Business Monday: The Mighty Business Card – Bob Salvas

-by Bob Salvas, contributing writer

Smart watches, smart phones, Artificial Intelligence, streaming shows on TV, zoom meetings, and so much more.  Yes, we are living in a high-tech digital world and that tends to also be how we market our businesses.  But as Stephen Anderson once said: “When everyone zigs, zag”.  In other words, if everyone is going exclusively digital, you throw in some non-digital!

While it’s true every business today really should have digital tools like a website and some sort of presence on social media, our business growth will blossom even more if we include some non-digital ones too.  And one of the easiest, most affordable, and most effective non-digital marketing tools out there is THE MIGHTY BUSINESS CARD.

Increasingly I am meeting people at networking events that exchange information but do not have a business card.  Just because we can download each other’s contact info into our phones, that doesn’t mean the business card is a thing of the past.  It is not.

You see, digital interactions are very fleeting, but the physical business card is a lasting reminder of our business and contact information.  When you return to your home or office after a networking event, the business cards you collected are your visual cue to FOLLOW-UP!  If my contact info is buried among hundreds of other contacts on your phone, are you going to remember to reach out to me?

There are many reasons that business cards still work today:

• –they are tangible and physically touching something like a business card helps us to remember more easily than just seeing or hearing something. The fact that they are tangible also means they will stick around for a while.  The exchange of physical business cards is a personal interaction that helps to build the relationship.
• -they are portable so they can easily fit in a person’s pocket (ours or who we give it to).
• -they professionally represent our brand with our company name, colors and images.
• –they can be an offline way to bridge to the online world– our card can have a website or QR code to allow a person to then connect to our digital presence.

It’s a shame (and a bad marketing/networking strategy in my opinion) that many people either do not have a physical business card or (worse) have one that is not up to standards.  Here are some tips for you regarding the makeup of your business cards:

• –YOUR PERSONAL NAME should always be on your business card (you don’t go around introducing yourself as “ABC COMPANY” do you?).
• –YOUR CONTACT INFORMATION, of course must be there. At a minimum, your phone number and email but other points of contact such as social links, websites, or physical addresses can be a nice bonus and can even enhance your credibility.
• –YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS is often seen as more professional if it is a domain email address (like [email protected]) rather than a public email address like @GMAIL or @YAHOO.
• –YOUR CARD DESIGN should be professionally done and printed on high quality stock. This is not an area you want to skimp on.  Oftentimes the ONLY representation of your business is that little business card, so it NEEDS to be of high quality.  According to a survey by STATISTIC BRAIN:

“72% of people judge a company or person by the quality of their business cards. 39% of people would not do business with someone with a “cheap looking” business card.”

Other tips…

• You don’t have to give everyone your business card and it is often better to exchange business cards AFTER a conversation takes place. You want to earn it.  A good conversation that ends with a business card exchange is a way of saying “let’s continue this conversation later”.  Giving out your card randomly without good conversation is just like passing out pieces of paper that may ultimately end up in the trash.
• Have a stash of business cards somewhere. I learned this one from my friend and master networker, Jay White, who always has business cards in his truck and car.  Networking happens at more than just networking events so be prepared for that “pop-up” networking opportunity.

The bottom line is that the business card is alive and well.  It is universal requiring no special technology to make it work.  It is a low-cost, simple way to grow your business.  So, get out there and NETWORK and remember to bring those professionally designed physical business cards with you!

“When introducing yourself to someone new, there is no easier way to exchange contact information than having a business card ready to go. A printed business card, though, is more than just a piece of paper with your name, email, and phone number on it. It’s an opportunity to brand yourself in the best possible light. A high-quality design, combined with the right materials and finishes, can create a positive impression and showcase professionalism to your clients and industry contacts.”

– Kevin Reniers

Join us! (https://business.providencechamber.com/events/details/2026-statewide-business-after-hours-1134).

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Bob Salvas is a Professional Development Manager for the RI Builders Assn, a marketing consultant, and the coordinator of Momentum Networking, a monthly small business networking event that takes place in North Attleboro MA. Bob can be reached at 401-359-1602 or at [email protected].