Marketing your Business using CD Business Cards
CD Business Cards have become of the most widely heralded
marketing tools used today. Why? Because quite simply they work.
The information delivered on such a small disc and the overall
impact is unmatched. (Plus they're really cool to hand out.)
Over the last few years some very interesting changes have taken
place in this e-card market. With the introduction of CD
business cards, CD-R business cards and shaped CDs, companies
from industry and manufacturing to service and retail have put
together some incredible multimedia presentations. In basic
terms, CD-ROM Business Cards are mini CDs that can be programmed
to deliver multimedia presentations, product catalogs, video
infomercials, Web sites, links, resumes and much more. They are
a fabulous way to bring new visitors to your business or Web
site. If used properly they can deliver a much higher ROI
(return on investment) than conventional marketing. We have
found the following has proven successful for a number of our
clients. Keep it simple: The CD Business Card has the power to
deliver a high-impact, full-blown media presentation with
sights, sounds, bells and whistles. In my experience it is best
not to overdo it. Grab the customer's attention with a brief
introduction, get your point across and provide a URL link and
contact info. Don't get involved in a presentation that takes 15
minutes to view, unless you know they want to view it. Make sure
the card is self-executing, so all the viewer has to do is
insert the CD into their ROM drive sit back and view the
presentation. Contests: Although CD cards are intriguing enough
by themselves, you can ensure the prospective client will view
its contents by using the card to run a contest. Simply code the
discs with a series of numbers and encourage the viewer to visit
your Web site or location to check for the winning number.
Direct mail: If you plan on using the CD card as a direct mail
piece, personalize each CD label or presentation by using the
prospect's name or company name. This may prove more time
consuming, but the end result will be well worth the effort.
Track results: Make sure to code the URL links and e-mail
address on all your CD cards so you can track the results. The
simplest way to do this is to add a tag to your e-mail or URL -
mailto:info@cardiscs.com?subject=CD or [WEB SITE]. Use CD-Rs:
Test the waters before making a large investment by using CD-R
business cards. The great thing about using recordable CD biz
cards is you don't have to make thousands at a time; you can
burn 25 to 50 on your own burner, test and retest the results
until you find a presentation that delivers the desired result.
Consider the shape of the discs: CD business cards come in two
shapes, 1) the standard rink shape straight top and bottom
curved sides (it resembles a hockey rink.) 2) the rectangle
shape all four sides have straight edges (it resembles a credit
card.) Based on my experience some customers are hesitant to put
a rectangle shaped disc in their ROM drive, even though they are
safe, have been tested and used for a few years without
incident. I usually use the rink shaped discs so I don't risk
eliminating potential viewers.