Introduction
We all know how important a business card is for business owners. It is one of the essentials for them because it helps them to establish a stronger network in the market. It is not just a networking tool for all kinds of businesses but also a medium by which they can strengthen their empire throughout the globe. It might be just a piece of paper but to the business owners it is so much more than that. And in today’s world, with the presence of digital business card; it has become so much easier to slide one in anyone’s inbox.
With digital presence being an utmost necessity for every kind of business owners these digital business cards have also created a buzz in the market. Although the use of printed business cards is still going on, yet the digital counterpart has been gripping the society. This has also created a bit of confusion amongst the small and medium business owners. These are those sectors of the market in which the owners do not have a lot of funds to exhaust in the marketing tools. And isn’t a business card one of the elements of this? So let’s have a look at the various aspects of both these things and understand which of them is better in today’s business world.
Comparing digital and printed business cards for making a better decision
There are multiple aspects that we can consider while comparing these both business cards head on. Let’s have a look at the pros and cons of both of these so that it will become easier for you to understand which of these will be helpful.
Understanding a printed business card better
Before going directly into the pros and cons of a printed business card let’s have a look at its definition. So that we can understand what it exactly is. Usually a printed business card is a small paper that holds the name of the person, their organization, and other contact details. People often share it with their clients and customers so that whenever they need these products; they can connect with the business owners or their representatives.
Having said this, your paper business card also has the logo design or the emblem of your organization on it. Now after understanding about this card let’s get into its advantages and disadvantages.
Advantages of using a printer business card for your organization
Before we decide which of these is better let’s have a look at the advantages of printed business cards. And try to understand whether they are going to be helpful in today’s world or not.
1.The value of a personal touch
There is a very common saying that, “people will always remember how you make them feel.” This is a very strong and deep statement and having a printed business card makes it better to understand. One of the biggest advantages of having a printed business card is that you always hand it out to your clients or customers in person.
While doing so you not only exchange your contact details but also personally create a connection with the person you are handing out the card to. And in the longer run this helps in creating a loyal customer base which is very important for a business to grow.
2.It can be creative endlessly
Now the next thing that these cards offer is a chance to show your creativity endlessly. There is no fixed dimension, type, color, any other factor of a card. You can create it the way you want and put on details as you like. For the designer there is an endless possibility of making the card visually appealing. And for a lot of business owners this has given them the edge that’s required for getting ahead of their business.
3.You can quickly make an impression
You might have already heard the proverb, “1st impression is the last impression.” And by using a printed business card you can use this proverb to your benefit. How, you may ask. According to a survey this has been seen that the average attention span of clients and customers is not more than six seconds. That means you need to create the first impression very quickly. And by simply offering the tangible business card to a person can be the catch.
Disadvantages of have a printed business card
Now, let’s have a look at the flip side of the coin to understand what all things will work negatively if you use the printed cards.
1.The cost of getting it printed
Actually one of the biggest setbacks of using a printed business card for the small business owners is the printing and designing cost. And this is not it, the printing cost is a recurring one. Therefore for the business owners who have a crunch in their marketing and networking tool funds, this is going to be a problematic situation.
2.You need to update them often
Another very important thing that you should keep in mind while deciding on having a bunch of paper business cards is that it is surely going to be expensive because you have to keep updating them. In this business world, not only the contact details but addition of social media platforms, new hiring, and a lot of other things can add up to the process. And when all of this comes into play you will have to keep changing the cards and it might become expensive in the longer run.
Understanding a printed business card better
Digital cards are the future and many small to large business owners have been inclined towards it. These cards are also quick and share your contact information but you do not have to visit your client to do that. Even if you are having a conference meeting over a video call you can still share the card with them. The power of digital business cards is that they can be shared with your clients and customers online.
And not only this there are multiple other factors that can steer you to deciding on getting a digital card for your organization and all the members. So let’s have a quick look at the advantages and disadvantages of having this card.
Advantages of using a printer business card for your organization
Although creating business cards online is one of the best ways to do business we should still first have a look at both the aspects of this. Then only it will be easier for business owners to decide whether they have to go for the printed on the digital cards for their business networking.
1.Editing is simple
Like we have already discussed in the printed counterpart this virtual business cards have simple editing and are cost effective. You do not have to create everything all over again whenever there is a small or big change. Editing this card is quite simple and even a big change can be done using software in a computer or a mobile. You do not have to worry about creating hundreds of cards over and over.
2.Creating interactive business cards
How much ever creativity you show on a printed card is surely going to be blurred in front of its electronic business card counterpart. That is the case when you have a soft copy of this business card you can make the changes on your own. Every person or every department of your company can have a different card for themselves. They can design it or get it designed by someone without having to spend a lot of money. It just requires some time and a bit of creativity. As simple as that therefore it gives you an edge over the other things.
3.Cost effective
Considering both these factors we can surely say that digital business cards are highly cost-effective. And for business owners who have a crunch in their department this is going to be a great hack. Therefore if you switch to having these visiting cards you can surely use the saved money in other departments.
Disadvantages of have a printed business card
As we have already discussed, there are advantages and disadvantages for both these types. So let us have a look at the disadvantages of electronic business cards.
1. Inaccessible for many
We know that there are different types of people living in this world and not everyone likes to exchange contact details online. Some fear that doing so might adversely affect their business and reputation. This has been one of the setbacks for this type of card.
2.You won’t be able to personally hand it out to someone
Surely electronic cards can be circulated to multiple people by just one touch. But what about the personal touch that we have talked about in the printed business card section? That would be lacking here, isn’t it? Therefore this is one of the biggest advantages of using a digital form of your card. You won’t be able to establish a personal bond.
Conclusion
So we have now discussed both printed and digital business cards, understanding about them and looking at the advantages and disadvantages. With all of this information you can now consider yourself well equipped to decide which of these will be there with you. Just to add on to this thing, we wish to tell you that a lot of business owners have invested in both of these cards. And they have access to both of these.
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