What Does Your Business Card Say about You?

By Laurie Hileman

When was the last time you evaluated your company’s business card? For many, it’s treated as a fix-it-and-forget-it business commodity, an antiquated cost of doing business. The result: You look and feel like everyone else.

Feel? Yes, feel.

In today’s increasingly digital world, this little 2-by-3½-inch piece of prime real estate is one of the few opportunities a customer or prospect has to physically interact with you and your brand. The weight, texture, design, and finish all speak to who you are, what you believe, and what type of clients you expect to attract.

So, what does your card say about you? Here’s a look at top trends in business cards this year (you’ll be surprised how easy they are to incorporate).

27,397,260

Number of business cards printed daily.*

Don’t Forget the Back

The backside of your business card is a great way to differentiate yourself without cluttering the front of the card. Consider these ideas from the website Small-BizSense.****

• OFFER A DISCOUNT
• GENERATE LEADS (WITH QR CODE TO LANDING PAGE)
• INCENTIVE REFERRAL
• SHOWCASE A TESTIMONIAL
• OFFER A FREE CONSULTATION
• INCLUDE BUY-ONE-GET-ONE FREE OFFERS

Trending Touches

Minimalist design and eco-friendly touches are two of the latest trends in business card design, according to founder and chief digital strategist Abi Stoker at the New York-based Little Digital Co.*** Other ways to make your card stand out:

• UNUSUAL SHAPES
• EDGE PAINTING
• DIE CUTS
• EMBOSSING
• FOILS

Sources: 

* http://www.statisticbrain.com/business-card-statistics/

** https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/innovations/wp/2015/08/19/business-cards-stubborn-holdouts-in-the-digital-revolution/

*** https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/3-beautiful-business-card-design-trends-were-loving-right-abi-stock

****http://small-bizsense.com/back-of-business-cards/