First of all, let's define what printed material is....essentially anything that would be found in the hands of your customer, vendor, business partner - or really ANYONE that YOU would like to be able to be easily contacted by.
This could be a email that has been printed. A take-out menu from your favorite restaurant. A brochure (hard copy or downloaded from the web). A supply form or some type of list.
The common ingredient to all these is that YOU want the person who has this in their possession to be able to act upon (place an order, pass information, ask a question) on in ANY environment. Okay - maybe not a deserted island....but most places.
So what is the car test?
If a person who has your information can act upon it in their car, you pass. What does this specifically mean? The printed information has:
- Your name and/or company name - so the person will know who they are contacting
- Your phone number - business, home, cell or all the above. Extra points if they know which one they are calling, and the hours you might respond
- Your email address. Double car test bonus points if the online format (which turned into a printed format) contains the email address as a hyperlink!
I can not stress enough to businesses, that in this ADD time challenged world we live, if you do not give your customer, vendor or partner the ability to interact with you as quickly and painlessly as possible....then you may forever lose that opportunity, their motivation or sales order.
So - does your stuff pass the "car test"?
