Bit of help please

As some of you will know, I started an online delicatessen recently. I've now got round to the business cards and am in a quandary.

Do I state on them 'online delicatessen' or just 'delicatessen'?

Both are true but I'm thinking that perhaps saying online may put some people off given the nature of the business.

 

Just after the phreaseolgy rather than design and layouty things. I'm also leaning toward just the 'deli...'
Ta

 

I'd go with just deli to be honest, and let your website and advertising do the talking?

 

Ahem, note the ellipsis after the 'deli' I would NEVER just put deli, it's the choice of highlighting that it is online based or not (and I got lazy in typing it out again, more fool me! lol)

True, although it is made very clear on the front page of the site that it is an online deli so no ambiguity.

This is why i'm in the quandary !

 

Yes! That's what your business is, so it would only confuse folk straight off if you ommited the 'online' bit.

 

There isn't a 'real' problem but when you have a card that you have a 1000 of you want to make sure it's 'just so' and send the right message so I often bandy around daft tiny details like this for a while before going back to my original choice (in this case keeping the 'online' word). It's a process my brain feels it has to put me through lol
I do it for all my clients too (I also do design and print and business consultancy)

Thanks folks

 

Having, for over 30 years, helped people set up businesses I've pointed out to people that they need to analyse what message they are trying to get across.

From what I gather you are doing, you only have an online presence and no shop. Therefore you can only tell them you are online. Then you have to take it one step further and tell them that you are proud to be online. So you are not just an online delicatessen - you are 'The Online Delicatessen' (Fidgetsmum got it right ).

When talking to people about it you then put the emphasis on the first word (The). This makes it appear as though you don't have competition of any consequence. If you can't persuade yourself then you'll never persuade others.

On your card you should have your business name/logo and then, quite prominently, you should have (on another line) 'The Online Delicatessen'. It should be in inverted commas (can either be single or double inverted commas) as you really want to project the image and the name.

Although it's always nice to know that people know the name of your business it will promote more business if you become known as 'The Online Delicatessen'.

Just imagine the conversation:-
"That's lovely smoked salmon, where do you get it?"
"At 'The Online Delicatessen'"

Then you should also have it displayed prominently on your home page on the website. Some of our computer savvy members may be able to tell you how to get those three words linked to peoples' searches online as well.

I've just done a quick Google and nobody seems to have used it this way - yet. There are other versions using Deli or having the words in a different order.

You need to yell out to people who you are and what you do - and project the image that you know you're the best and are proud of it.

Your business card doesn't need a lot of info. Your name, what you do, your web address, phone number (if you don't mind taking phone orders) and make sure it tells them to check online for your 'Specials Of The Week'.

The 'Specials' can be anything from something new to something you need to move quickly. Recipes using your 'Specials' might also help to sell them.

Re phone numbers:- some people are a bit wary if a website doesn't have a phone number so it would be good to have one anyway. It may also help to sell your products if they felt they could phone and ask for advice.

One last word of warning:
Don't rely on the printer to get the spelling right. Always check the proof carefully.

Check what you put on your website for spelling, grammar and meaning. You don't want to put things on there that may have more than one meaning - like the dispensing chemist that advertised 'We Dispense With Accuracy'!

P.S. I don't want to 'Teach my grandmother to suck eggs' but you can always overlook things when it's yourself.

 

Shiney, I find you can never have enough eggs to suck on - just ask Cool Hand Luke...

Advice, as always, is appreciated although this is well underway (the cards were not urgent). I will look into adapting the SEO of the website though and everything I write is proof read by the beloved Erica

 

Just to reiterate - not looking for a business name! Deliveries are done by RM at the moment as they provide the best (although always changing their scheme and prices) cost/service for my needs.

I must have done a few things right as I've already had a wine merchant approach me for a tie up, suppliers gushing (although I take that with a pinch of salt), Taste South East membership and a new column in a glossy mag

SEO has now been tweaked so we'll see what Mr Google thinks of it.