Re: Marketing Tool, the concept is that you need to make your business card give the recipient reason to pause or comment. My business card (I'm a business coach with Shirlaws) has a picture of a baby on it - it's not what people expect, it prompts a question, and it makes it more memorable. If they meet 20 people at a dinner, they won't remember them all - my card helps. Naturally, my example and the concept don't work in every situation, but it's a good filter to operate.

The best company I know that do this is Think Feel Know (http://www.thinkfeelknow.com/). The starting point for their business (disclaimer - I've worked with them) is understanding communication styles, since each of us is a combination of Thinking, Feeling, and Knowing - usually with a predominance of one style over the others. The different styles are linked to decision making, as well as marketing tools like shapes and colours.

Ask one of their team for a business card, and they will produce a handful, turn them over to show you a group of cards that are blue, red, and green on the back, and ask you to choose one. The contact information on the front is the same; better believe that when you are forced to select one colour, the next question out of your mouth is 'what does that mean?', and the answer will explain their business and how they might be able to help your organisation. Very memorable.