In the 80’s and early 90’s Gavin Tooley had an Advertising Agency specialising
in print media. With over 40 full time staff he was a busy man! When the economy took a turn for the worst he merged the agency with another and got out of the business to find something new.

He soon got started in the printing industry and it is from this printing
experience that he developed the world’s first online business card proofing and ordering system - joining three Mac computers scripting QuarkXPress and several other programs to deliver a live proof to clients in a super fast 45 seconds!

Today Sydney-based Click Business Cards are Australia’s largest online business card retailer and ship daily all over the world.

Click Business Cards is a very niche business. All the other printers I’ve seen print business cards as well as a million other products. Why did you decide to start the business, and why do you only sell business cards?

If you walk into McDonalds and ask for pizza, you’ll be told politely that they cannot help you. Click Business Cards from its inception saw the growth of desktop colour inkjet and laser printers plus the growing use of email. Thus we saw the market for other stationery items would continually shrink. Whilst we do understand that many of our clients have a need for other printed items we accept the fact that it is a service we do not provide. Do we lose customers because of this? Sure. But we do business cards really well.

You ship hundreds of business card designs each day, what elements do you think lead to an effective business card?

I can’t claim to have invented the business card but I have certainly designed thousands and seen many applications for them. A successful business card will present your business image to your clients. For this reason not everyone needs a full colour glossy business card. If you are marketing your ‘Factory Seconds’ from a back street warehouse then your business card ought to suit your business.

I would be suggesting a 1 colour inexpensive looking card. If you have a high class jewellery shop or a high end real estate office, you can’t afford to have cheap business cards. Often you meet people when you are out and the first impression of
your business is through you and your business card.

I have seen printed business cards used as tickets for events and as information cards without any contact details on them - what are the most innovative ideas you have seen cards used for?

Business Cards are just pieces of cardboard and anything goes. Because business cards are cost effective to buy we see people using business cards for 21st birthday invitations; swing tags for designer clothing labels; buy 9 coffees and get the 10th free coupons; and perfume sample cards.

What do you think are the advantages and disadvantages of running an online business?

The advantages are your lower overheads. But all too often people with a traditional bricks and mortar business try and add an online side to their business and give up when it doesn’t work. The real successes are when someone treats their online business idea as seriously as one does their traditional business.

When you realise that your website is your shop front, and you spend some good money on your shop fitout (website layout, design and functionality), you are then beginning to think like a real business owner.
The disadvantages of an online business is the fact that it is all too easy to be lazy and not put the effort in and blame something else. When you have a landlord that you have to pay retail $$$ rent to each week, you work hard at marketing and work overtime on winning those new customers.

What advice would you give to a young person who is thinking about starting a business?

1) Get out of bed. Don’t go into it with a half hearted attitude. Your online business is as serious as any other business. Set yourself goals and targets to achieve.

2) Take advantage of the lower overheads and start small agressively. Get out there and win your clients. Set up your website and stop; think; and role play being a customer coming to your website and ask yourself a thousand times “If I was the customer, what would I now be expecting?”

3) Over do the service. This way your customers will become your evangelists. People just love to tell others of a ‘good thing’ they have found. Make sure you blow them away with your fantastic service, quality and price. And they will evangelise!

And finally, you are about to launch Squiz Cards - what makes Squiz different to Click Business Cards?

We have identified a market for a small personal card that you can quickly communicate your mobile number or email address to friends that you meet when you’re out. Squiz Cards fulfill this need. We will be launching Squiz in early 2008 so there will be more on Squiz then.

Thanks Gavin. Gavin is the founder of Click Business Cards?

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Posted on November 22nd, 2007 by Ross