With the presence of so many new advertising methods, Google and Facebook for example, some business owners are starting to wonder if business cards are still awesome as a marketing tool in today’s business world. Indeed, they are, and quite a number of reasons exist as to why you should use them as part of your overall marketing strategy.
People Want Them
Go to any networking event or seminar and you’ll hear this question at least a few times: “Do you have a business card?”. The fact that people still ask for business cards is a primary reason why you should offer them. Consumers want to see a business card that provides them with some basic information about your company or products. Having the phone number, address, website and a brief bit or slogan explaining what the company does all in one place helps to keep create brand awareness and TOMA in potential customers’ minds.
No business cards = no networking
Sessions College for Professional Design’s article “Why Business Cards Still Matter in the Digital Age” expands upon how and why individuals still want to see business cards. This is particularly true at industry networking events. At these types of events, professionals are often meeting with each other for a brief period of time. Business cards offer a quick point-of-contact. As the article notes, “When you are meeting in person, networking with business cards is an easy and affordable approach to reconnecting in the future after your initial meeting.” You don’t have to worry about tracking one another down later on. Nothing else replaces the convenience of business cards in networking events. Pulling out a business card from your pocket is way quicker than having to ask for the person’s email address and add it manually onto your phone.
A Budget-Friendly Idea
As noted by “Why Business Cards Still Matter in the Digital Age,” these types of cards also work well for any budget. They do not require a lot of money to create, and they also do not need a great deal of time to produce. When you shop online for business cards, you’re often able to find a vast array of deals that can really work out well for you. In fact, depending upon the current sales going on, you might actually be able to get some business cards for free. Now, what’s better than free advertising?
Design Opportunities
People and other companies also want to see beautiful designs and intriguing prints that show them how your company stands out from the rest. Sessions College for Professional Designs article discusses how design and form can really attract a potential audience. When people see something interesting, they want to come over and learn a little bit more about that company. By creating an appealing, unique and eye-catching design for your business cards, you might attract a segment of the population that you never even considered before. The above article notes that certain business cards “can help a business gain momentum with attention-getting designs.” Check out some examples of well-designed business cards in this blog post from TPH Canada. A high end printing company should be able to provide you with professional advice as to how to design a unique card that will help you stand out from the competition.
Easy to Carry and Distribute
Lastly, you should consider how easy it is to carry business cards with you. If you are meeting with a prospective client, you cannot always just pull your Facebook page up or show the person your Twitter feed. This is especially true when the meeting is extremely brief. Having business cards on you allows you to provide them with some more information about your company in a non-intrusive manner. While people do want information about businesses, they do not want to feel as though they are being bombarded with advertisements and information. Since business cards are quite easy to carry in your wallet, they do not provide any sort of issue for you either.
Yes, the 21st century has brought a number of changes in the way that people and businesses interact with one another. However, business cards are a staple that do not seem to be disappearing anytime soon!
Featured images:
- License: Image author owned
Jackie Mims is a tech blogger that enjoyes writing about business marketing and gadgets.