Reviving Your Business Card

When was the last time you handed out a business card? As we all start adopting a new way of working, with more homeworking, online meetings and digital networking, is it the end of the faithful business card? Or is it simply time to shake up how we use them?

Business cards have been around for decades. They are the simplest method of sharing contact information, and they can help you build your network and grow your business. It is something physical which can’t get lost in a sea of emails and LinkedIn requests, and they hold all your information, branding and messaging in one handy pocket size document. But in the ever increasing digital world, can the business card remain current?

We have seen a number of print trends come and go over the past 60 years, and we know that the best way to survive is to evolve and adapt. The business card still definitely has its place as the easiest way to give out details, but we think it’s time for a refreshment. The key to reviving any effective print solution is thinking more innovatively and intelligently about the design and distribution.

Design

You will have likely handled hundreds or even thousands of business cards in your lifetime, but think about the ones that really caught your attention. What did they look like and what information did they include? How did they differ from the hundreds of other business cards you may have thrown away? What made you keep or remember that individual item?

The design of your business card plays a huge role in helping to differentiate you from the competition, so maybe now it’s time to ditch the old plain white traditional card of 2019 and move forward.

Shape - you could choose to use die cuts to create unusual shapes for your card. Or what about folds and pop-ups to create a unique and attention-grabbing design?
Spirit - although these unique design features can work, you don’t always need to resort to gimmicks to achieve this. A concise, direct and visually appealing business card that has been designed to convey the spirit of your company’s culture is often just as effective
Material - consider the type of materials you use for your business card and what they are saying about you. Does it reflect your brand, who you are and your values? There’s just something about the feel of a business card when you hold it in your hand that can really make an impact with an individual, so choosing your materials wisely is key
Visuals - imagery and colour choice are also key to creating a powerful business card. Business cards aren’t designed to include lots of written text and information, so you have to rely on other features to do the talking for you. You can say a lot with very little when you are intelligent with the images, text and colours, helping to convey your brand, key messages and values in a simple yet effective way
Interactivity - you could also consider ways to make your business card multi-purpose, for example adding interactive features such as a QR code that can be scanned. You could use a QR code as a way to direct the individual to a video all about your company, your history and the names and faces that make up your company, helping to show a more personable side to your business that they can connect and engage with. Or use a QR code to take them to a platform that provides a virtual tour of your site, so you can demonstrate exactly how you do things and the scale of your business.

Distribution

You’ve now created your super powerful, fantastic looking business card. Next you have to find a way of actually getting it to your intended audience.

Mailing – mailing out your business cards directly to your prospects in a tailored print marketing campaign is a great way to reach and engage with your target audience, putting your brand directly in front of them. Have you ever considered a personalised print campaign? We create print packages all the time that contain a variety of printed literature tailored to the individual and their sector, including your business card
Targeted - customising the design of your business card around your target audience, their needs, characteristics and the intended impression you want to make will help you achieve the best possible return on investment and the results you desire. You could also create different business cards for different purposes and/or target audiences, which can be extremely valuable
Hand them out – as more and more face to face meetings pop up on the calendar, you will inevitably have more opportunity to hand your business card out. But now you’ll have the most amazing business card that reflects your organisation better than ever

Investing your time and efforts in creating a truly powerful business card that reflects your brand and values perfectly will help to equip you for the future. Whatever results you want, business comes from relationships, so make sure you maximise every opportunity you get.

If you’d like to explore how you could improve the style of your business cards, please get in touch. We’re ready to help.