4 Reasons You Should Have a Business Card

If you haven’t figured it out, the world is a visual place oozing with instant gratification. Billboards, social media, television…it’s all right in your face. And for good reason. It makes an impact. Business cards can too if used correctly. There are a million reasons to not use them; they take up space, I can’t decide what to put on one, and my personal favorite…people don’t really keep them so why waste the money. You may only have one shot. If done properly, business cards can be a major staple in your promotional tool box.

Lauren Rose’s 4 Reasons Why You Should Have a Business Card, give four hard hitting reasons you should never walk out of the house without one. Although written in 2013, the points are still right on, but of course, I have to put my two cents in...well, this is my blog!

They Create a Solid First Impression

If you’re like me, I have a hard time remembering names, but I always remember faces. Getting a business card helps reinforce who I meet so I can put the name and business back into memory. Just like dressing for an important meeting, your card should be “dressed up” and showing off your business. How it looks, and feels says just as much about you as a firm handshake and well-fitting business attire. Have a great card, make a better impression. That just might bring you up a notch over your competitors.

They’re Direct Marketing Tools

Having business cards with you means your business is with you. Prospective clients lay at every turn and to not pass on information that can garner you an opportunity becomes a missed opportunity. A stack of business cards at the ready, ensures you and your contacts will never be left empty handed.

They Help Build a Brand

Let’s see…you have a business, logo, phone number, email address and a website. Wouldn’t it be great if there were a way to bring that all with you everywhere you go and be able to just give it to everyone you meet to remind them of who you are and what you do? Oh wait! There is! A well designed business card is just as effective as using a branding iron (and a lot less painful!). With an eye-catching color scheme, well placed text on a sturdy die cut, QR codes with social media and printing that highlights a memorable, embossed logo is like money in the bank. That card gets put in a wallet or purse for safe keeping, not in the bin with the boring cards.

They’re Budget-Friendly

For what a business card can do, there is no more effective allocation of funds that can have a greater impact for the cost. You can’t ensure your television commercial is cued up when you meet a prospective client at the bus stop (well you could but that would be a little over the top). A travelling billboard would be a little space consuming, so carry a stack of freshly minted advertising and wow your contacts with how great they and you look.

About Lauren Rose: She is a business writer from Sioux Falls, SD. She received her MBA from the University of Minnesota’s Carlson School of Management.