If you want your business cards to resonate with your prospects so they'll keep them and - more importantly - spend money with your company, you need to provide a provocative reason for them to do so. Adding value to your business cards is the best way to ensure your business cards will survive the File 13 purge and generate a sound return on investment.

Here are the top 5 reasons why people keep business cards.

1. To make money - This is especially true if you're a B2B company selling products and services to other businesses. In most cases, you're offering something that will save time, increase productivity and efficiency, and ultimately result in additional or saved revenue for other companies. Make sure your business card lets prospects know that you can help them make more money.

   If you're marketing to consumers, you can institute a referral program that pays a certain percentage of referred business revenue; and thus offer them a way to make money by holding on to your card.

2. To save money - Coupons, discounts and other promotions are a great way to keep business cards in your prospects' organizers and elicit a response. Make sure your offer is contingent on presenting your business card to redeem the savings. This technique is often employed by retailers and personal service companies such as hairstylists.

3. To earn rewards - You could turn the back of your business card into a punch sheet that's stamped every time a customer makes a purchase. Once all the punches are filled, they'll get a free product or service. Restaurants, service companies and even retailers can benefit from the repeat business this type of business card can generate; and if the reward is good enough, you can almost guarantee that your card won't be thrown away or forgotten.

4. For useful information - Adding useful information such as sports schedules, event calendars, conversion charts and others is a great way to keep your business cards in the wallets, purses and rolodexes of prospects and customers. Understand your target market and give them something they'll use. Many brewers recognize that their audience enjoys sports, for instance, so they often include sports schedules on their promotional materials. In another example, a restaurant might include a tipping chart on the back of their business card - even when their customers are dining at other establishments, their business is prominently viewed every time the check arrives.

5. Because it looks great - The easiest way to get your card tossed into the recycle bin is to look unprofessional; conversely, one of the best ways to keep it in the hands of prospects is to make sure your business card looks professional. Make sure you have a professionally designed business card, and have it professionally printed. You can try to get creative by having your card die cut with sleek rounded corners or other shapes. Regardless of anything else you do, if your business card looks bad your company will look bad. If your business card looks great, then you'll look great - and your other business card elements will help seal the deal.