With networking, you can get potential clients and business cards to help gather all your contact information in one place. However, we have rapidly entered the digital world so naturally, business cards are also in digital forms. So, in this situation, do paper business cards still exist? And if yes, then what should you go for? Read along to know more.
Paper Business Cards; the Advantages and the Disadvantages
A paper business card usually means a printed card that holds your contact details such as the email address, phone number, name, position or job title, company website, and social media handles. These are essential to improve the company branding and people usually hand them out at events or any place to keep up the promotion.
What are the Advantages of a Paper Business Card?
- Paper business cards help in creating a quick impression. According to reports, the average attention span of clients is just 8 seconds so it is vital to create a solid first impression. Paper business cards help in establishing that.
- They leave room for creativity. Paper business cards can be printed in all shapes, colors, and designs which creates a visually appealing look.
- Moreover, using a paper business card gives it a personal touch as when you give someone your business card, you build a connection with them and create a relationship that helps you create a loyal base of customers.
What are the Disadvantages of a Paper Business Card?
- The first con of having a paper business card is the cost of printing and designing. If you want to be creative, the need for a professional graphic designer is going to be quite often. On top of that, the additional cost will be the printing. As it is non-reusable, this is not a cost-effective option.
- When you are creating a business card, you need to keep it up-to-date. Your position in the company might change, or the social media platforms might have changed, so changing the information from time to time becomes a bit of a headache.
- The size of a paper business card is standard which does not leave enough space for additional information.
Digital Business Cards; the Advantages and the Disadvantages
Digital business cards are created online and can be shared via an application or shared as a PDF on social media, email, or MMS. Virtual business cards contain similar information as traditional paper business cards like contact details, business profiles, etc.
What are the Advantages of a Digital Business Card?
- Digital business cards are easily accessible to anyone with a smartphone or a computer, or anything with an internet connection. It is also easier to design applications and distribute them via social media.
- The updates can be done online and as it is not printed it is easier to add the details and keep it up-to-date.
- You would only require a graphic designer if you want a touch of professionalism on your digital business card but as they do not need to be printed they are highly cost-effective.
What are the Disadvantages of a Digital Business Card?
- This lacks the personal touch and even if you have made a solid first impression on a client, with digital business cards, you might lose the opportunity to carry that forward.
- Not everyone likes to exchange information this way.
- Your clients might get a lot of business emails each day, and your business card might get ignored.
Why Don’t You Try Both?
Both these types of business cards have their pros and cons so the best choice for you would be to create something that has the perks of both. You can include a QR code in your paper business card that has additional links or a digital copy of your business card.
