Business Cards
As you leave your home for an early morning commute to work, you think of the important itemsthat you need to carry with you as you walk to your car. You’ve got your laptop, smartphone, andthe directions to the restaurant for a working lunch appointment with a client. Do you have a fewbusiness cards with you that will help to further your business relationship with your new client?Yes, these brand-building cards are still relevant even in this modern era of camera phones, socialmedia, and mobile applications. There’s nothing like a physical token that depicts who you are,what you do, and what makes you special. If you don’t have a set of name cards that accuratelyportrays your brand, consider this information about why you need professional cards, the peoplewho benefit from them, and the products and services that JoinPrint offers.
Why Professional Cards are Still Relevant
Today’s society is overloaded with digital content. You find information about current events, newproducts, and service reviews by going online. In some cases, content that you didn’t request popsup on your screen with a headline that begs you to take a few more minutes out of your day toread about a topic that could interest you. In this type of environment, a face-to-face encounterwith a real person is memorable and distinctive. Business leaders who know the value of in-personnetworking and relationship building don’t want to lose momentum by pulling out a smartphone tosend an impersonal email to a new acquaintance. They use the opportunity to build theircompany’s brand or establish their individual persona through a simple name card.
Professional name cards are portable marketing tools that are commonly accepted everywhere inthe global business world. There are certain audiences that frown upon taking smartphones tomeetings. Answering your phone or texting while networking often appears disrespectful, and you’llbe asked to leave electronic devices behind if you’re discussing confidential information with abusiness stakeholder. In these cases, handing out a business card to a colleague allows you to givethem a tangible token of you and your business without offence.
Having professional cards ready to pass along to prospective clients and vendors makes you lookmore prepared. As a sales manager, you’ve racked up more than a few frequent flyer miles visitingcustomer facilities. You know the other sales people who take those flights as well. Since everyoneknows each other, you may think that there’s no point in carrying your company cards with you onyour trips. Think again. Your flight got delayed, and you meet a potential client on a two-hourlayover. After having lunch with her and the other sales people, you’re ready to board your flight.She wants to get in touch with a sales person later who can help her company to quickly source aneeded product. While the other salespeople are fumbling to charge their phones to send her theircontact information via email before she boards her flight, you quickly hand her one of your namecards. Who do you think she’ll rely on for her products? Will she choose someone who is preparedwith professional cards or those that are searching for restaurant napkins to scribble down theiremail addresses?
Who Needs a Business Card?
When asked about the people who use professional name cards, you probably think of businessleaders who simply want an easy way to give their contact information to a new businessacquaintance. While these executives use professional cards regularly, they aren’t the only oneswho benefit from these handy snapshots of one’s work life. If you’re an aspiring business leader,you’ll want to carry name cards with you if your company authorises the practice. If they don’t, youshould still consider getting a set of great-looking name cards for networking and personal use.Entrepreneurs also benefit from professional cards. If you’re the owner of a new start-up, you’llneed a polished, cost-effective way to establish your new company’s brand. You can use namecards to extend your marketing message to bankers, investors, suppliers, and corporatecustomers.
Public servants do many important tasks at the federal, state, and local levels. While they don’twork for organisations that need to produce profits, they do account for budgets, specific worktasks, and projects that make communities run smoothly. If you work in the public sector or in anon-profit organisation, you’ll want to pass your name cards to people who depend on yourservices. Cards allow them to make a mental association between your first meeting with them andyour position.
Artists, musicians, and other creatives use those 85mm by 55mm rectangles to introduce andmarket their talents to everyone. Your choice of name card colours, font types, and letter sizesgives you a chance to showcase your style, character, and contact information. These cards usuallytake on a more personal tone that aligns with your unique skills and talents.
Content for Your Greeting to the World
Business has always been about establishing and nurturing relationships. Having a set ofprofessional name cards in your wallet is a first step to connecting with people who can make yourwork life richer and more rewarding. The principle of using name cards to signal credibility,reliability, and accountability works whether you’re an individual with a business idea or acorporate executive of a multinational company. Content type and messaging differs, however.
