Gone are the days when business cards were basically handed out everywhere you go by random people you meet at public places. These days, people have failed to recognize the importance of business cards in marketing a personal brand or commercial business.
The popularity of various digital devices have made them a common platform for communication, allowing people to advertise their business with simple product postings and banner ads. But the truth is, if employed correctly, there are many luxury business cards that have helped people communicate with their prospects in a simple yet effective approach.
Let’s face it. With the easy access to technology and the widespread availability of various social networking sites, business cards seem like a prehistoric communication device, especially for the Generations Y and Z.
However, best business cards are actually an essential tool for the average professional to branch out to stakeholders and potential employers. It might not seem like it at first, but if we take a deeper look at how these business cards have changed the marketing game over the years, we’ll then understand what the fuzz is all about.
Imagine meeting this big shot corporate executive by the bar of your favorite restaurant. You’ve been trying to score a meeting with him for months to discuss a potential business deal, but to no avail.
Now with only a few minutes in the clock, you need to strike up a conversation that might interest him, along with something that he could remember you for. After successfully engaging him in a conversation that you could both relate to, he politely excuses himself to leave but turns around to ask you if you’d be interested to discuss your general plans even further.
In situations like this, it wouldn’t seem appropriate to jot down your phone number on a napkin. And since the person is in a hurry, you wouldn’t want to slow them down by asking for their mobile device to put in your number, which is why a business card can be extremely handy.
Following the situation above, the simple business card can make you memorable to prospects as well. Exchanging business cards during a personal encounter will make it easier for a person to associate your face with your name. This also gives the person a reason to make a follow-up discussion with you through a call or meeting.
And the best part is, creative business cards are so small and convenient, you could easily slide them into your pocket and carry a few copies around just in case you might need them. You never know when a person might ask for a business card, so having one prepared will surely leave a positive impression.
Take a look around you. Technology and innovation has changed the way businessmen and marketers advertise their brand by replacing conventional mediums with contemporary instruments. But notice how often individuals continue to use professional business cards when interacting with prospects? There are many reasons why business cards remain a popular form of marketing, and we’ve rounded them up into a good five for you to consider:
Nearly everyone, from preschoolers to grannies, has some sort of digital device that they could use to communicate with. But even with the abundance of smartphones and laptops, this doesn’t necessarily make it easier or faster to give out or find one’s contact information.
Sure, emailing a person might seem like a quick way to relay a message. But how are you supposed to deliver a message without getting the recipient’s email address? Sometimes, you might know a person’s first name and last name, but have no idea how it’s spelled. With an attractive business card, all the important things that prospect needs to know about you is printed in bold letters. You could easily exchange information in under five seconds by simply handing over a business card.
While this might be hard to believe, but some people just don’t want to consume themselves by the works of modern-day technology, so they choose to detach themselves from today’s smartphones and social media sites. And you have to admit, those that do possess any of these digital devices and networks don’t spend as much time on them like the rest of us. Let’s not even get started with those who aren’t as literate as most people.
Regardless of the fact that these people only belong to the minority, they’re still prospects that could greatly impact your business. Instead of giving them a crash course on how they could maneuver through a mobile device, you could simply hand them your modern business card for future reference. This way, you don’t need to worry about anyone accidentally deleting your contact or not even saving it in the first place.
With a business card, you’d never have to worry about Internet outages or a dead battery.
Even if you’re in one of the most remote places in the world, or perhaps in a situation where cellular phones must be turned off—like while on a plane—you could easily hand over a clean business card to a prospect without a problem. This ensures a smooth and clear delivery of personal information for the sake of both parties involved.
Given that marketing is an integral part of business, you need to make the best out of a situation in order to make a sale. Obviously, handing over your business card is already a way of promoting your business to clients and investors, but why stop there when you could take things even further?
Keep in mind that a minimal business card can serve as a driving force to initiate a conversation. After taking a good look at your card, people are bound to grow curious about what you do and what you could offer them. This could also act as a visible daily reminder to inform them of your services whenever they might need it.
This is great for businesses that have yet to make a name for themselves in the industry. For most people, first impressions can greatly influence the way they perceive a brand, especially if it isn’t something they’re familiar with yet. Knowing this, you need to build your reputation with the help of a business card. This is a stepping stone to convincing customers and clients that they could trust your company and that you’re serious about providing quality services to your audience. You may also like construction business card designs and examples.
When designed right, a business card can offer many benefits to a personal or corporate brand by leaving a lasting impact to turn passing strangers into lifelong customers.
This step-by-step guide will run you through the simple stages of creating an effective business card design from scratch:
A rectangular-shaped business card is a popular choice among many individuals, but if you’re looking for something more interesting and less common, then you could always choose a different shape for your simple card. A conservative option would be a business card possessing rounded corners, the slight difference ensures that the card could still fit into a standard-sized wallet for your convenience.
But if you’re seeking for an edgier option, you could use virtually any shape that you wish, such as the outlines of the products you sell, animal mascots, or shapes that are entirely unique.
The standard size of a business card in North America is 88.9 × 50.8 mm, which is roughly the same size as an average credit card. But no matter what size you choose, be sure to consider the bleed area, the trim line, and safety line when designing your card. This will prevent any mishaps during print production.
Now that we’ve determined the structure of your card, it’s time to focus on its visual elements. This includes the graphics sprawled across the layout of your design, along with the business logo that will help establish your brand. You need to make sure that these elements complement one another in order to achieve a visually appealing outcome.
Whatever is displayed on the card solely depends on you. So when deciding what to put, you must consider the nature of what you do and the type of audience being served. An ordinary card typically contains one’s name, company name, job title, phone number, email address, website URL, social media accounts, office location, QR code, and a company tagline. Once you have identified your content, you must then select the right font size and style that will make your text readable to recipients.
Choosing an appropriate finish for your fashion business card can affect the look and feel of your card. This is a crucial step that would help everything else fall into place. You have the option of embossing your card, letterpressing, foil stamping, and spot UV coating. Keep in mind that this could easily change the texture and quality of your card, so choose wisely or, better yet, consult with the printing firm to clarify any questions that you may have.
Even in the digital age, luxury business cards enable entrepreneurs and working professionals to reach out to prospective clients and customers by reminding them about special offers in a simple yet creative manner. The old-fashioned rectangular card still proves to be one of the easiest and fastest ways to share contact information with people efficiently and effectively. With these design tips and examples, you’re sure to come up with the perfect business card design in no time! You may also see corporate business card designs and examples.