You have a potentially great business to showcase to prospective customers. You have your own website, and you’ve set up social media pages to get the word out. You even have a well-written LinkedIn profile that will surely allure potential customers and business partners alike.
Most of all, you have a promising business strategy that you can’t wait to roll out.
Then, when everything looks all geared up, you have a gut feeling that something’s left out. Something’s missing.
Business cards.
You want to trust your hunch, but then you ask, “Are business cards still necessary today?”
Every professional or business owner knows business cards are still necessary for 2019.
Believe it or not, nothing can replace the good old business card. The fact that it has stuck around for over a century shows the benefits that giving out business cards brings to professionals and business owners. Even the super successful ones, who have the most flawless online marketing and advertising strategies for their businesses, still have a handful of business cards in their pockets and portfolio at all times.
Still not convinced? Here are compelling reasons why business cards are still necessary in 2019 and why you should stock up on them if you haven’t already:
1. Business cards are still essential in 2019 to allow you to give a good lasting impression and reputable branding.
Given the choice between two cheesecakes – one baked and presented to smooth to perfection texture and presentation and another served in a sloppy and messy way – you know pretty well which you want to order and eat, right? More often than not, customers will go for the former as they look legit and scrumptious.
The same principle applies to business owners and professionals like you. Prospective clients and partners will most likely engage with someone who they see as upfront and professional-looking. Giving out well-crafted business cards creates the impression that you are an authority in your field, an authentic professional with credibility and a solid reputation. This is the kind of branding that you need to have to get these clients and partners to do business with you.
Magic? No, not really.
Studies show that people typically draw conclusions about others from the limited information they see or perceive in the moment. Therefore, you want nothing but to give all the favourable cues and information about you and your brand in these brief engagements.
Given our fast-paced day and age, it is in these encounters that you will realise that business cards are still necessary in 2019.
2. Business cards make sharing of information easier and faster.
Business cards give you a sure and easy way to share your brand and business with as many people as you meet daily. They are tangible objects that retain their purpose and usefulness, even without an internet connection or mobile data available.
Sure, sharing online LinkedIn profiles and website links with prospective clients seems easy and time-saving. However, this degree of efficiency is not always the case. If you are at a forum, convention, or summit, having a business card on hand decreases the chance that a client gets away without you getting the word out about your brand or business.
Moreover, being tangible objects, business cards can be handed to basically anyone. Now, that’s easy and fast!
3. Business cards humanise business engagement and communication.
Sending out emails is good, but a face-to-face meeting, even if it’s just small talk over wine or coffee is more impactful. What better way to make prospective clients remember your business than living an imprint in their memories through meaningful conversations and thoughtful business cards?
Digital marketing, while more efficient and faster, is often too impersonal. Clients these days are well aware that messages sent online and other digitised means are generic. Most of the time, they come in templates intended to be read by a wider audience.
When you meet with a prospective customer, whether on a set date or by chance in a convention, you can create a personal connection that transcends emails and mobile phones. You get to observe their demeanour and reactions while they see your professionalism, motivation, and determination. And there’s no better way to cap off a good start than handing them your business card personally.
4. Business cards give prospective clients total recall.
Humans will be humans. At the end of the day, human nature prevails, and people perceive things only when they can associate them with any of the five senses.
In a study published online by the University of Lausanne in Switzerland, experts reveal that humans perceive their environments through exposure to interacting signals and stimuli. Consequently, they remember sounds when associated with images and vice versa. No wonder, taking notes during discussions have been shown to increase memory in students and adults alike.
The same goes for business cards.
To be able to engage meaningfully with prospective customers or colleagues, business cards are still necessary. They enhance discussions or conversations by bringing the communication to a whole new level. As opposed to someone who just sends an email about their business, clients recall better those who gave them something they can physically see and hold.
Want to be sleek and memorable to clients? Jennings Print Group is here to help!
Located in the heart of Newcastle, Jennings Print has been specialising in offset, digital and corporate colour reproduction for over 45 years. With our commitment to give clients more than just efficient and cost-effective printing services, we make sure that to satisfy our customers’ specifications and even exceed their expectations.
Whether you want to have business cards that will showcase how great your brand is or promotional marketing materials to augment your business, Jennings Print has everything you need to get your business noticed. We are adept in working with small-scale businesses and big brands alike. We guarantee that you will be getting the best value for your money and the most high-quality booklets, brochures, catalogues, flyers, business cards, corporate stationery, and other promotional products you need to give your brand a boost.