During this time of a worldwide pandemic, just about everyone’s lives have gone virtual. Work, school, and even places of worship are all conducting the majority of their business online as much as possible in order to adhere to social distancing guidelines. However, even before the global health crisis hit, the Digital Age was upon us, encompassing more areas on a daily basis. As an entrepreneur or professional, you may be asking yourself, are business cards still relevant in 2020? The answer is yes! Certain aspects of our “normal” lives remain unchanged. In the world of business, business cards are still accepted as a mainstay in the realm of communication and marketing. A business card is a very important tool in creating the first impression upon the recipient. The size, design, and contents of the card often seal the deal for future clientele. Let’s explore how business cards are still relevant in the Digital Age.
Providing a Personal Touch
In a time where personal communication seems like a thing of the past, handing out your business card lends a touch of nostalgia to person-to-person interactions. When everything and everyone is seemingly online, the tangible promotion tool for your business or company is often appreciated and stands apart from the crowd. Think of it this way — it’s easy to overlook yet another email or online advertisement, but a business card, more of a rarity these days, has a better chance of sticking in the recipient’s memory when used as part of face-to-face networking.
Additionally, business cards are very helpful when attending networking conferences or meetings. If you’re lucky, you might attend one of these marketing events and make a dozen or more contacts, but it can be tricky to recall everyone’s name. If you have a stack of business cards stashed away from these introductions, you can simply sort through them to maintain and move forward with forging those professional relationships.
An Instant Image-Booster
Do printed business cards actually work in increasing sales? According to market research, they do. Studies show that business cards are responsible for an increase of about 2.5% in sales versus businesses that do not use them. Are you wondering why this maybe? Perhaps because it makes the cardholder appear polished and prepared to cement a working relationship with prospective customers or collaborators whenever the opportunity strikes. While internet service may lag, business cards do not experience that downtime — they are readily available when needed.
Marrying the Two Platforms
All of this information about business cards boosting your professional image and providing a more personal connection isn’t to say that digital marketing strategies are without merit. Actually, a happy marriage between the two is essential to “strike gold” with your brand or business. A balance between having an online presence and having access to your stack of well-designed, eye-catching cards is the key to securing success across the board.
Give Your Business Cards Staying Power
Just like you wouldn’t want a potential customer sending your marketing email into their computer’s trash bin, you don’t want all of the hard work, time, and money spent on designing and printing the perfect business card going in the garbage, either.
Avoid these common pitfalls that can cause your card to potentially be tossed:
1. Spelling or grammatical errors — Nothing screams “unprofessional” like misspelled words or a lack of proper punctuation. Put your best foot forward by proofreading the design before it is sent to print.
2. Overpowering/overload of graphics and/or colors — it can be tempting to totally unleash your creative ideas onto one tiny business card — but resist the urge. Decide on one factor to showcase your creativity on the card. You want to stand out from the crowd of competitors, but in good taste and for the right reasons.
3. Too small or too large/illegible text — Basically, if it’s too difficult to read, it’s likely getting thrown away. People are too busy and impatient to pull out the magnifying glass to read your information.
4. Missing/incorrect contact information — If they can’t contact you, you’ve lost their business (and they probably will pass you over in the future due to their frustration or perception that you’re unprepared or unprofessional).
Trust the Best in the Business
Now that you know the pivotal weight a well-designed business card carries, even in the Digital Age, you need to put your plan into motion. If you need professional business card printing services, in addition to envelopes, postcards, brochures, or any other promotional products, Rite Envelope & Graphics is your one-stop-shop for all of your printing needs. Their team of trained individuals can help you bring the business card you’ve been imagining into reality. Rite Envelope & Graphics is a reliable resource for good reason — they’ve been setting the highest standards in the industry since 1994 when two former printing professionals grew tired of the subpar products and processes available at the time. Their brainchild, Rite Envelope &Graphics, can help you achieve the balance of panache and professionalism you’ve got your sights set on. Visit https://ritegraphics.com/ for a complete catalog of their services, products, and trusted abilities, as well as company contact information to help you get in touch and get started making your mark on the business world today.
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