or cool. Instead of giving people different ways to connect, you end up overwhelming them with a sea of social media icons and links. Focus on the primary social media channels your customers actually use and leave all of the other links for your website.
If you have the room including a short list of services can definitely help reinforce your offerings with current and prospective customers. Notice I said short. Trying to list everything under the sun will only junk things up.
I know when I get business cards that have a massive laundry list of services my eyes usually just glaze over. Doing so gives you more space so you allow your content to breath and also make it easier to digest for current and prospective customers. For starters, add your small business logo and tagline to the back side of your card.
Then use the front side for your name and title, physical address if you have a brick-and-mortar storefront , your phone number one is almost always enough , and your email address and website. Two popular options for ordering custom business cards online are MOO. Have additional questions about what to include on a business card for your small business?
Leave a comment below or send them to me directly. As a disclaimer, I use affiliate links for some of the products listed. They are all products I absolutely love and trust and would recommend regardless of whether they have an affiliate program. This was a good suggestion that you put up here That's a great tip. Those notes definitely come in handy once you start following up with those new contacts. I used to always print both sides of the card and had an area designated for "notes" on the other side.
You would think it was obvious to use the back of the card for notes about your meeting, but people really liked it. I almost almost ordered cards that were paper on one side, wood on the other. So I get where you are going with those. Show stoppers. You see, my existing cards which have blown every recipient away -- in a GOOD way are black metal with silver ink. I just put an order in to switch things up. The new cards will be engraved brushed copper. Polished looked and felt to be way too much, and actually a bit too hard to read the engraving with all the reflection.
If you can't trust your gut, trust the voice of your great Aunt. As I read your comment, it really struck home as I've always been the exact same way. Here's the great thing about business cards You're likely handing them out in small batches. So, if you get the sense that someone thinks you're too over the top with them based on how they react, you can cut bait and reprint.
Definitely one of the best business card decisions I've made personally. Please promise me this--circle back soon to let me know how the cards are going. I know it sounds silly, but I don't always get closure on this stuff and it's something I'd definitely love to know. Thanks for the quick replay, Shawn! You know, as I get older I'm finding it increasingly difficult to hear what my "gut" is actually saying these days, if that makes any sense.
But looking back over my past 50 years of life, one recurring theme keeps smacking me in the face: my entire life I've played things too "safe"; I've not taken the risks that I should have I've demurred and acceded when I should have put myself forward. Opportunities that practically threw themselves at me were ignored because I felt I wasn't "ready" or "good enough" or hadn't yet "paid my dues". And now more than ever I'm hearing the voice of my great Aunt who used to tell me, "Matthew, you need to get used to tooting your own horn, because no one -- NO ONE -- is going to do it for you.
Hey Matt - Great question. What's your gut tell you? It sounds like you think it might be a bit much to do it but I could definitely see the benefit of adding the additional details.
One way to think about it--if you only list writer, producer, broadcaster, that could pretty much apply to anyone with a similar background. Adding the credits would likely help you stand out. Do you have any trusted colleagues in the industry you can check with? I'm never usually short on opinions, but I don't have any direct experience in this space.
And I'm a big believer in trusting your gut. Does that help? Hi Shawn Pittsburgh native here - recognized your area code. I'm redesigning my business cards and I have a really specific question. I'm a freelance network television writer and producer as well as a freelance radio news anchor and soon to be podcast host. My business cards are primarily for media consulting and financial writing gigs in the corporate world.
The recipients are typically C-level executives. However, in an effort to really distinguish myself and add credibility, I've been tempted to add a line that includes my major television writing and producing credits just the networks' letters , plus a line listing my Emmy Award for one of those networks. My question: Would it be gauche to add those two lines with credits and the Emmy award? Hi Kat - Great question.
Are you a tandem always? Are there times where you'll operate more independently? To your point--contact information could get a little jumbled--especially if you want to make it quick and easy to reach one of you specifically.
For example, I just got a business card from a business the other day. Sent an email to the general email address. The person I was trying to reach never got it. Likely went to their other store location. Womp womp. My husband and I just started a real estate investment business.
Is it tacky or unprofessional to put both our names on the cards? Realizing we maybe should have our own.. They would both have the same company name, email, and phone number which all go to me atm Thanks a lot for enjoying this beauty article with me. I am apreciating it very much! Looking forward to another great article. Good luck to the author!
