If you've ever heard a compliment along those lines before, congrats! You're on the right track.

That reminds me of Gus. He and I sat next to each other at a sales seminar a few years ago. During the program, the facilitator asked the audience members to exchange cards and get to know each other. Gus's card was amazing: thick, colorful, double sided, bold, shiny and best of all, simple. (That was no surprise ? he was in advertising!) But it was one of the best I'd ever seen. So we introduced ourselves, exchanged cards and talked for a few minutes. And that was about it. Nice guy, I thought.

Now, here's the cool part: although Gus and I didn't really keep in touch, I've never thrown his card away. I show it to everyone! In fact, I even use it as a prop in some of my networking workshops! His card was just that good.

Is yours that good? Keep that question in the back of your mind as you read on. Now let's move into the next section and find out why certain cards stand out more than others.

CORNER # 2: Standing Out
Recently I took 66 business cards I've collected over the years and spread them out on a table. I closed my eyes for 30 seconds, opened them and took note of which cards stood out the most. And here's what I noticed:

(To view a high quality image of this game of 66 Card Pick Up, go to http://hellomynameisscott.blogspot.com/2005/03/does-your-business-card-stand-out.html)

This was a valuable exercise in understanding UNFORGETTABLE business cards, and I recommend it to everyone. Try it out! Gather dozens of accumulated cards from your desk and discover which ones stand out. Oh, and don't forget to put your OWN card in the pile. You'll be amazed at what you see.

Or don't see.

CORNER #3: Creative and Unique Ways to Enhance Your Card
Now that you've analyzed your own card and have been exposed to a large quantity of other people cards, your mind should be swimming with new, creative ideas. This is the perfect time to brainstorm ways to enhance your card. So, grab a blank sheet of paper. Come up with as many ideas as possible. Let your creativity run wild! And to help you get started, here's a list of 16 creative ideas to make your business card UNFORGETTABLE:

1. Size or Shape ? Rectangle, schmectangle. I've seen squares, circles, ovals and triangles. Each shape made a connection to the brand, and each shape stood out amidst the endless regression of the same old rectangles.

2. Chocolate Business Cards (yes, these DO exist) ? Several companies have online catalogues for personalized chocolate cards. Expensive? Yes. Delicious? Probably. Memorable? You better believe it.

3. Trading Cards ? If your company is team oriented, get trading cards with your "players" pictures and stats. Then encourage your customers and prospects to "collect all 12!"

4. Cartoons ? Get a custom cartoon commissioned for the back of your card. It's cheap, royalty free and absolutely unique to your business.

5. Table/Chart ? Include a mortgage loan interest table or some staggering statistics on the back. These are helpful reminders for the mathematically challenged and effective methods to position yourself as a resource.

6. Pop-Ups ? Just like kid's books, some business cards can be printed as folded, pop-up cards. Talk about thinking three-dimensionally!

7. Credibility ? The smartest thing I ever did to my business card was add color images of my two books. Instant credibility. And, I noticed an immediate change in the reactions from the people to whom I gave cards. One lady even said, "Scott, this is the coolest business card I've ever seen!" Money well spent.

8. Rubber Stamps ? Buy 10 different customized rubber stamps for the backs of your cards. When someone asks for one just say "Pick a card, any card!"

9. Die Cutting ? My friend Lisa works for the Rock Island Fire Dept. Her business card has a charred hole burnt right through the middle of every card! It looks incredibly real. And most printers offer this feature for a nominal feel. You can also specify various shapes, bite marks or hole sizes.

10. Recipe ? If you work in an industry connected to food, kitchens or homes; include one of your favorite recipes on the back!

11. Material ? Use leather, blinking or brail business cards (yes, these actually exist too!)

12. Language ? If your business requires international travel, consider offering multiple languages, or print the phonetic spelling of a difficult to pronounce name.

13. Motivation ? If you're the motivational type, include a famous quotation, bible verse or movie line that connects to your brand. And be sure to read it aloud when you give someone your card, it might just make their day!

14. Stickers ? Print one side of your cards on adhesive label paper. This gives the recipient a peel off sticker for reminders, appointments or phone numbers.

15. Non-Cards ? Who says a card has to be a card? After all, the first rule of creativity is "break all the rules!" I've seen million dollar bill cards, coin cards, even a banker in Boston who uses business cards that are actually miniature checks he tears off of a pad each time he gives one out! The possibilities are endless.

16. Double Up ? Make your card "double" as something other than a card. For example, mine doubles as a business card AND a nametag. As a result, people stick it on their shirts all the time. Thanks for the free promotion!

CORNER #4: Implementation
Once you've come up with the layout for your new, creative, UNFORGETTABLE business card, there are only two things left to do: print 'em up and hand 'em out!

First, as you approach you printer, remember a few rules:

OK. Once you have your new cards in hand, keep a few final rules in mind:

"This is my business card. There are many others out there, but none of them are like mine ? because there's nobody else like me. My business card is not a formality. It's not a piece of paper containing my name and contact information. And it's not another annoying thing to keep in my pocket. My business card is the most important networking tool that I own. It's a reflection of my personal brand and a bite-sized morsel of the mission of my business. I LOVE my business card. And I can't wait until somebody asks me for one. Because when they do, I will find a way to give that person value."

