Guest Post by Nicole Lapin

Posted on 2/27/2013

Just because you’re self-employed or freelancing doesn’t mean you can’t have a phat business card. In fact, as a free agent working outside of the traditional 9-to-5 world, it’s even more important for you to have one. Prospective clients and employers need to know not only what it is you do, exactly, but where to find you. Read on…

Where to start: Use the plug-and-chug biz card creator on FedEx’s website to create low-cost, professional looking business cards. Spring for the slightly more expensive premium paper ones — after all, your “faking it ’til you make it” perception is so worth it. Stick to colors and design elements that say something about you without being distracting; so, if pink really is your favorite color, use it as an accent on white and gray cards. Don’t use a photo of yourself; it’s cheesy, and chances are if the person has your card they’ve already met you in person.

What to say: Use a title that’s straightforward and succinct: i.e., “founder,” “reporter,” or “web developer.” It might be tempting to give yourself a super schmancy title for your company-of-one, but don’t. Labeling yourself as CEO or President will only invite curious clients and employers to dig more into your company — and if they don’t find anything there, you’ll look really, really stupid. Better to keep the title on the modest side and wow them with your resume instead.

What to leave out: Unless you’re renting an office or using shared working space, you’re probably working out of your home or favorite coffee shop nearby. But don’t include this address on your business card. Not only does it invite relative strangers to solicit your personal space, but it also doesn’t look good to have an apartment number listed on professional materials. So stick to your name, title, email, and phone number. And if someone really needs to send you something, you can give out your mailing address on a per-case basis.

The extra mile: If you deal in an industry that requires a heavy load of snail mail (for example, editing video or legal work) look into getting a mailbox at your local post office. This way, you can keep work and personal mail separate — and yes, it is okay to list this P.O. box number on your business card.

My Five Fav Biz Card Sites and Apps

Fedex.com: With a super easy plug and chug system to design your own business cards, the time from click to ship is almost instant. You can also order coordinating letterhead, notepads, pens with the same design—go to town!—for a truly corporate look.

Moo.com: Where Fedex is buttoned-up corporate, Moo is laid-back start-up. Browse hundreds of cool designs and templates until you find one that expresses your business’ unique style. You can dress ’em up even more with edge painting, extra-thick paper, embossing, and more.

Zazzle.com: If you have a niche business and need your cards fast, Zazzle is for you. With specific categories ranging from fashion to animal businesses to massage therapy, you can make cards that are perfectly tailored to your biz.

CamCard.com: Now that you’re passing out your fancy new biz cards, it’s time to get organized! CamCard is the app that lets you take a picture of the business cards you get and then save them right on your phone.

CardMunch.com: Similar to CamCard, just download this app and get to snapping photos of that stack of business cards. You can even import the new info directly into your phone’s contacts and share with colleagues.

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Meet Nicole

Nicole Lapin is the financial expert you don’t need a dictionary to understand. Lapin is the former anchor of CNBC’s “Worldwide Exchange,” the only global show on the network, as well as a former anchor on Bloomberg television. She started her major network career as the youngest anchor ever on CNN. Lapin was also a contributor on MSNBC and served as a financial expert on NBC’s “Today Show.” She founded the personal finance site Recessionista.com and currently serves as a financial expert on news and entertainment shows, including CNN, HLN, “The Insider” and “Entertainment Tonight.”

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