Business card – an old fashioned tool or still a trendy must?
To which side do you belong, supporters or opponents of the business cards? It is hard to believe that the first business cards were used in 17th century; some sources even say their history goes back to 15th century to China. Centuries of development have passed, but the aim of the tiny paper card stays the same: to introduce yourself/your company and possibly stay in touch with the other person.
Although nowadays the business cards, as their name says, are mainly intended for business, back in 17th century the main aim was a slightly different. The aristocracy showed the cards to the footmen or servants of the house they were about to visit. The cards, also known as calling card, soon got a high reputation, as it was an honour for the aristocracy to collect them and show them to future visitors. At the same time and mainly later on during the industrial revolution, the importance of contact exchange was growing and it was the time where the second type of the card – trade card – evolved.
With the technological evolution, some people consider business cards being a bit old fashioned. We have LinkedIn, for example, which is a social network to keep and update all business connections. If everything in paper form goes electronically, starting from newspapers to books, why should I then carry with me a dozen of my business cards? There are still few reasons why we consider the business cards still relevant:
1. It is personal
You won´t tell your potential business partner “here’s the link for my LinkedIn account“. A business card is still much more appropriate in these cases. It is a proof that you met someone, not just googled him or her.
2. Show off yourself
Business cards are great way to show who you are and what you are doing, meaning not only your name and your position, but how you or your company should be perceived. Whether you are a Luxury hotel, an environmental firm, or a serious worldwide company, you can present yourself differently. Additionally, funny or unusual (see point 3) business cards are often a good starting point for the conversation with someone you just met.
3. Be different
With so many business cards handed out, standing out matters the most. You will stay in the people´s minds, when you show them something they do not see every day. Use the thicker paper than the standard one, do not be afraid of colours or play with the shape of the business card.
There is no limit for the creativity as you can see on this list.
The rules for what a proper business card should include are less strict nowadays. The standard is still to mention your name, the name of your company and your e-mail address and phone. Address isn’t usually necessary for freelancers or agencies, working worldwide (we do not have an address on our Evocreative business card either). If your online presentation is important for you, feel free to include the QR code, links to Instagram or other social media networks.
The business card, as with all branding materials, should be updated time to time. During more than 10 years, Evo business card was going through the process of change as well.
Thinking about having a new business card? Contact us for a free consultation!
