How to be taken seriously

Image is everything. Especially for any entrepreneur, small business owner or even student / job seeker. And one of the best ways to stand out and be taken seriously is to have a professional business card.

Job hunnters should have a business card period. Not from your current or past job. One with your personal contact information so recruiters and prospective employers can see that you're serious about pursuing the job they have available.

Business owners - even if it's one where traditional sales or exchanging of business cards are not the norm in any given day, should invest the couple of dollars necessary for a professional card.

Even Moms & Dads need one with their own personal info for exchanging with other parents for playdates, carpooling, etc. In this case, the card should be focused on the children and perhaps be titled as "Parents of Jack & Jane Smith" and have the parent's name & contact info in the small text area.

These days, there are plenty of options to get business cards online - like from Office Depot, Staples, and the ubiquitous VistaPrint.com.

I just ordered a new set of cards from VistaPrint since I'm scheduled to attend some trade shows in the upcoming months. Some people create business cards specific to each conference, trade show or event to get that extra attention -- and it does get attention. Even though creating a new set of cards can be really cheap (under $10!) or even free, not many people do it. And those that do benefit from overcoming that inertia that affects the masses.

Just think about how you can use a business card more in your life. It might lead to better opportunities.