I met up with Fiona and Caroline recently, and towards the end they handed over business cards. I didn’t have any on me and it made me think – should I still have them?
I’ve had so many different styles of business cards in the past, and learnt to have text on both sides. More recently I included my photo on my business cards and thought that would help people remember who I am. Having changed my hair colour and moved on from rocking the 1950s look mine don’t reflect who I am.
To me, business cards also seem outdated, when I meet people I look them up on Twitter or LinkedIn and connect with them right away. But is there a need for business cards? I found a Forbes article on this topic and many agree with me
- You can email people and find them online
- Being on LinkedIn and especially including a video provides a much richer amount of detail on someone
- Most people don’t keep a business card, they scan read and either look you up online or bin them
- Using business cards can make you look a bit old fashioned, although in an online world maybe it’s good to be different!
BUT
- A business card can be a physical reminder and make it easy to find someone when we can have hundreds of online connections
- Business cards can be shared if they stand out in a good way
- Business cards can show your brand and style – good if its on high quality paper and nicely styled, not so if cheap and flimsy to the touch
- Employees like them as they feel valued and part of an organisation
So, what about you? Do your business cards stand out in a good way, are they so wonderful people would want to keep them or are they a bit bland and blah and don’t really portray your brand?
And what do you do when you get a business card? I had a special case and used to file them away, but no longer.
And read what other people think via this article on the Forbes website
Business cards still play an important role for marketing local companies. They are particularly useful at networking events where you can slip your business card into the hand of the person you are networking with without them hardly noticing. Local craft and food fairs are the ideal place to distribute your business cards. Just place them on the corner of your sales table and they will have disappeared by the time the fair is over. Whoever picks them up may not feel inclined to get involved in your sales speel but is still interested in your products. Now he has a remnder in his wallet/purse.
HI Ian, some will, and yes that can be helpful.
Business Cards are still a business requirement in 2018. Not exchanging business cards in Japan or Korea would be considered to be rude, especially as there is a proper protocol attached to handing over and then studying the business card with focused attention for a few moments. Not offering business cards at meetings or conferences may appear to some like writing an email without a proper email signature underneath. There is also the "tactile" aspect of receiving a business card: The recipient feels the texture of the card and combines it with the visual component of the person giving it. Combined these two elements may create a better and more personalised memory of the encounter and thus potentially lead to creating a greater business opportunity or funnel.
HI Michael yes, some cultures would find it rude if you don't share. I agree, quality is important, we do make judgements with cheaper cards.