Are business cards still worthwhile? According to this infographic from Colourfast they are still highly effective in the business world. The essential message is that no business card is better than a bad business card as 72% of people judge a company or person on the quality of their business card. Remember that business cards are not expensive so it’s the one area where you really shouldn’t be watching the pennies.
Make sure all of the crucial elements are included in it and take the time to make sure the card is absolutely perfect before committing to the final design. One point where people have different opinions is if you should add a photo to your business card. Many believe you should add it as people will remember faces and not cards. This may be a slightly industry dependent but it is certainly something worth considering.
Another thing to remember about business cards is that you don’t need to give them to absolutely everyone but you should be prepared. Just because you printed a thousand business cards the week before a conference, doesn’t mean they need to be given to every Tom, Dick and Harry you meet. A good rule of thumb is to give a business card to anyone with whom you shake hands as this is generally a good indicator as to whether you’ve made a real connection.
Having said that, no matter where you are you should also have a few business cards in your wallet. Not all business occurs at conferences and who’s to say who you’ll meet in the grocery store or while on vacation.
The infographic below takes you through the subtle differences in business etiquette you need to be aware of, especially if you’re doing business in different parts of the world such as Japan or China.