The business card shows no signs of going away and they remain a vital part of business transactions. This infographic from Colourfast takes you through why the humble business card remains so important. 57% of people feel business cards are essential to their business, not just needed – but essential.
However, it isn’t as easy as having a business card as the quality of it is extremely important. Many people believe that a bad business card is worse than no business card. When you consider that 72% of people judge a person based on the quality of their business card, it really is likely that this statement is true. Moreover, 39% of people wouldn’t do business with someone if they had a ‘cheap looking’ business card. If you’re getting business cards printed; don’t cheap out.
So how do you make sure your business card is of sufficient quality? The quality isn’t only about what the card is made of and is also heavily influenced by the information you put on your card. There are some crucial elements of a business card to keep in mind when you’re arranging to get them printed.
Many of them will be obvious but there are ones you may not have thought about before. For example, some people believe having a photo on your card is a good idea. While some people may find this unusual, think of it from the point of view that people remember faces and not cards. If someone is going back through the dozens of business cards they received at a conference, they likely won’t remember who owned which business card. A headshot will act as a good reminder.
Another important thing to keep in mind is that you don’t have to give your business card to absolutely everybody. Just because you printed a thousand the week before a conference, doesn’t mean you have to work your way through them as fast as possible. If you do you may see some of them end up in the bin. A good rule of thumb is to give a business card to anyone with whom you shook hands as this generally demonstrates that at least some connection was made. Remember as well that business doesn’t always occur at conferences so always keep a few in your wallet in case you meet someone in the store or on vacation.
If you are doing business or on vacation in somewhere like Japan or China, remember that business card etiquette is a little different. When handing over a business card in these countries you should always use both hands or you may cause offense. Generally, in Western countries, there is very little etiquette to observe and it is all pretty informal.
There is nothing incredibly complex about creating a high-quality business card. Simply add all the vital information and ensure that it looks professional. You essentially want it to stand out and be professional without being too different. Find out more information on business cards in the infographic.