As a business leader who works in an established company, you’ll need name cards that displayyour company’s name, its corporate logo, and your contact information. This content format helpsprospective clients, vendors, and hiring candidates to follow up with you quickly or send youinformation that you need to conduct your business activities. Your job title or specialty is anotherelement of your professional card’s contact information; it allows stakeholders to decide how youcan help them to solve their problems before they call or email you. Don’t waste the space on theback of your name cards. Put your company’s slogan, mission, or vision statement there.
If you’re an entrepreneur or owner of a new start-up, you’ll want to use professional cards to takeyour marketing efforts up a notch. In addition to standard personal contact and companyinformation, your cards should include a brief summary about your signature product or service. Achecklist of benefits for your main offering shows recipients what problems your product or servicesolves.
Artists such as actors, musicians, and designers use name cards to flaunt their creative spirit afterintroducing themselves. If you fall into this category of professions, you’ll want to make sure thatyour logo, colours, and graphics depict your talents accurately. While putting a picture of yourselfon your name cards isn’t done in most lines of work, it’s encouraged for creatives like you. Nameand face recognition are especially important if you’re a model or an actress who uses professionalcards to network. If you’re like many artists today, you have an online portfolio of your work thatreally showcases your talents. You can opt to put a link to your portfolio on your name cards, oryou can embed your cards with a QR code that gives a link to your portfolio, studio address, anddirections to your office.
Using the Business Card Effectively
Since you never know when you’ll meet someone who aligns well with your personal ethics andwork values, it’s best to always carry a few name cards in your purse or wallet. In addition tochance encounters that you have with people in nearly every setting, networking events and socialfunctions are the main places that will prompt you to pass out your name cards. Work events suchas trade shows, association meetings, and conferences are filled with people who have the insidetrack on your industry. Leaving them with a business card cements the favourable impression thatyou made with them initially. Having your business card also enables them to follow up with youabout new opportunities. Set a goal to give out a certain amount of business cards when you go tothese events.
Dinner parties with friends, charity auctions, and even your kids’ play dates are opportunities touse name cards to spread awareness about what you do. Don’t be afraid to mix business withpleasure. Many professionals do all their networking on golf courses from meeting new clients toclosing deals, and most of them have the help of the humble business card.
Types of Cards Available
You’ve seen new businesses that have a great product or service, but poor packaging casts shadeon their offering. It’s the same way with business cards. Once you give someone your card, theyassociate it with you and your business. If they’re impressed with you, they’ll likely refer you to acolleague by passing them your name card. Your company cards should reflect your commitmentto quality, excellence, and creativity. Cards that are made from thick paper and contain crispgraphics fit the bill. You can get these premium cards from printing companies such as JoinPrint.
JoinPrint offers seven types of name cards that vary by thickness, style, and finish. You can get thecompany’s Original cards that are anything but basic. They come in 350 gsm white card stock for athickness that’s noticeable from the start. JoinPrint’s Ultra-THICK cards feature premium texturedpaper that weighs in at 700 gsm. Its Spot UV cards deliver a glossy finish to your name cards. Thecompany’s Embossed cards can really make your organisation stand out from the crowd. Theraised lettering of these cards is the perfect way to highlight a company logo or slogan. You caneven add sparkle to your cards by choosing JoinPrint’s Gold Foil cards.
Business Cards Services at JoinPrint
Your brand deserves to be shown in the best light possible. Don’t settle for flimsy cards withshoddy graphics that look like you printed them from your household printer. JoinPrint’s team ofreproduction artists and designers have the skills, experience, and equipment to produceprofessional cards in quantities that fit your needs and budget. With JoinPrint, you have choices.Design your own cards using one of the company’s many templates. Upload an original design toJoinPrint’s online platform for fast, hassle-free name card production. Consult with one JoinPrint’sdesigners to get creative direction. After designs are finalised, the company prints your cards andmails out your order within days.
Conclusion
It’s true that you only get one chance to make a first impression. With a unique business card, youcan make those positive feelings about you and your company last long after your first meeting.JoinPrint is a full-service printing company that helps customers to promote their brands withprofessionally printed marketing materials. Call the company today to put your ideas to work foryou with a high-quality set of personal or company name cards.
