1. Toss out the old. If your business card has been sitting in your desk drawer for the past two or three years (along with most of the other 2,000 cards you had printed), throw it away. It is aging and yellowing. Even if you do not notice it, your recipient will.

2. Bring your card up to date if it is not completely accurate. Include information such as: name, title, company, address, phone, fax, email, website and blog, if you have one. There are numerous online templates and downloadable software programs to help you with this.

3. Make a positive statement about you and your business when you update and reprint your business cards. The paper should not be too thin or have a cheap feel to it. It should not have perforated edges, which tells the world that you just ran off the card through the office printer. The logo should be elegant and in the right colors to attract your potential clients. There are so many free business card resources, designs, software and templates available today that there is no reason to give out an unprofessional looking card.

4. Do not let the grass grow under your business cards. Set a number of cards you will give away daily, weekly, monthly. Add them to your outgoing mail, carry them with you all of the time and give them away in all appropriate settings because you never know where the next big client will come from.

5. Nix rumpled business cards forever. Never pull a less-than-perfect business card out of your wallet and give it away. Carry a business card case with clean, crisp cards in your pocket, have one in your brief case and even one in the glove compartment of your car. Stationery stores have inexpensive business card cases available that will keep your cards in good condition.

6. Do not let the white space on the back of your card go to waste. It can be imprinted with valuable company information. Another idea: If you make presentations before groups, people are always interested in getting the presentation. Rather than give a complete handout away, which people can pick up and scurry out the door with, include a web page on a label affixed to the back of your business card where audience members can obtain the information they seek. It is an opportunity for you to exchange business cards at the end of the presentation and an opportunity for you to follow up by telephone two days later to see if the person had any questions.

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By Ronald Derven, editor, http://www.start-a-business-faq.com