SHARE-ME GUIDE
Prioritizing Information and Links on Your Digital Business Card
Share-Me |
You can organize the content of your digital business card by deciding what to include in this order: who you are, what people can hire you for, and how they can contact you next. Before listing all your social media and websites, choose one action you want the recipient to take and include only the information they need to make that decision.
This article introduces a priority table you can use when creating a profile as a sole proprietor, along with layout examples for different professions. Use the table and layout examples as a reference, and adjust them according to what you can set in your profile service.
First, make the recipient and the next action a single line
Even for the same person's profile, the necessary explanation differs depending on whether you are showing it to a new business contact or receiving requests from someone who has seen your work. Fill in the following blanks before choosing the content.
This business card is intended for 【who】 to see, 【what they should check】, and finally proceed to 【which action】.
For example, you could write, "For store managers met at a trade show to check what can be photographed and proceed to an inquiry for a photography consultation." In this case, your representative work and contact information should be the focus. Social media where you post daily updates can be supplementary.
Even if you are involved in multiple activities, there is no need to make the initial explanation a long list of your entire career. First, show the work this particular recipient can hire you for, such as "A photographer primarily active in product photography." You can separate other activities into a detailed introduction page.
Priority table for deciding what information to keep, demote, or remove
Use the following table to check your draft. "Required" is not an obligation common to everyone, but a guideline for deciding when creating a business profile.
| Priority | Information | Criteria for keeping | How to organize |
|---|---|---|---|
| Highest priority | Name, business name, affiliation | Can the person you met identify you? | Match the notation with your paper business card and contact information. Add a reading guide for names that are difficult to read |
| Highest priority | Work, specialty | Can they understand what they can consult you about? | If your title alone is not enough, briefly explain the work you handle |
| Highest priority | Main contact, inquiry contact | Is it a place where you accept business inquiries? | Choose the contact point you are actually monitoring. Remove forms that are no longer accepting inquiries |
| Prioritize according to purpose | Work, service description | Is it material they can check before making a request? | Guide them to examples close to this recipient, rather than sending them to an unrelated list |
| Prioritize according to purpose | Profile photo, logo | Does it help them remember the person they met or your business name? | Use an image that is identifiable even when small, and check if it is a usable material |
| Supplementary | SNS, blog | Can it supplement your activities and expertise? | Check the update status and published content, and choose what you want to show for business |
| Only if necessary | Address, phone number | Is a visit or phone call necessary? | Include only business information that is okay to publish. Do not include unnecessary personal information |
| Deletion candidates | Old achievements, ended guides | Is it still valid as a decision-making material? | Remove or replace inquiries that have ended or materials that cannot be viewed |
If you are unsure about information, move it to a separate memo for now. Removing it from your business card is different from discarding the information itself. You can also keep it as a material you can send when asked a question by the recipient.
Name and order links based on what people can see
Place links leading to the main action first
If the purpose is an inquiry, place the contact point in an easy-to-find position; if the purpose is to check your work, place your representative work in an easy-to-find position. It is not a uniform rule to always put inquiries at the top. For someone who wants to see your work before making a request, it is natural to show your work first and then proceed to a consultation.
If multiple links lead to the same inquiry contact, check if there are differences in purpose. If "Consult here" and "Contact us" lead to the same form, they are candidates to be combined into one. Rather than increasing the number of entry points, explain where they should proceed.
Do not end with just "Here"
Use words for link names that allow the destination to be predicted. "Photography services and coverage" conveys what they will check next better than "Website," and "View representative work" conveys it better than "Click here for details." However, do not include information in the name that is not on the link destination.
When providing guidance in a PDF, adding the format such as "Company Profile (PDF)" makes it easier to understand the content before opening it. Also, make the names of links leading to reservations or purchases clear about the action they lead to. Also check that the description in your profile and the guidance on the link destination do not contradict each other.
Layout examples by profession: all are fictional examples
The following are fictional examples for thinking about the structure. They do not represent the achievements, customer examples, or results of existing businesses. Please adjust the order according to what you can set in the profile service you use.
Photographer: From work to consultation
- Personal information: Name, business name, "Store and product photography"
- Initial explanation: Photography subjects and the scope of consultations accepted
- Priority links: Representative work → Photography details and request flow → Consultation contact
- Supplementary: Business SNS
Instead of listing a large number of work links, guide them to an organized work page in the field they want to see. It is also a check item not to post photos of delivered work on your profile without permission.
Business support sole proprietor: From scope of services to consultation
- Personal information: Name, business name, services handled
- Initial explanation: Issues you can consult about and the work covered
- Priority links: Service details → How to proceed with a consultation → Inquiry
- Supplementary: Articles and presentation materials related to business
Rather than broadening it to "We handle everything," make it clear what consultations you accept. Do not add services you do not actually provide to make a better impression.
Handmade artist: Separate entry point for viewing products and business contact
- Personal information: Artist name, brand name, production genre
- Initial explanation: What kind of works you create
- Priority links: Product list → Purchase destination → Consultation contact for retailers, etc.
- Supplementary: SNS introducing the production process
The necessary links differ between someone wanting to purchase and a store manager. By naming them "Purchase works" and "Consult about handling," you can show entry points according to the purpose. Also check that pages with only sold-out products or ended exhibition guides do not remain as the initial links.
Before publishing, check it from the recipient's perspective
Even if it is complete within the editing screen, the recipient may not see it the same way. Check the following under conditions close to the recipient, such as when not logged in.
- Name, business name, and what they can hire you for are readable
- Main contact information is active and free of errors
- Link destinations open and do not require unnecessary logins
- Important explanations are not left only to small text within images
- You have confirmed whether the published materials and photos are okay to publish
- You have set the change date and the person or timing to check next
If you want to organize the message after handing out your business card, please also refer to How to write a thank-you email after exchanging business cards and situational examples. Rather than reposting all the links in your profile in the email, you can organize the content by choosing materials that suit the actual conversation.
With Share-Me, you can organize images and links on your profile
With Share-Me, you can change your profile photo and color, and add your logo, SNS, and website. When organizing the information necessary for business, it becomes easier to choose what to include if you first determine the priority using the table above before setting it up.
For specific settings and what you can publish, please check the Share-Me Features and How-to Guide. Even after publishing, review the content of your profile and link destinations, and keep them consistent with the work you want to convey to the recipient and your current contact point.