The “old school” business cards still have a place in today’s highly digital and fast-paced world. While technology has made communication quick and convenient, it has also inadvertently made networking cold and impersonal as well.
Used properly, a business card can be an effective tool in building closer ties between business acquaintances. It offers specific advantages that digital alternatives can’t match – at least for now. Let’s explore some of the benefits of using business cards.
Business cards add a personal touch to communication.
Effective communication involves building a genuine connection. While there are ways to do that online, nothing beats personal, face-to-face interaction. Business cards can strengthen these interactions and even become a memorable footnote when they’re creatively made.
There are plenty of ways to make a standout business card. In particular, carbon fiber business cards are widely available and are very durable and customizable.
Related: 5 Ways to Store and Organize Business Cards
Having business cards shows you mean business.
Your business card is part of a stranger’s first impressions of you. Having a properly-done (or better yet, a unique or creatively designed) business card shows professionalism and preparation on your part. Prospective clients and partners will notice and appreciate your effort.
First impressions last, for better or worse. If you’re trying to leverage anything and everything in making a good first impression on a potential business partner or benefactor, a unique business card can be a potent tool for the task.
They’re tangible proof that you exist.
Your business card represents your brand, albeit in a physical form. It’s a tangible reminder that your brand exists out there, in actual reality. A proper business card shows your customers that you’re not just one of those anonymous, faceless entities in cyberspace.
Unlike websites or advertising banners, business cards don’t have any downtime. They can be accessed without a smartphone, computer, or any other device. Business cards may not have the same encompassing reach as online marketing, but they’re always in play and can be even more reliable at times.
They’re a straightforward means of marketing.
Whether you’re engaged in a business, or a professional offering their services, you will have competitors in your industry. Having a unique and durable business card can put you ahead of the “faceless” pack.
The last thing you want is a business card that looks and feels cheap. It sends out the wrong message to potential patrons and associates. You’re better off not handing out business cards if you’re just going to skimp on it.
The more creative and even practical (like the virally popular “business card comb” or the “cheese grater business card”) cards are naturally more memorable and easily spread around through networking.
Wrapping up
Business cards may be passé but in today’s cutthroat business conditions, they still have their uses. Making the most of all the available tools at your disposal is vital to gaining the upper edge over the competition. Business cards can be part of that toolset, as they’re still an effective, personal means of networking.
