Real Estate Business Cards: The Do's and Don'ts

Real estate business cards can do wonders for your business. Here's a guide on the do's and the don'ts when it comes to your calling card.

Believe it or not, swapping business cards with someone is a practice that's over 600 years old. While the world is going digital, conferences, meetings, and offices are still investing in business cards because they still work. If you're in the real estate business, having real estate business cards on you at all times could help you win business and generate leads.

In the home and housing industry, word of mouth or personal contact are 80% more effective than traditional marketing. Meeting someone who you're going to work with builds trust and helps to ease communications. For someone in the real estate industry, knowing your clients personally allows you to cater to them individually.

If you're trying to figure out what you should leave with potential clients, a great business card will pique their interest. Here are some of the main Dos and Don'ts for real estate business cards.

Do: Focus on Design

Your business card should be able to communicate what your business is about through every element on the card. There's not a whole lot of space to deal with, so you need to be economical. You also need to consider what kind of business you are.

A simple, easily legible card with a sans serif font, black on white, is easy to design and lets you turn your focus back to your work. If you're the kind of person who gets straight to the point, your real estate business cards should say that.

If you're focused on family homes or apartments for a younger crowd, you can be a little more relaxed and be colorful. Beautiful design can speak volumes.

Make sure you have all of the essentials on there. You need to have three ways for people to contact you. An email address, a phone number, and your office address work for this.

Be sure you've got a website listed on it and make sure you've updated the design before you start sending people there. If you have professional social media, you can swap this out for your office address.

Get to know about cardstock. It makes a difference in cost of pennies, but weight matters when you hand people a card that's physically different than others.

Different regions have different licensing schemes, so you may have to include your MLS number. If you're a member of NAR, you need to include the term as "REALTOR(R)".

Don't: Ignore Trends

Look at any major website and you'll notice that there's lots of white space around. Website design has caught on to the fact that clutter, animation, and lots of extra features aren't always attractive to people.

Cluttering your card is just as much of a turn off as a cluttered office.

If you still have a fax number listed on your card, you might as well be handing potential clients a carrier pigeon. No one is using fax except the most outdated offices on the planet.

Once you've included your most vital contact info, everything else is up for the chopping block.

Do: Brand Yourself

You're competing with a whole lot of other real estate professionals when you're out there talking to clients. Even if you say the right things and have the right experience, people are fickle and you could end up losing out to someone who has a stronger brand.

People need to hear your name three times before they remember you. Seeing your face is an added bonus. Get a professional headshot done and consider including it on your card. For under $200, you should be able to get a series of photographs to use on your website and print materials.

Some networking events have booths where you can get them done for free.

See if you can hire a friend or a young designer to create a simple logo for you and your brand. Use it on everything you print out and on your website.

Don't: Overlook Industry Standards

If you have a lending partner or work with a larger company, co-brand with them. It could add a lot of clout to your own brand and help win over clients who are wary about working with a name they don't know.

If there are compliance regulations that are important to your broker or larger firm, make sure you follow their lead. You don't want to ruin a relationship with a business card.

Your real estate business cards have a purpose. While most cards are made of the same paper weight at the same size, the industry is moving forward. More people are having oddly shaped, square, or even metal business cards made for their real estate business.

Think about ways to differentiate yourself from the rest of the pack.

Do: Make Each Exchange Count

If you've got the design down and have branded yourself well, you just need to get your real estate business cards into the hands of your clients. Everything else from here on relies on personality.

If you've never had a business card to hand out before, it can feel a little awkward. Be polite if you're in the middle or end of a conversation. Ask if you can hand them your card.

Handing out without the right attitude will get your card thrown out with the trash. A good delivery will get that card in their wallet and later into their contacts.

If you've had a great conversation, this is a natural move. If you're not sure, tread carefully.

Get a feeling for the dynamic. If this is someone you admire or who has more of an impact than you do, ask gracefully. If this person is your equal, ask confidently.

If you feel like you've got more of an impact than the person you're speaking with, don't show it at this moment or your card will end up being tossed immediately.

Don't: Waste Your Cards

Get to know who you think you'll be working with in the future. Establish some sincere connections and take the time to reach out first to people who you exchange cards with,.

Don't waste cards on someone you don't think you'll do business with unless you really hit it off and just want a way to become friends.

Real Estate Business Cards Can Make An Impact

If you get good at handing out your cards, you could be racking up leads everywhere. Exchanging cards means you have the chance to reach out first and see what you can do for something. The whole process is win-win.

If you're ready to find the perfect card for your brand, contact us to learn about the latest design trends.