I am visited ur site fo the first time n the article which u have return is absolutely amazing, the emotions in this story was really touchy. Thanks for the comment, Reba. I don't know that I'd go so far as "never" but nothing has been able to replace them yet. Likely due to the connection and tangible reminder you mentioned. A good business card is not just a tool for giving your information out to prospects but an opportunity to connect with a new prospect on a personal level.
For that reason, good business cards will never be replaced by any of the digital networking tools at our disposal, because digital tools lack the human factor of the equation. I am a widow at the moment with two kids and i was stuck in a financial situation in June and i needed to refinance and pay my bills.
I tried seeking loans from various loan firms both private and corporate but never with success, and most banks declined my credit. You can contact him through his email: doctoralakaokoro gmail. Hi Ben - Thanks for asking. With cinematography, would the people you are trying to reach use it? Usually when you see a QR code, it's a tell that the person is trying to look like they're up on the latest technology but the opposite is true.
Hi, just curious about your thoughts on the QR codes again. I'm a cinematographer and I thought it might be useful to provide a QR link to my demo reel.
Could this be an exception, or do you have other ideas for my situation. Appreciate your input. Thank you for the article. Thanks for the comment, Don. Totally agree. Websites are still the hub for most businesses and the place you want to drive people not only for simplicity but also because that's where they are more likely to buy. If there is a strong social component to your business, then perhaps.
Otherwise, I would use your main website and perhaps email signature as the conduit to the various social destinations you might have.
Hi Dina - Two titles are fine. Thank you for this great information please advice, what about putting two titles at the card such as Customer Service Manager G. M Deputy. Tell me more about what you are trying to accomplish. Is there a reason why you would want all of the information on one card versus having a unique card for each employee? It would be for a separate office with 3 contact names.
I'm a big fan of using both sides of the card. Do you think it would be helpful for contacts to have the names and specialties of all of the Drs and therapists on one card? Depending on the number of contacts, it might be hard to include everything without junking it up. Would individual emails all be necessary? Is that the way patients typically get in touch? Or would they call? Thank you for sharing your ideas on the net!!! How do you feel about all associates listed on the same card?
Logo, address, phone and tag line on the other? I did and we are definitely a House of Brands. We've decided to have both business cards, one for the brand and another for the business when we start developing the other brands. Very helpful advice! You are very welcome. Let me know which way you decide to go. If you google "Branded House" vs. Virgin branded house. It depends on how you want to position your business.
Are you a branded house? Or a house of brands? One option would be to do both--start incorporating your new business name as the umbrella and add brands underneath as you continue to grow. Shawn, I bought a brand that is 32 years old, but started a new company to manage it and I'm looking to create more brands in the future under the same company.
Guest, the overwhelming majority of times business cards are used in a professional context, not a personal one. People want to know who they are dealing with. Professionally that means knowing not only the company but also knowing the credentials of the person representing the company.
I understand where you are coming from. In the past, my position on the matter where closer to yours. But keep in mind that if I'm just shipping simple packages, "Brown" and what "Brown can do for you" UPS commercial from the past might be enough. But if the nature of our business dealing involves something more substantial, just "Brown" isn't gonna cut it.
QR codes incredibly inefficient for the very reasons previously stated. They exist merely to dupe clients into thinking they'll look cool and at the other end, people use them because they mistakenly think it makes them look cool, as opposed to looking like a mental patient taking pictures of already printed docs.. Listings are tough. It's easy to get caught up in trying to get your business listed everywhere but in most cases a few directories will drive most of the traffic.
Don't worry we definitely won't be putting a qr code on them. We have so many things our company is listed on that it would take up a lot of space to put them all.
Most of our business is word of mouth or people seeing our vehicles. We get most of our online business from BBB or Yelp but we have only been tracking it since we bought this company in January. Shawn, Thank you for the suggestion. I think I'm going to go with business manager as my title since I'm the one doing most of the networking and dealing with all of our vendors and everything. I think I will also use your suggestion and just do a small batch of ones that have the coupon for the referral and see how that goes.
We just joined the BBB a month ago and have already had 5 customers do business with us that found us there so I might add it. Thank you again, Danielle. Referrals can definitely work great. You could always experiment with a small batch and then track their reaction and how many get redeemed. Great idea. Do you know how many customers find you via the BBB? It probably won't hurt unless it's junking up your card.
