Business cards

My very first business card carried seven pieces of information: -

1. My name
   
2. Company name
3. Office number
4. Fax number
5. Pager number
6. Street address
7. Mailing address

When mobile phones and email came along that ballooned out to ten pieces: -

1. My name
2. Company name
3. Office number
4. Fax number
5. Mobile number 
6. Pager number
7. Street address
8. Mailing address
9. eMail address
10. Website

The card was a disaster zone.  I had to beg graphic designers to take on the project

The impression I wanted to create was that (a) not only was I the most contactable man on the planet; but also (b) that my business was substantial enough to have a street address and a receptionist.  It all cost money: phone, fax, mobile, pager, email and postal address to be contacted, plus a street address (that I didn't otherwise need) to give the impression of substance.

I was so terrified of seeming insubstantial and coming across as 'fly by night' that I was renting an office to create an impression for clients who couldn't have cared less.  

Contactability is all that matters and now my card carries only five pieces of information: -

1. My name
2. Company name
3. eMail address
4. Website
5. Mobile number

The only people who ever have a problem with this are individuals within client organisations who are politically opposed to my project, and competing suppliers.  Uncannily, both use the phrase 'fly by night'.

With 'political' opponents I respond by saying that I operate across so many time zones it makes no sense to have a receptionist answering the phones for only eight of 24 hours.  Besides, if you really do want to contact me you'll call my mobile anyway.

With competing suppliers it's all about competitive advantage.  If I take on unnecessary overheads then I lose mine.