Four Ways to Turn Your Old Business Cards Into Powerful Action Tools

by Bob Baker

"What a waste!"

That thought always went through my mind whenever I came across a box of 500-plus business cards with an outdated phone number or address. As much as I wanted to find a way to put them to good use, even the pack rat in me couldn't justify hanging onto them. Into the trash they went.

But not anymore.

Now I realize that even though the front side may be obsolete ... the clear, virgin territory on the back side is ripe for productivity. Here's a list of four possible ways you could recycle those useless hunks of cardstock and turn them into creative brain tools:

1) Use them for short to-do lists.

Who needs a Palm Pilot or journal, when you can just as easily use a business card to jot down a short list of things that need to be done today? Most people's planners are overflowing with goals, aspirations and action steps. The best way to get things done is to narrow your important activities down to the top five or six items. If you can't fit your to-do list on the back of a small card, you're taking on more than you will likely accomplish.

2) Prioritize goals.

Knowing where to start is half the battle in getting things done. Write your major goals, one each on the back of your old cards using one or two key words. Spread them out on a desk in front of you. Now arrange the goals in order from most important to least. Being able to physically move the pieces of your goal puzzle around will give you a perspective that a simple list on paper may not supply.

3) Project steps.

Now take one of your goals and break it down into the many steps it will take to accomplish it. Again, write one or two key words for each step on the back of each card. Then line them up in the order in which they need to be completed. Next, ask yourself, "What's missing?" and "Are any steps here unnecessary?" Subtract and add project steps until you're satisfied. Then you can transfer it to a more formal written plan.

4) Mix-and-match idea stimulators.

Here's a good way to jog your brain when you're hunting for new ideas. Let's say you're brainstorming on fresh ways to promote your new book of cat poetry. Take a stack of business cards and write key words that pertain to your book, such as: Verse, Rhyme, Catnip, Yarn, Fuzzy, etc. Then randomly pick words and phrases that have nothing to do with your book, as in: Tofu, Parka, Zebra, Hillbilly and so on.

Once you have a dozen or more cards with one word each, shuffle them and arbitrarily select two cards from the pile. Look for connections and write down any ideas that are sparked by combining the two words (don't tell me that Fuzzy and Tofu wouldn't bring a few thoughts to mind).

Then pick two different cards and see what concepts pop up. And two more after that, etc. Sure, most of these ideas will be silly, but one of them will very likely trigger a new association or idea you wouldn't have thought of otherwise.

It's your brain ... have some fun with it!

Bob Baker is the author of "Unleash the Artist Within," "Guerrilla Music Marketing Handbook" and "Branding Yourself Online." Get a FREE subscription to Bob's newsletter, "Quick Tips for Creative People," featuring inspiration and low-cost, self-promotion ideas for artists, writers, performers and more. Visit www.PromoteYourCreativity.com for details.