8 Reasons You Still Need Personal Business Cards - and How to Make the Most of Them
8 Reasons Why You Still Need Personal Business Cards
Are you wondering whether you still need personal business cards? Well put simply, the answer to that question is yes. Click here to see why!
Close your eyes and try to think of the last time you handed someone a business card. Maybe it was just the other day, or maybe you can't even remember when you used a business card to connect rather than an email address or another online messaging system.
Everything seems to be digital now. But, gestures like sending handwritten letters and printing personal business cards still have value. The key to using such "old-school" methods of doing business is knowing how to leverage them in this day and age.
Printed business cards make you stand out. They show your attention to detail and high level of professionalism. Here are all the ways you can use business cards to your advantage.
1. To Offer Service to Potential Clients
The most traditional use of business cards is to gain exposure for your company and connect with leads. You never know, the next stranger who sits next to you on an airplane or the person behind you in line at the coffee shop could be your next big customer.
But, since these interactions happen in passing, you need something to help make these connections stick. Otherwise, you risk being just another stranger someone engages in small talk with throughout the day.
In other words, you lose your chance and become forgettable. Keep this from happening by handing a business card to every person you make a good connection with.
Don't hand them out left and right, though. Just keep your eyes open for a chance to turn a casual interaction into a mutually profitable opportunity. If you really want to be proactive about moving forward, ask for the other person's business card, too!
2. To Create More Partnerships
Not every lead is a potential customer. Sometimes, the people you make a good connection with potential business partners.
Maybe you know the person you always see in your gym works in investments. Maybe you attend a local event with top business leaders, and you're scanning the room for a few people to pitch ideas to.
Either way, whenever you want to continue the conversation, you have to hand out your personal business cards. Give them to the partners you've been in conversation with for a while as well as the individual you just met. You never know when the simple exchange of contact information will turn into a lasting business venture.
3. To Recruit
When you think of potential business partners, investors and mentors probably come to mind first. But, never underestimate the effect the right hiring decisions can have on your business.
Talent is all around you if you look for it. It's the recent college graduate you shake hands with at the convenience store and the person a friend from your old job introduces you to. These individuals may seem a little fresh, but they have the potential to take your business to the next level.
Sometimes, all they need is a little encouragement. The next time you meet someone who may be suited for a job opening you have, give them your business card. The ball is then in their court to act on the offer and move forward.
This doesn't mean everyone who continues the conversation is going to be a good fit. But, you'd be surprised what kind of amazing employees come from everyday interactions.
4. To Connect with Old Friends
As valuable as the right team is for your business, having the right people in your personal network is just as important. Sometimes, you lose touch with the individuals that matter most, though.
When was the last time you talked to your college roommate? Has it been years since you've spoken to some childhood friends? People naturally part ways for many different reasons, including:
- moving away
- getting married and starting a family
- beginning a new romantic relationship
- starting a new job
- opening a business
These are activities that require a significant amount of a person's time, and that start to change their daily routine. Although you may not mean to drift away from certain friendships this distance often happens, it's natural.
Thankfully, old friendships can just as easily come back together as they drift apart, especially when there are no hard feelings. The next time you bump into someone from your past whom you miss, give them your business card. It's a casual way of saying you'd like to catch up and reconnect, which often results in great friendships.
5. To Boost Your Romantic Life
There are great friendships and then there are firey, movie-like love stories. If you're single, you should always keep a few business cards on-hand. This may not be among the most popular uses of business cards, but it still has a certain charm to it.
Instead of asking for someone's number, hand them your business card instead. This solves two common problems of picking up a girl or a guy. The first is the issue of moving too fast or being a little awkward when asking for a number, the second problem is the scenario that goes through your head when deciding how to reach out.
Putting your personal business card in the other person's hand gives them the responsibility of reaching out. Plus, it does so in a casual, confident manner!
You won't get calls and texts from every person you give your number to. Still, the right partner for you is out there, and he or she may just need a little bit of encouragement to make the first move.
Make sure you have your business cards the next time you go out for dinner or grab a drink. You never know who will catch your eye, and all you have to do is take up a few minutes of their time to offer your business card and set things in motion!
6. To Best Represent Your Business
The one condition of using personal business cards as part of your dating game is to proceed with caution. You don't want complete strangers calling you on your personal line or badgering your work phone.
At the end of the day, the main function of personal business cards is to represent your business. This applies whether you're part of a large, multi-national corporation or if you're a small business owner. Always think about putting your best foot forward no matter if you're talking to a potential customer, partner, or someone of personal interest.
Some ways to do this with personal business cards are:
- don't give out a card to someone who hasn't expressed any interest
- talk about the other person too, not just yourself
- ask for the other person's business card to show genuine interest
The last thing you want to do is have a great title or the name of a well-respected business on your card, only to not live up to those standards. An executive level employee, for example, probably shouldn't be hitting on young women at bars.
Similarly, the entry-level employee of a large firm should be wary of making a bad first impression on potential partners or employees. This may hinder the relationship the company is trying to create.
7. To Get the Job
Although personal business cards are a representation of your company, they are also a representation of you as an individual. When you're on the job hunt, create business cards as a sort of mini-resume.
This way, you're able to leverage everyday interactions into possible interviews and job opportunities. Just as high-level managers and business leaders know how to network on plane rides and in coffee shops, there's no reason you can't do the same. All you have to do is put yourself out there.
Start by creating a set of personal business cards that express the line of work you're trying to get into and show a little bit of your personality. Put a personal method of contact - like your cell phone or private email - not the contact information of your current workplace.
Also, don't skimp out on the printing quality. Print your business cards on the "good paper" and make sure all your design details are saved in high resolution.
8. To Win Raffles or Drawings
Sometimes the purpose of business cards is to get the job of your dreams, and sometimes you use them to get the girl/guy of your dreams. Then, there are moments when the drop of a business card into a raffle makes you a winner!
Many restaurants do this as a way to offer loyal customers a free meal or even free catering for their entire company. Other businesses will set up a raffle for cash prizes and donations meant to be used as gifts. These raffles will be hosted by various establishments, or as part of a fundraising event or silent auction.
Whatever the situation, having a business card handy may be the luck you need.
Putting Personal Business Cards to Use
Personal business cards are not meant to just sit in your wallet. There are many ways to make use of these amazing tools, from internal company expansion to entering new markets to simply getting back in the game.
But, none of these things are possible without a set of business cards! Design your cards today, then contact us to get them printed.