You know business people need to have and use business cards, but I think non-profit volunteers should do the same.
If you are excited about the work you do for your cause and want others to donate or volunteer, have cards handy to pass out when you talk to new people, or even old friends who might be interested in helping. It will show your pride in the organization and you will have a much better chance that your contact information will be remembered later.
After all, those little scraps of paper that you find to jot down a number get lost or confused with the trash all too often.
How many times have you written a name and a number on the back of your shopping list and forgot it was there when you threw out the list? Or he even found a name and a number and wondered who it was and why he had it. Worse yet, you find the number and don’t remember why you have it. Those things happen when people jot down numbers while standing in the aisle of a grocery store!
In addition to convenience and efficiency, business cards give the impression that yours is a well-run professional organization.
I suggest that the organization’s phone number and address be printed on the cards, rather than your own number. However, with your board’s approval, you may want to include both, so people can call you with questions. If you hold a position, include your title after your name; otherwise just say “Suzie Smith, Volunteer”.
In addition to the name of the organization and contact information, include a short sentence that summarizes the mission of the organization. That will help the person looking at your card next week to remember why they were interested in getting involved with your group.
These cards don’t need to be fancy, just informative. Stores like Staples offer very inexpensive printing, and you can also get card stock and print it on your own computer when you need it.
