Do I Still Need a Business Card?

This is a sponsored post by PrintRunner.com

Do you still carry a business card?  I’ve really gotten out of the habit.  After all, most of my correspondence is by email and I have all the standard business card information in the signature.  It doesn’t cost me anything and it’s easy for people who get my emails to simply cut and paste the contact info into their contact database.

But that doesn’t mean that business cards are obsolete!

No matter what your business, you’re going to need printed business cards — it’s just that the kind of information that you put on there may not be the traditional information you’re used to putting on there.

In this short post, I’m going to give you some options for business cards that you can use to update your business card for the way we connect today.

What to put on your business card

No matter what — you still need:

Your Name.  Here is something you may never have thought about when it comes to your name — your name is your brand — be CONSISTENT.  Make sure that the name on your business card matches the name on all your online profiles.  For example – if people know you as Jack or Ed — then make sure that the name on your business card is Jack or Ed and not John or Edward.  Then make sure that your LinkedIn profile uses Jack or Ed — and NOT John or Edward.  Remember that people will use your business card — to follow you online.  So make sure that the names all match.

Address.  WHICH addresses should you use?

• If you run a virtual business (like I do) you’ll want to make sure that all your VIRTUAL addresses are on there.  This includes email, Twitter, LinkedIn, Web Sites, etc.
• List BOTH your physical and shipping address since most packages won’t come to PO boxes.

Phone.

• Be sure to put a CELL PHONE number on your card so that people can reach you.
• Fax — If you are in a business that still takes faxes, list the fax number

Picture.

• With social media being so prevalent, it’s a great idea to include a picture of yourself.  Have professional head shots taken and use them for your social media icons as well as on your business card.  This doesn’t have so much to do with “vanity”, rather, it’s a practicality issue.  People will take your business card and they will want to connect with you on LinkedIn and they will want to make sure they have the right person.

Does Design Matter?

The short answer to that is “yes” and “no”.  I wouldn’t go investing thousands of dollars in design.  But good design really DOES matter.  Your business card is what your business wears to make a first impression.  When people see a poorly designed business card, they are left with a mediocre impression of you and your business.

Don’t worry.  You don’t need to hire an expensive designer to get a good business card design.  There are some terrific, affordable business card printing services out there that can bring your ideas to life.

A new one I recently discovered is called PrintRunner.com.  If you have your own design, then you can easily upload it and have to printed.  And if you feel that you’re like me — in the design-challenged class, then use their design services.  You’ll get a professional looking card at an affordable price.