With all the focus on social media and other digital resources today, some individuals and companies fail to keep in mind the time-tested utility of business cards.
While some types of printed materials like brochures and other literature are being phased out, people are still carrying business cards. The reason has to do with the very specific ways that we network and move within our two different digital and physical worlds.
The Real-World Networking Puzzle
Think about how people actually exchange information in the field. You walk up to someone — maybe you’re at a trade convention, or a government meeting, or some kind of demo at a local business. There’s a crowd milling around. There’s a lot going on. And you want to reach a specific person and introduce yourself.
In these kinds of situations, the business card is as important as the handshake. Digital tools haven’t replace the handshake as an efficient way to introduce yourself — and they haven’t replaced business cards either.
Why is that? It’s because of some relatively subtle and specific types of body language that we’re all comfortable with. Most of us smart phone carriers are still not comfortable using our devices to try to get people’s contact information when we’re out and about. We don’t take time to take out the iPhone, type in someone’s name and phone number and company information, while we’re in a crowd we’re trying to do something else in a physical environment, unless there’s no other option. Mostly, we prefer paper. In terms of easy digital swapping, we’re not quite there yet. Maybe someday, they’ll make a new feature where you just rub your smartphones together and the digital business card comes from one to another, but we’re nowhere near that point.
Taking a physical business card is an activity that only takes a second. But it conveys all that critical information — not just your name and phone number, but your job title and what you do, and who you work for and where you’re located.
You could argue that business cards often make their way directly into the trash can, and in some cases you’d be right. But they’re still the most effective way to exchange information when you’re not behind the keyboard.
Looking at Networking and First Impressions
At Websubstance, we can help you make sure that your marketing impressions are complementary across both the digital and physical worlds. Just like you design your business card for maximum readability and impact, your website project has to be engineered in the same way. You want readers to be comfortable, and you want them to be able to access the right information quickly. You want your web project to look well-put-together, so that it gives the impression of a company with money and resources.
Let us help to achieve all of this on your website, so that you look good on the street and on the web as well.
