Maybe you added an extra service (or deleted one) from your freelance writing business. Maybe you got married or divorced and your last name changed. Maybe you got a new telephone number, email address, or website URL. Whatever the reason, your business cards will change over the years. If you’ve paid to get them printed professionally, and even added color for an extra cost, then you won’t relish the idea of throwing away what’s left of your 500 or 1,000 business cards when you replace them.

Reuse, Recycle Outdated Business Cards For Multiple Uses

Instead of trashing your business cards just because your employer, address, telephone number, services, company name, or other information has changed, save your outdated cards for other uses around your home office. Although information on the front of these cards is no longer useful, the back side of your business cards can continue to work for you (unless you printed both sides, of course). The convenient size and thick paper stock offer a variety of uses for writers who need to pinch every penny in their writing business.

Labels: With a little trimming, old business cards can be used for file cabinet labels and replacement hanging file folder labels. The sturdy paper and straight edges make them easily adjustable for different size labels.

Filing: Make brief notes – such as related article ideas, interesting new sources, and other markets for the article, story, or poem – and staple them to the inside cover of each file folder used for a writing project. You can use a different color ink to denote varying subjects, e.g., notes in green marker mean additional markets for the piece or notes in blue marker mean the source was helpful and pleasant.

Notes: Write telephone numbers, potential markets, writing rules, or other information used regularly and tack them to your bulletin board. The uniform cards provide a neat, organized look. To note something especially important, use a different size or color paper to make the message stand out. Colored business cards and oversized cards come in handy for this purpose.

Telephone Numbers: When you want to add someone's telephone number or address to your Rolodex but don't have their business card, make your own. Or for local clients, make a duplicate card (which includes the telephone number) to keep in your car when driving to appointments.