Business Card Trends That Work In A Digital World

Is there anything classier than handing out your own business card? Maybe, but that’s pretty classy anyway.

Business cards are one of the staples of the corporate universe. In the professional sphere, just as emblematic as a great tie, one might add. Bret Easton Ellis wrote about it flawlessly in an iconic scene of American Psycho, in which Patrick Bateman sweats profusely over how much better his colleague’s card is. We get that feeling; a business card is your presentation to the world – it makes sense one would want to look their best!

In this article, we’ll help you find ways for your business card to stand out, axing out the competition by itself.

“You Are What You Print.”

A tangible informative object might sound old-fashioned in this day and age. Did you know the first business card dates back to the 15th century in China?

Although, don’t be fooled by its secular history: business cards are still a remarkably valuable tool, and one you shouldn’t be afraid to ask for professionals’ help – click here for that. Like everything we’ve come to know, they just had to adapt to a new, digital world.

Here are some ways you can bring your business card to the twenty-first century:

Social Media Integration

While exchanging information over social media can be very impersonal, handing out a business card is the opposite of that, hence its paramount value. However, one can’t ignore the fact that social media has become a pinnacle of our professional lives. By including your social media handles on your business card, you allow the client to get to know your brand a bit better. Such makes a second interaction much swifter, given that emailing has been replaced with instant messaging on those social platforms.

Bounty Access

Another great way of integrating your business card into the online dimension of your trade is by adding “bonuses” to it. By that, we mean you can incorporate codes that lead your clients to particular parts of your website: discount codes, special offers, gift baskets, thank you notes, etc. Don’t be shy to use your creative gears when setting up your enterprise – creativity is a massive differentiation factor.

QR Codes

Speaking of codes, a QR code is a cardinal bridge between the physical and the virtual domain. Even if you write down all your handles, you imperatively rely on the client to get to those pages. QR codes, on the other hand, bring your information up with one click. Their unusual appearance is known to spark curiosity amongst viewers, which is a great thing to propel any brand. Moreover, you can even customize your code: you can make it any color or shape it suits your card best!

Interactivity

We’ve come to learn that people respond quite well to products that demand interactivity for the stimulation and engagement it generates. Curiosity, as aforementioned, is a powerful engine, as we tend to remember the oddities the best. A business card that requires interaction is going to be held longer in hand. Interactivity can be achieved by double-layering your card, for example, adding a sliding element. It can also materialize through the tactical aspects of the card; a study conducted by Harvard suggested that “our bodily sensations help determine the decisions we make”. Make your card silky as a flower or prickly as a cactus, as long as it is coherent with your business.

Digital Business Cards

They are the newest form of business cards. Generally, this method requires an app – you’ll find a multitude of them providing this same service. It conveniently stores the information of the people you share the card with automatically. If the other person doesn’t have the app itself, they still have access to all your details. Digital business cards support multimedia content, granting a stout opportunity of grabbing attention. Needing to change an aspect of your card, you will not go through the trouble of reprinting, since alterations can be done on the spot. Despite its clear ecological advantage, one must be aware that, because they can be shared from a distance, digital business cards can also be less memorable. In a digital world, personal interactions gain a new significance.

In Conclusion

Often being the first impression of an enterprise, you can look at your business cards as “printed connections”. Every time you hand out your card, you are leaving a mark in someone’s mind. Furthermore, creativity should be the motto to make every card. If your calling card is captivating, the chances people will want to show it around are very high, and it’s established that the word-of-mouth is an astonishing way of promoting any business.

We wish you all the luck in exploring the elegant world of business cards, hoping to find yours in our wallet very soon. Thank you for reading!