This is a question that I asked a few years back on LinkedIn, and today the humble business card still has its place and is an important part of branding and marketing.

So…are business cards still relevant?

The simple answer is, absolutely! While there are lots of digital ways to connect and communicate your brand to potential clients, a business card is often the first…and the last thing you might leave with a potential client to remember you. As a business, we still do a lot of face-to-face networking of various kinds, so the good old business card is very much a part of our marketing armoury. Attending these kinds of business events also means we see a lot of different cards – some good, some definitely not so good! With that in mind, what should you be thinking about when it comes to making the most from your business cards?

Please don’t…

I’ll start with a mini rant. We’ve all seen them. Template-based business cards with “printed for free at xxxxxprint.com” on them. What does this say about how you value your own business and how you want to be perceived? And no, while we are at it – service station business cards are not a good idea either! Anyway, rant over. What should we be doing to make the most of our business cards…

Is your card giving the right impression?

Are your cards well designed and laid out? Does the branding match your other marketing materials or your website? Are the fonts the same as you have used on other marketing materials or the website? Are the colours the same? Consistency is key in making that good first impression. Think about what you can do to help people remember you. Maybe add a professional headshot so that people can put a face to the name if they have met you at an event.

Say what you do

I know it sounds obvious, and it’s especially important when you have a company name that doesn’t describe what you do, and make sure you are specific about the services and products you offer. Use both sides of the card and add a few bullet points or a few words to describe what you do.

Are your details up-to-date?

Have you included all the ways that you want people to contact you? I often get asked about having an address on cards and if it’s needed. It probably depends on how you operate as a business. If clients visit your premises, then yes. If not, then perhaps it’s more important to use the space for other information. Sometimes people do like to see an address and a landline as a bit of reassurance, but with many people working from home these days, it’s not unusual to see a mobile number and no address. And, of course, make sure you add details of the Social Media platforms you are active on!

Is it professionally printed?

You have all the points above covered, but that will count for nothing if you don’t have a good quality card. Why not add a nice finish to your cards to help them stand out, such as Spot UV Gloss, a cutout shape, or soft-touch lamination. If you are thinking about something more environmentally friendly, then there are lots of options for recycled boards and bio-degradable laminates to think about.

To find out more about our Design and Print services, click here, or call Mark on 01604 726758 to see how we can help with your business cards.