Ask Mr. Marketing: Carefully think through marketing

These days there’s so much competition that, if you don’t find ways to draw attention to yourself, you’re sure to be ignored.

Into this scenario arrives Michael R’s business card.

It’s 3.5 inches wide, completely round, and resembles a large orange flower within a rotary wheel.

While a surefire attention-getter, I’m concerned for Michael’s business prospects.

Ignoring the possibility of this card being mistaken for a drink coaster, the side with Michael’s contact information has a coupon for a bottle of a beverage he sells.

You need to visit his website to learn only two retailers carry it.

Which all seems counter-productive, since:

The purpose of a business card is to help me find you to do business with; and

A coupon encourages me to buy your product immediately, and I rarely keep the coupon.

Thus the moment I use Michael’s coupon I can’t find him with questions, concerns or orders.

True, the retailer could return the coupon/card to me, but he’ll probably have trouble getting reimbursed.

Or Michael might also give me a brochure or another card without intrinsic value.

Or he might ask for my business card so he can stay in touch with me. Assuming I have my own card, problem solved.

Or he may not care if I can find him — provided I try his product.

Still, I have to wonder about the fortunes of a company that makes it challenging to find its product AND its sales representatives.

As a busy guy, it’s not worth it for me to drag all over creation to find that drink — even if it’s free.

Then there’s the filing question. As this card doesn’t fit easily into my wallet, do I keep it in my office with other business cards — or in my kitchen with my other coupons?

I’ll confess that on certain levels I see this card as an interesting marketing ploy. The bright colors and odd shape effectively stand out of a stack of business cards.

But as a practical matter I can’t help but believe that Michael and his company would have been better off with an orange, traditionally-shaped business card, and coupons (print or electronic) provided separately.

It might not have earned him a Mr. Marketing column, but in the long run it would probably improve his business.

With that said, I wish you a week of profitable marketing.

Learn to fix your marketing mistakes at www.askmrmarketing.com.