Raise Your Hand if Your Business Cards Need a Makeover

When was the last time you whipped out your business card? A month ago? A year? Never? Sure, it might seem like business cards are a thing of the past in this very digital world. After all, most of your correspondence is done by email or on the phone, your entire contact list is on your iPhone, and you don’t even know what a Rolodex looks like.

And while you might try to minimize the amount of paper you carry around or store at your desk, business cards are still really important for your career. They represent your business, they create a lasting impression, and they are a fast and easy way to share information and network with potential partners, clients, colleagues or even friends. So if you’re not using your business cards, perhaps it’s not that you no longer need them, but rather that they need a business card makeover.

Business cards haven’t gone out of style

According to Jonathan Long, Founder and CEO of Market Domination Media and contributor to Entrepreneur, “the business card is one thing that digital will not fully replace anytime soon.” He continues to argue, “networking is about making genuine connections. Sending contact information via text or email on the spot is convenient but it is also extremely impersonal. Engaging in eye contact and actual conversation is how real relationships begin.”

Think of your business card as your chance to make a first, lasting impression. While the way you interact and engage may be the real first impression, the business card is what you leave behind and how people remember you when you walk out the door. You need to make sure that business card represents who you are, what you stand for, what you are offering and what you are capable of.

The need to give a cat hand to your business cards

Every year we find ways to improve and reinvent ourselves, and the same attitude should apply to your business cards. An article on Small Biz Daily argues “just like you might think about putting on a new suit or changing your hairstyle, taking a long look at your business card as you would at yourself is a great way to set a new course for the New Year.”

So where do you begin if your business cards could use a refresh? Well, for starters, business card technology and design has changed a lot in recent years. If you’re still rocking a business card from many years ago and it’s all sorts of basic (think white, rectangular, medium card stock, simple font with a logo…) it will get lost in the shuffle, forgotten in the back of a desk drawer and never looked at again. If a business card is exciting, gorgeous, impactful and cool it will not only get referenced and used, but also shared and remembered.

Tips to make them divine

Some simple ways to up the wow factor of your business cards include: Use a heavier card stock, which will feel like a higher quality investment and a well-designed calling card. Cheap business cards rarely get remembered and do not set a positive tone for your business.

Use the front AND back of your business card. While the front should contain important information (your name, title, contact information etc.) the back is where you can get a little creative. You can include a picture (just make sure it isn’t clip art or something else that looks cheap and outdated), an artist design or pattern, your logo, or if you do a lot of international business you can print your information in another language so your business card is truly universal. 

Modernity with a personal stamp

Speaking of design, while you want your brand to be consistent over time, you also want to make sure you are modern, so sometimes you need to give your brand design a little reboot. You can include embossed text, engraving, foil stamping or texture. You can change up the shape of the business card; most cards are rectangular, maybe try a square card, a die-cut shape, or a card with rounded corners.

Try a new material – while paper is tried and true when it comes to business cards, these days some companies are turning to more sturdy, impactful and impressive materials for business cards, including metal, stainless steel and even carbon fiber. Sure, these business cards are far more expensive, but they will seriously impress clients and competitors.

They are an extension of you

Above all, you want your business card to reflect who you are as an employee and what your brand represents, so make sure you put some thought into the look, wording, design and feel of your card. The effort will pay off in the long-run, and you’ll actually be proud to pass out your business card to anyone and everyone you meet.

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