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In today's world of e-mail, Palm Pilots, cell phones and social networks, are business cards obsolete? A resounding "NO" say most business experts, who agree that a professional-looking business card helps your networking effort and enables prospective customers to easily connect with you.
Still, business cards have changed, or should we say, evolved, from the days of the black and white traditional card. While certainly still appropriate for professionals like lawyers and physicians, today's best business cards are memorable ones: creative, whimsical or, occasionally, flat-out off the wall.
A business card, in its best form, should reflect a person's professional personality. We've heard of a particularly flamboyant casino executive who shunned the traditional business card route in favor of contact information imprinted upon a $100 blackjack chip. Designers, graphic and otherwise, have been known to request round, oblong or other unusually-shaped cards in materials that range from clear plastic to rubber or sturdy fabric, instead of the more common card stock. And colors? Don't even ask.
Your options when it comes to today's business cards are endless. But, no matter what format you choose for your card, following a few simple rules will make sure your cards mean business:
Cards Mean Business
6/19/09
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• Be Prepared - Always carry your business card so that you will be prepared in the event of a chance meeting with a potential business connection. No card might be perceived as a lack of commitment to your business.
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• Two-Faced - Use the reverse side of your business card to expand on your credentials. A decorator might present a "before" and "after" photo, for example.
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• Quality Counts - A business card for trades like plumbing, painting and carpentry need not be elaborate but using heavy, quality paper stock denotes quality in your work as well as your image.
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• Think Before You Print - Including your cell phone number on your card? Make sure your cell greeting is a professional one.
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• Don't Get Too Crazy - A business card CD might seem like a forward-thinking move that demonstrates your allegiance to the latest technology, but it's useless if a prospective customer is not at the computer when he or she needs to contact you.
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• Weigh the Benefits - A magnetic card may be affixed to a computer or other metal surface for handy access, but if it's slipped into a recipient's pocket, watch out! It can easily demagnetize a hotel card key or electronic I.D., making your card and, by extension, you, a negative in the mind of this potential customer!