My husband and I own an air conditioning and heating company. We have 3 technicians and one other person in the office but he is the main guy in the field and I am the main person in our office. What would you suggest our titles be? I don't want to put owner on mine because this is mainly a "mans business" and if they feel they need to climb the ladder they would rather talk to him, which is ok with me, but I also don't want to put office manager on my card either.
What would you think of offering something on the back of our card? Or could we put something on there that a lot of people tend to overlook in our industry like helping improve their indoor air quality? Also do you recommend putting our BBB seal on the cards? We always put our license number and state that we are bonded and insured since people tend to shy away from contractors that aren't.
Jvalin - That depends on whether you want people to visit your site or email you. One thing I personally don't like is writing the information on the card. If it's important, order new cards. If you can get by, you can add to the next order. I forgot to include website in my business card, but included the email. I believe its pretty much straight forward to understand what needs to be put before the domain name.
Any suggestions or do I need to order new cards. Hey, nice article! I believe business cards are an amazing tool for small businesses. In fact I have recently started a business of my own where I help companies get more sales and conversion through business cards! I am really excited about helping people bring in more sales. If anyone wants to check it out and learn about it you can email me at givemebusinesscards gmail.
I would give the link to the website but I don't want to post my link on someone else website. Hi Diana - Cell phones are definitely optional. It depends on how accessible your employees need to be and how accessible you want them to be. I see a lot of mobile numbers on business cards from sales people but there are also more cells listed overall. As a small business, should we put an employee's personal cell phone number on his business card?
We don't for sales people as we purchase their phones and they get a business number. This person is an operations director and is in the office most of the time.
They occasionally travel to see customers. What do you think? Kimberly - Thanks for asking. Totally personal preference. If you are in a relationship-focused business, a picture can work--it's just something I rarely see and, when I do, it's almost always for Realtors. And most of the headshots are almost always not great. I notice you dont advise including a photo, unless you are sell real estate. Why do you say that? I am an attorney at a small law firm civil litigation and the owner uses a photo on his business card, but I dont really care either way.
I just care that its professional, appropriate and to-point. This ins interesting Great Ideas for Designing business card Thanks for sharing this information.. Web Development India. Thanks for closing the loop. Given all of the reasons you pointed out, that definitely sounds like your best alternative. I know I struggle with them. But maybe I'm "older people.
In the end we decided to put both on the card. Many of our clients are older people and our eyes aren't getting any better. For the reasons you pointed out, it makes it a little more user friendly, especially for those who aren't accustomed to or can't see those tiny letters under the numbers on their phones. And with the vanity number, it's still memorable.
A question for the ages. I think you are both right. As a consumer of vanity numbers, I know I find myself finger picking, squinting at the phone, and repeating the alphabet out loud.
Vanity numbers are memorable and catchy, but personally I always spend a lot more time trying to decipher the numbers. If the vanity number is super important, I would suggest starting with just that number. These won't be the last batch of business cards you'll ever print, so you can always compare response rate when you spell the number out.
Thanks for the article, Shawn. My business partner and I have redesigned our small business in the past week. Yes you can give your business card not just in state all-over the Word to anyone. It's your wish no one can stop with legally issues.
In short, the answer is no. Logos are an extension of a company's trade name, so marketing departments don't need to include legal designation. You can 't apply for Chase Ink Preferred without a business.
That's one of the main requirements for getting the card. If you're a sole proprietor, you don't even need the business to have its own tax ID number. You can use your Social Security number instead. Yes, Walmart Photo does offer business cards. You can also view all 41 stores that offer business cards across all categories.
Best free business card makers Jukebox. Business Card Star. Business Card Land. Design Mantic. Business Card Maker. The cost of a business card depends on the quality and complexity of the card itself. Best Business Card Sites Print. If you're like most small businesses or startups, you're aiming to balance your need for a high-quality design with your need to stay within a budget.
Please click here if you are not redirected within a few seconds. Staples offers a number of custom business card printing options to suit each company's specific needs. Standard card designs feature one or two-sided printing with a matte or glossy finish while raised print and executive selections offer additional finishing options. If you need your business cards immediately, Staples is your best bet.
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