Business Cards: How Important Are They?
Do you use business cards? Some people are on the fence, they’re not sure if they’re worth the time and expense. Truthfully, I wasn’t sure about them myself, until a few years ago. Now, I find business cards useful and important, and I’d like to share why.
My Experiences With Business Cards
When I began attending local professional events, I didn’t have business cards and it turned out to be a big mistake. The people I met wanted my number and email address and it was more professional for me to hand out a card than to scrounge up paper and pen and make them wait while I wrote it all down.
When I attended my first conference, I didn’t have a giant budget, so I used Vista Print‘s free business card (except shipping) offer. That did me fine, except that I didn’t really like the generic designs and the Vista Print logo on the back. Plus one thing I noticed at conferences was that many attendees had unique business cards that suited their personalities. This made them stand out – and I wanted to stand out too. So I contacted my friend Randa Clay and asked her to help a girl out.
Go ahead and click that link to read about how Randa approached the design, I’ll wait….
As you can see, I wanted a card that was different from the normal, rectangular, add your pertinent details here, type business card, and it worked. Every time I handed out my card, the recipient remarked on the design – either the color, the shape or the words on the back. I had a winner. People remembered me from my cards…and they called.
Having a business card means that I have something to give to someone I’d like to talk to again. I don’t push my card on anyone, especially those who don’t seem interested in getting in touch. However, it’s my experience that it’s much more important to have one than to not have one. People are in a hurry and they don’t want to stand around and wait for me to find something to write on or punch numbers into my phone, nor do they want to be told to “Google” you.
Benefits of Business Cards
- Allows you to give your details to a potential client, employer, or just someone you want to know better.
- More professional than writing it all down.
- Allows the recipient to file away for when he may need your services.
- Light and compact.
- Eye catching cards leave a lasting impression.
- They’re mini advertisements.
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