A guest post by Roxy Barker
Business cards, whether virtual or physical, have a vital role in the world of commerce. It is through this art of sharing contact information in a professional manner that not only drives your networking power, but also assists in your brand awareness. There are certain circumstances and methods and you can take when distributing or exchanging business cards and here is a general guide on the various approaches you can take:
Printed Vs. Virtual Cards
Although there is still various debates about the practicality of business cards, most believe (and quite rightly) that they are an integral part of business marketing. Today, most companies will have implemented some sort of online marketing strategy, adding the virtual business card to their plan.
Internet and many phone apps (including iPhones, Blackberry and Android) allow you to share business cards instantaneously. However, it can still be argued that virtual business information does not carry the same visual impact of traditional printed business cards which is why the majority of people will compliment their online strategies with print marketing. A physical card means a physical meeting, and in this day and age with the resurgence of local appreciation and the personal one on one approach, this face-to-face approach can be worth its weight in gold.
{Business Card Designs shown above are by Boutique By Design}
The Circumstance
Virtual business cards have maximum flexibility as to when and where they are exchanged – via email, social networks or phone apps….the list goes on. As long as the exchange has taken place at a relevant time your business card will likely not be ignored.
Printed business cards are somewhat different as you really only have two options – exchanging personally or through direct mail. On the personal front, many entrepreneurs and business people will attend meetings and conferences and this gives amply opportunity to seek out the appropriate people to which you can network with.
You may also find that meeting people in general settings (out for dinner, meeting new friends etc) provides a great platform to establish whether these people around you may benefit from your products of services.
Exchange Etiquette
The common problems with business cards in general can be an overload in stimuli – some people get so many of them that they are either forgotten or plainly ignored. The key to getting your business card noticed is through innovative design and your exchanging etiquette.
If you have an online version of a business card, do not think it appropriate to spam your information out to prospective customers. Again, you are likely to be ignored and will have wasted your time. You will need to seek the appropriate and relevant targeted consumers that you feel would benefit from your services.
Additionally you can also share your information with existing clients so that they have a point of reference should they need to contact you again. There are various websites (hashable.com, cardcloud.com etc) that allow for easy management and sharing of virtual business cards that incorporate social networking sites and give you full potential and opportunity.
The exchange of traditional business cards is a little savvier. If you wish to share your information through a face to face meeting, there needs to be a time and a place. If the person you are talking to will have an obvious interest in your details the exchange – it’s a great icebreaker and because you are giving it to them personally they will likely make a judgement of your business through your personality and approach.
Another ideal method of exchanging physical cards is to accompany any printed document that you send out – brochures, invoices, quotes etc – as they act similarly to a compliment slip. Your prospective can then have full access to your details and you slowly begin to build relations.
Business cards are here to stay – for the moment at least – and whether you choose to use physical or virtual cards you can efficiently begin networking for your business, developing brand awareness and hopefully extend your list of existing clients!
About the Author:
Roxy is involved with Circle Leaflet Printing and has been in print industry for years. She has a keen eye for design & branding and enjoys bringing ideas to life through the work she produces. Including business cards and other printed materials.
