Do you still need business cards?

You know how it is, we’re very much a society that prioritises virtual connections where everything’s online and “here’s our link for this”, “follow us here”, and “click there”, that it may feel like having old school printed business cards feels a little… outdated? Or, quite frankly, just another expense to add to the list. But when you have a business that you’ve put so much of yourself, hard work and pride into already, having business cards on standby should be seen as an invaluable, low-cost micro-gift that you can leave in the hands of people who can help make even more business happen. Here are some thoughts on why business cards are still very much relevant today.

A foundation for personal connection

Ask any entrepreneur what one of the most important aspects of running a successful business is and it’ll be something along the lines of networking and making personal connections. So when you’re at a networking event, a market stall or having a random encounter that leads to business talk and the opportunity presents itself for you to dig in your bag/wallet/secret hiding place to hand over a business card, you’re not just personally giving them a way to contact you, you’re imparting a subtle sense of intimacy and trust - a personal connection created through the offering and accepting of a little physical piece of card of giant possibilities. Consider it your very first non-monetary exchange with this person.

An always-on physical touchpoint

With our very short attention spans online and a general surplus of contacts, followers and inbox notifications streaming in - exchanging your details with someone on the inter-webs has a high likelihood of being buried digitally almost immediately. Of course, often this may be the only way to get in touch with someone when connecting with out-of-towners and international leads, but when an in-person opportunity comes your way, having a physical business card guarantees a tangible connection that won't get lost in an inbox of overwhelm or have connectivity issues.

Visual storytelling in the palm of your hand

Now, this wouldn’t be a graphic design blog if we didn’t talk about… ✨branding✨ at some point. It’s important to remember that your business cards are ultimately ambassadors for your brand - little printed sneak peeks into the branded world you've so carefully created for your business to tell your story visually. So it’s a damn fine idea to invest in business cards that are designed to be consistent with the rest of your branding, ie. using all of the same colours, fonts and general layout that complements your website and all other touch points in your branding as a whole.

This extends to the quality of the printing too! If you offer bespoke or luxury products and services, consider investing in a thick card stock (like these saucy 600gsm luxe cards from MOO) or fancy print embellishments, like a good spot gloss or gold foil, to give the full experience of quality. Or say, if your focus is on rustic sustainability, ask your printers for their recommendations on a recycled paper stock that would really add to that down-to-earth feel. Ultimately, you want to create on-brand cards with “high-keepability” so people won’t just chuck your card in the bin when they get back to the office, so a bit of well-placed novelty can really go a long way!

Conversation starters that engage the senses

Running on from the previous point… the more captivating your business card, the more genuine the conversation it can ignite, making your encounter that much more memorable. Get creative and think out of the box for ways to infuse the other senses in your cards in a way that reflects what you do as a business (like touch, smell, and even taste!). This could be through using a textured surface similar to the materials you work with (or the actual material e.g. laser cutting into plywood if you sell wooden products), an interesting die-cut (like a custom shape cutout), using an illustrated portrait of yourself rather than a photo, or hand-stamping your logo onto each card to reflect how your products are uniquely handcrafted, or even using scents via specialty printing techniques to make your cards smell like what you sell or how people feel when they use your business. Want a few more ideas? Check these out!

A bridge between analog and digital

While products (and many services) are all about tactile real-world experiences, the mighty business card can be used as a bridge between the tangible and digital worlds. By integrating QR codes, for example, you can effortlessly invite recipients to explore your website, offerings, and business journey by simply scanning the printed code on the back of your card with their phone without clumsily trying to find your Instagram handle online or manually typing out an email address which could lead to typos and you not receiving the message. And then at the end of the day, they still have the business card on hand to take them at back to your site at any time! The gift that keeps on giving…

Now, taking a look back at the initial question about whether or not we need business cards in this day and age… my answer would be that they're not just relevant; they're invaluable. These punchy little cards are sharable representations of you and your business, acting as tangible tokens of connection in a very digital world. By leveraging the exciting possibilities of print design, you can have business cards that are extensions of your brand, that interest and authentically connect with potential business prospects and foster interactions that go beyond those of the common short-lived screen time and technology.