Business cards have been around for five centuries and still matter. The small pieces of paper are still used by many people today for a reason. Business cards are an effective form of direct marketing and a valuable networking tool. They provide a quick way to share contact information and give people the ability to follow up.
Business cards communicate who you are. They are a direct representation of you and your business. This is actually where the branding of your business starts. You know your brand is not what you say you are, right? It is what impression people get after interacting with you or your business. So you might want to consider carefully what message you want to send out. What will your business card say about you?
Digital Business Card
How many business cards should I print? That’s exactly the question you are not going to ask yourselves anymore. Printing business cards on small pieces of paper makes less and less sense for startups or small businesses trying to rub elbows with the elite. The last thing you want is spending money on printing cards. You will be even better off providing an example of how anyone can preserve a bit of our nature.
People receive hundreds of business cards per year. So don’t hesitate to try something with a “wow” factor. Business cards are a vital part of your marketing mix. Thanks to mobile wallet technology, they can be much more effective than before. There is a lot of competition out there, and it is growing every day. Getting someone’s attention is not an easy thing to do these days. A digital business card is one of the most cost-effective tools for creating awareness.
I understand that switching from a paper business card to a digital business card still can take some time. But the world has already gone mobile. People have their mobile phones with them everywhere they go. To share your digital business card, you can choose among multiple options such as text message, email, QR Code, LinkedIn profile, and other social media, websites, and messaging apps like Messenger or WhatsApp. Your digital business card serves as a smart bookmark to your business on the mobile phones of people you met. It can’t be lost. People don’t need an internet connection to access your information. It is right there, on people’s mobile phones, in their pockets – ready and waiting.
You don’t have to throw them away repeatedly if there is a new logo, additional physical location, or any other change. On top of that your digital business card looks fantastic on mobile phones, it can be updated at any time. This allows you to keep your information always relevant and up to date. And you are able to connect with all people you have met upon updating your digital business card.
Your digital business card is interactive. The mobile wallet allows for the most direct form of communication without emails or text messages once people have added it to there. You can send a push notification directly to the lock screen of your prospects, grabbing their attention and standing out from the rest of the marketing messages they receive.
Your digital business card is dynamic. The clickable links on the backside allow people – in a convenient way directly from their mobile phone – to read your blog, view your video message, or listen to your podcast. People can also open your LinkedIn profile and other social media, visit your website, download a brochure, make a one-click reservation of a meeting or presentation. And of course to call you or to drop you a message without searching for your contact details.
Your digital business card can make a powerful impression on prospective clients.
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Ladislav Poledna inspires readers to “Become Digital” by publishing materials about digital marketing in his Prague Monitor column and aptly named blog. He has built a career around developing successful customer relationships for the past two decades. At present, Ladislav manages the Power Solutions division of a Fortune 1000 company in Central and Eastern Europe and also oversees operations of the producer’s regional office in Prague. Recently, he co-founded a B-to-B software service company making mobile marketing affordable and easy to use. Ladislav’s philanthropic contribution consists of a long-term relationship with a charity focused on funding dreams for people with muscular dystrophy.
Becomedigital.life
Mobile phones are long becoming the main “screen” in peoples’ lives. Mobile marketing is no longer an innovation but a part of important decisions. Read articles on mobile marketing to get inspired on how to connect with people where they spend a lot of their time. Become Digital.