After you've face lifted your business card from unacceptable to unforgettable, I promise you will feel great. Your confidence will skyrocket. And from that moment on, every time someone asks, "May I have one of your business cards?" it will be like music to your ears.

© 2005 All Rights Reserved.

Scott Ginsberg is a professional speaker, "The World's Foremost Expert on Nametags" and the author of HELLO my name is Scott and The Power of Approachability. He helps people MAXIMIZE their approachability and become UNFORGETTABLE communicators - one conversation at a time. For more information contact Front Porch Productions at http://www.hellomynameisscott.com.

Google News Updated : Wed, 08 Oct 2008 02:50:04 GMT ACORN office in Vegas raided in voter-fraud probe - The Associated Press ABC News ACORN office in Vegas raided in voter-fraud probe The Associated Press - 2 hours ago LAS VEGAS (AP) - Nevada authorities seized records Tuesday from a group they accused of submitting fraudulent voter-registration forms - including for the starting lineup of the Dallas Cowboys. Non-Profit Raided In Voter Fraud Probe CBS News ACORN Nevada Office Raided Washington Post MarketWatch - CNN Political Ticker - USA Today - Cleveland Leader all 197 news articles Publ.Date : Wed, 08 Oct 2008 00:01:25 GMT Tehran confirms seizure of aircraft - Financial Times AFP Tehran confirms seizure of aircraft Financial Times - 42 minutes ago By Thomas Escritt in Budapest and Najmeh Bozorgmehr in,Tehran Iran yesterday revealed that it had forced a Hungarian-crewed transport aircraft to land after it strayed into the Islamic republic's airspace at the end of last month. Iran Withdraws Claim on US Plane New York Times US Military: Tense Encounters With Iran Occur Almost Daily FOXNews CNN International - AHN - United Press International - The Associated Press all 684 news articles Publ.Date : Wed, 08 Oct 2008 02:08:03 GMT With Outlook Dim, Bernanke Says Fed May Act on Rates - New York Times Boston Globe With Outlook Dim, Bernanke Says Fed May Act on Rates New York Times - 2 hours ago By DAVID STOUT and EDMUND L. ANDREWS WASHINGTON - The Federal Reserve chairman, Ben S. Bernanke, said on Tuesday that the turmoil in the financial markets had increased the risk to overall growth and that federal regulators would have to be vigilant to ... Video: Bernanke signals possible rate cut ReutersVideo Bernanke hints at possible interest rate cut MarketWatch Bloomberg - TheStreet.com - Forex Market all 1,140 news articles Publ.Date : Wed, 08 Oct 2008 00:40:38 GMT Nashville Knockout: What To Watch For - Washington Post Vancouver Sun Nashville Knockout: What To Watch For Washington Post - 4 hours ago Riggers lift scaffolding into place in front of the Curb Events event site at Belmont University in Nashville, Tenn., Monday, Oct. 6, 2008, as preparations continue for Tuesday's presidential debate. WRAPUP 5-Obama, McCain battle over taxes, economy Reuters Presidential debate: minute by minute Los Angeles Times The Associated Press - New York Times - Newsweek - Newsday all 1,781 news articles Publ.Date : Tue, 07 Oct 2008 22:08:13 GMT Uneasy calm in Bangkok after day of deadly riots - Reuters The Age Uneasy calm in Bangkok after day of deadly riots Reuters - 1 hour ago BANGKOK, Oct 8 (Reuters) - An uneasy calm settled over the Thai capital on Wednesday after the worst street violence in 16 years the day before, when two people died and nearly 400 were injured in clashes between police and anti-government protesters. Video: Raw Video: Tear Gas Fired at Thai Protestors AssociatedPress Two dead as Thai troops battle protesters guardian.co.uk Xinhua - Sin Chew Jit Poh - Washington Post - Radio Australia all 1,463 news articles Publ.Date : Wed, 08 Oct 2008 01:18:31 GMT McCain, Obama discuss possible Treasury secretary picks - Reuters Wall Street Journal Blogs McCain, Obama discuss possible Treasury secretary picks Reuters - 43 minutes ago NASHVILLE, Oct 7 (Reuters) - US presidential candidates John McCain and Barack Obama both mentioned investor Warren Buffett as a possible pick for Treasury secretary on Tuesday but both spoke in only general terms about the qualities they would seek ... McCain, Obama agree that Buffett could lead US treasury (Extra) Monsters and Critics.com A Strong eBay, A Strong Government Forbes Wall Street Journal Blogs - CNN Political Ticker - Boston Herald - Bloomberg all 24 news articles Publ.Date : Wed, 08 Oct 2008 02:06:13 GMT Study Shows Weak Circumcision/HIV Benefit for Gay/Bisexual Men - WebMD AFP Study Shows Weak Circumcision/HIV Benefit for Gay/Bisexual Men WebMD - 1 hour ago By Daniel J. DeNoon Oct. 7, 2008 -- Circumcision offers little HIV protection to gay/bisexual men -- overall. But it might cut HIV risk in predominantly insertive partners. Circumcision HIV impact doubted BBC News AIDS Benefits of Circumcision Are Limited, Study Finds New York Times U.S. News & World Report - Bloomberg - TIME - MedPage Today all 45 news articles Publ.Date : Wed, 08 Oct 2008 01:24:47 GMT Clickbank Easy Work At Home Opportunity