On an average day, millions of business cards around the world change hands, effectively creating new connections and forging new opportunities for success. With less time to waste, it’s now clear that business cards are the prime form of communication that prevents people from wasting their time on small talk while still providing the right information to know about the other person.
What the modern business card symbolizes
Nowadays, the modern business card has become a communicational device that has gone beyond merely being a well-crafted piece of paper that has a few contact details in it. Business cards have ascended to acting as a first impression that sticks with your new contact. Thanks to the millions of possibilities to customize a business card, it’s much easier to craft your card in a way that allows it to embody:
- Your personality
- Your brand
- Your company
- Your work values
- Your character as a businessperson
A well-designed and carefully-constructed card acts as a hook. It can stick in the mind of someone you give it to until they give you a call to learn more about what you’re offering.
Due to its nimble size and portability, a business card can be easily passed from person to person, essentially passing your message to everyone who gets a hold of it. While the past may have defined the business card as one of the most valuable and effective networking tools, today’s standards have allowed it to transcend to the point where a good card acts as a small meeting in itself.
Having a great card, however, isn’t as simple as what many people may think. It often entails planning, keeping track of details, and some trial-and-error. Unfortunately, millions of businesspeople find themselves dissatisfied with the performance of their business cards but are well-unaware of the mistakes that they incur when making them.
Common business card mistakes to avoid
Fortunately, you won’t have to suffer the effects of having an ineffective card by not getting a call back from a prospect or being the laughing stock of the corporate world. Below are two of the most common mistakes that you should avoid when making your business card:
1. You aren’t distributing your business cards properly
Distributing business cards—contrary to popular belief—shouldn’t be done in the same way as if you are giving out freebies to everyone. In fact, you have to be selective when it comes to doing so.
Come up with a list of people that you want to give your business card to and distinguish high-quality leads from people who wouldn’t care about your card. When handing out your business cards, apply a selective approach when selecting who you should give them to.
How you give your business cards matters as well because a firm and professional, yet easygoing approach will intrigue the recipient better. On the other hand, an overly-aggressive approach can easily give the wrong impression that will drive potential customers away.
2. You don’t make the most out of your opportunities to differentiate your card
One common error that most people tend to make when making their business cards is that they simply put their name, number, and office address on it. Then, they expect to have calls flying in, which is never really the case.
As more business people and entrepreneurs realize that investing in a business card is vital for success, the number of cards that you’ll have to compete with increases as well. To avoid having your card become part of the 63 per cent of cards that are thrown away within five minutes after being received, it is essential that you make your card stand out. From busting out a captivating card design to choosing the right grammage, there are various ways to make your card unique enough to keep, so make sure to use them to your advantage.
Having an effective business card greatly entails avoiding the common mistakes that can be made while creating it. This is especially true when it comes to the two previously-mentioned mistakes on this list. By taking note of the common mistakes mentioned in this article, you can avoid going through an unnecessarily-long trial and error phase before you create the perfect card!
If you’re looking for a business card printing service in London, get in touch with us to see how we can help.
