Okay, So I Ordered Business Cards…Now What?
/Short answer…
TAKE THEM OUT OF YOUR DESK DRAWER AND USE THEM!
Long answer…
Leave some…
in your car
in your wallet
in your bags (all of them)…
EVERYWHERE!
You would be surprised how many times people have asked me “do you have a card” after telling them I am a mental health counselor. It has happened to be at my annual doctors appointments, at the hair salon, volunteering events and many, many more. Thankfully, I was prepared and had a card available to pass along to them!
Be intentional with who you give them to and how many you give them
Before handing someone your card, think about who they are, and why they want your card (or why you want them to have your card). Are they going to use your card for personal use? Do they want to give your card to someone else? Are they in a position to refer multiple people to you? Dependent on the question, you may want to provide them with more than one card. If it is a potential referral source, you can invite them to email you if they are ever needing more cards from you.
Don’t be too pushy
Don’t enter a networking event with a stack of business cards in your hand and introduce yourself to people by giving them a business card. 1) it looks weird and 2) some people may not want your business card so don’t force it on them. A better way to navigate the business card exchange is to 1) ask that individual if they want one of your cards or 2) ask them for their card (and usually they will ask for yours as well)
Follow up
If you exchange business cards with someone, follow up with them. Send them a short email letting them know how nice it was to meet them and how you would love to grab a coffee sometime to get to know more about their business.
Remember the importance of networking your mental health and wellness practice is not to turn all those coffee dates into clients, but to build connections and inform them of the services you provide. Because each and every one of these people you network with knows someone who needs mental health or wellness services and when their friend asks them “do you know a good [insert wellness profession] …” your name will be fresh on their mind and they may refer them to you!
Shannon Gonter, LPCC, Owner and Founder of b.mindful Louisville
Have additional questions? Feel free to message me and ask!