Why Business Cards Aren’t Obsolete Yet

Till a few decades ago, working professionals always carried around their business cards to exchange with professionals from other companies when they met. Everyone’s desk used to have a separate box where visiting cards were stored and used for networking. According to an advertising agency, the millennials are not sure whether business cards are really necessary or not. 

Millennials are a generation that has grown up around rapidly evolving technology and they are comfortable with the digital world as much as the physical world. This leads us to the question of whether or not business cards matter in 2019 or not. We will discuss this issue in detail in this blog. 

Why Were Business Cards Invented?

Business cards or visiting cards were invented to ease the flow of information between business associates. The standard visiting card design has all the basic information about the company and the person you are interacting with. It used to make it easier to reach out to the other company through postal addresses, telephone and fax numbers are given on the card. A business card became proof of having met someone in another organization for fulfilling their business needs. 

Business cards came in handy at a time when mobile phones with high-resolution cameras and internet connections weren’t yet invented.  They were like a personalized note which helped people to store all your information and later on reach out to you. 

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Are Business Cards Relevant Now?

This is one of the most important questions that we have been repeatedly asked. The purpose of a visiting card was to “exchange information”. But now thanks to mobile phones, this has become easier and paperless to a large extent. People generally add your phone number, email and social media details on their phones and they are all set. This means all the necessary information can be remembered and accumulated without the interference of a visiting card. 

So, how do business cards still matter? Let us answer this with a few compelling points:

Human Touch

As human beings who spend most of their time communicating over emails, Skype, WhatsApp, and telephonic conversations we crave for actual human interaction. Over here, when we say actual human interaction, we mean non-screen, physical one on one meetings. This is what we crave for. A business card signifies that “human touch”. It is a physical object that comes into your possession only when you meet someone. It is not “emailed” to you or sent over WhatsApp. 

First Impression

There is a proverb in English that says “The first impression is the last impression”. A visiting card printer, says similar things about the business cards he prints. A visiting card designed by a business card designer containing your company’s logo on it, your name and other details is the first impression of your brand on the receiver. This is their first brush with your organization and what you stand for. As an advertising agency in Pune, let us tell you that visiting cards have lasting impressions on the mind of the reader. Additionally, they get stored and can be used to pass on your reference to someone else. 

Pair It Up with Technology

It’s not yet time for business cards to retire, but it is time for them to evolve. You can go beyond the traditional visiting cards and do something absolutely unique with them. You could add a QR code at the back of it, which can take them directly to your website. You could also design your visiting card with the help of a graphic designer in such a way that apps like CamScanner can easily extract details from the card and add them to your contact details. We need not get rid of business cards if we can pair them up with technology. Make your visiting card fun, by adding tech-savvy features to it. One of the most innovative visiting cards that we have seen had a small USB drive attached to it. This ensured that the client used the card on a daily basis and remembered the brand too! 

Also Read: 10 Low-Budget Marketing Ideas for Small Businesses

War Readiness

Okay, this title may seem off topic for an ad agency in Pune, but hear us out first. “War Readiness” means assembly i.e. gathering together to meet the challenges and discuss it. A business card shows that you are always prepared, that you are a thorough professional and no matter where or how you meet a potential client, you were ready! A business card reveals this attitude to the client, people who don’t come with a business card always seem a little unprofessional at meetings and trade events. 

In conclusion, we would like to state that maybe business cards aren’t as important as they once were. But that is only because you may be sticking to traditional designs and printing materials. Instead, if you experiment a little and get an innovative business card, we assure you that it will be a huge success!