All About Business Cards


At a recent meeting of therapists I attended, one recently qualified therapist was describing the dilemmas that she had met in deciding onIMG_9570 a design for her business cards. It’s an issue that can tie people in knots, and keep them stuck for long periods of time, while they work through their feelings. I thought it might be useful to share some thoughts about business cards:

  1. Business Cards Have Many Functions: They are a quick and easy way of sharing your contact details with potential clients or referrers. They can double as appointment cards. They can carry some message you want to convey, eg about cancellations. They can lead people to a website.  They also say something about who you are, and your practice.
  2. Buy Yourself Some Time to Reflect: A business card is a really useful tool for getting your name out there, and any business card is better than none. So if you’re someone who agonises over every last detail, my advice would be to go initially for something cheap and functional, which then allows you to reflect at length on what your next one will look like. Go to Vista, Smile or one of the other low cost printing websites, choose something simple and plain, and run with that in the short term. It’s a small cost, and once you have one up and running, you’ll begin to think of different ideas for the next one.
  3. Your Business Card says something about who you are: Many therapists shy away from visibility, however, it does not always serve. Use your business card as an opportunity to say what differentiates you as a therapist from all the others out there. Whether you convey this through words or an image or in some other way, doesn’t matter. It helps if you have some idea about the type of client you are trying to attract. For example, if you are providing a low cost service, a glossy, expensive card is unlikely to fit the bill. On the other hand, if you are trying to attract clients who can pay you your full rate over the long term, a cheap, home- printed card is unlikely to fit for you. (You might also be interested in reading my post about the accountant who spun plates, click here or in my report “Five Ways to Boost Your Practice,” leave your email in the box to the left of this post to get your free copy.)
  4. What to include? Ask ten people they’ll give you ten different views. Do what feels right for you. Consider (in no particular order):
    • Your name
    • The name of your practice (if that’s different)
    • Your address
    • Your phone number
    • Your email address
    • A map showing the location of your practice
    • An inspirational quote
    • A photo of you
    • An image or logo
    • A statement about the services you provide
    • Your qualifications or accreditations
    • Date and time of next appointment
    • A statement about cancellations / appointment changes

    5. Remember, it probably means much more to you than it does to them: so don’t get too hung up on it. You can always change it later. Ask yourself, how much attention you pay to business cards you receive from others. Okay, maybe if this is a hot topic for you just now, you’re sensitised to what everyone else is doing, but in general, how closely do you look at them? My guess is not much. If it’s a service you want to buy, you’ll buy it, whether you like their business card or not. If it’s not, you’ll probably find a reason not to buy anyway, even if you love their card. You can’t second guess the reactions of everyone who is going to see your business card, so my advice is don’t try. Please yourself. Go for something that feels right for you, and is congruent with your values and beliefs.
    6. Be proud of your business card: If you find yourself reluctant to take it out in public, if you forget to bring cards to networking events, if you feel ashamed or apologetic about it, it’s not working for you. Switch to something that you feel good about, and then that energy will translate itself to whoever you are talking to.
    7. Get help: There are lots of places on the internet where you can have logos and cards designed for you. Most of the internet printing services have templates you can use. Or try out fiverr.com, a website where you can buy any number of services for $5, including getting a logo or business card designed especially for you.
    8. Be Generous with your business cards: Leave a bundle where people can pick them up. Someone may be too shy or uncomfortable to ask, or may not know that you’re open to receiving more referrals. Don’t just give one, give three or four, that way if they like the look of you, they can pass them on. Give them to colleagues locally as well, they may be delighted to have the name of another therapist, in the event that they are unable to take on someone eg for boundary reasons, or because they have no availability.
    9. The Last Word: Don’t forget the back of your card! Leave it blank if you like the freedom of being able to write something personal on the back. Use it for a quote, a map or a photo. Or better still, a statement about your business. Eg “I help couples who are tired fighting and arguing about little things to find better ways of relating,” or “I help people who are struggling to overcome depression to find strategies that work for them.”

If you found this useful, you might also like our workshop: “Starting A Therapy Practice” in Dublin, January 2016. Click here for details.


One response to “All About Business Cards”

  1. […] Whether it’s handing them to referrals sources, or giving them to clients, business cards are an easy and cheap way of putting your contact details out into the world. Make sure they work for you, and don’t leave them gathering dust in a drawer. The more of them you hand out, the better the chance that they’ll be used. For more information on getting and using business cards, read my articles: Lots of Things to do With Business Cards and All About Business Cards […]