How to stay relevant with your business cards

Printed business cards might seem a little unnecessary now that we pretty much do everything online. But believe it or not, business cards are still an important part in our day to day business endeavours. No matter the size of your business, a business card will always make a great first impression.

Now that business cards aren’t exactly a necessity, they are on their way to becoming a novelty item. A novelty item that can greatly influence a business connection. We hope that business cards never disappear, just evolve!

5 reasons why business cards are still relevant

Even if business cards are slowly becoming a thing of the past (but not really), there are some important reasons why they are still relevant.

1. It’s much more personal and engaging to talk to someone and give them your card than to both be looking at your phones trying to follow each other on social media. A positive memory of a person is imprinted better if there is eye-to-eye contact.
2. Business cards are still the No.1 most effective marketing tool. Nothing beats a one-on-one meeting than another email in their inbox.
3. A memorable business card is the best first impression for your brand or business.
4. The most creative business cards get shared because they are so cool. They are also great conversations starters (and extenders).
5. Having business cards handy shows everyone you meet that you are always prepared.

What the life of a business card looks like

Business cards always go through the same process when they leave your pocket or bag. Let’s call it “the life of a business card.”  For this analogy we have two possible scenarios.

Scenario 1:

1. A group of people are at a large business gathering (of any niche).
2. A business card is handed to someone.
3. The person receives the card with a quick glance.
4. The card is put away in a pocket, or a purse.
5. The card makes it to the office or home of the receiver.
6. The person looks at the card and can’t place the person that gave it to them.
7. The card is tossed in a drawer and forgotten.

Scenario 2:

1. A group of people are at a large business gathering (of any niche).
2. A business card is handed to someone.
3. The person receives the card with a quick glance and notices something that catches their eye. The card is special in some way.
4. The receiver makes a comment on the uniqueness of the card and imprints the giver in their memory.
5. The card makes it to the office or home of the receiver.
6. The receiver looks up the person online and connects.
7. The card is pinned on a bulletin board or placed in a journal.

I’m sure it’s not hard to see the difference between scenario 1 and scenario 2. Now that we live in a digital age, it is extremely important to strive for scenario 2.

How you can make sure your cards are good enough to keep

A regular card is rectangle shaped, designed either vertically or horizontally. A rectangle in business card size holds many design possibilities that can catch someone’s eye. Some ideas are easy and inexpensive to achieve while others can be more expensive and time consuming.

The most important thing to remember is that your cards should never look cheap. There are so many online editors and resources like .psd templates from Freepik to help you. Go the extra mile so that your card is the best it can be with what you have.

Simple ideas for a normal rectangle shape card

1.  Use strong color compositions
2. Try watercolor splashes
3. Use gold or metallic ink
4. Make it vertical instead of rectangular
5. Hand stamp your logo
6. Include a QR code
7. Include a photograph, either of you or one that has to do with your business (either way it should be of high quality and look great printed)

Some “out of the box” ideas for business cards

1. Design it and cut it as a special shape, one that represents your business
2. Have cut out shapes in it
3. Make it foldable to reveal something
4. Print it on thin wood
5. Print it on metal
6. Make it transparent
7. Make it plantable

In these articles you can find lots of cool ideas for all sorts of cards:

60 Modern Business Cards to Make A Killer First Impression

Business Card Design: 60 Eye-Catching Business Card Examples to Inspire Your Own

What you should always include in your business card

No matter what your card looks like in the end, there are basic details that should always be included in them.

Must include:

• Your name
• Your company
• Your email
• Your website
• Your Phone or Whatsapp contact.
• Your most important social media (wherever you are most active and where your ideal clients hang out)

Extras:

• A QR Code
• A photograph of you
• A call to action
• A discount code for your online store
• A short quote

What do your business cards look like? Do you have any right now? If you haven’t had business cards for a while, it’s time to create some new ones and see what happens when give them out!