5 Facts About Business Cards That Might Surprise You


Digital has not killed the business card star: 
When MTV first started, the very first video was called “Video Killed The Radio Star”. The idea was that video would replace radio over time. However, that didn’t really happen and instead, the overall pie just became larger. The same dynamic works with the professional business card: the past 30 years have been full of digital innovations designed to replace the traditional card. These innovations continually fall short of the mark. Instead, the printed card market is stronger than ever.

A double-sided card can help customers remember you:
A couple of decades ago, Carl Karcher, the CEO of Carl’s Jr. restaurants, used to hand out his personal card at events. On the back was a coupon for a hamburger. Interestingly enough, most people that received them did not use the card to redeem their coupon. They kept them as a visible sign that they had made a contact. It only takes 7 seconds to make a first impression. Adding an incentive or useful information to the back of your card will help people remember you.

White remains the most popular background color:
Although professionals are using different types of backgrounds for their card, white continues to be the most popular background color with two or more ink colors in the design.

Different highway, different travel rules: 
When doing commerce abroad, knowing a few simple rules will make your experience a lot better. In Japan, only exchange your card with someone at the other company with the same rank as you. If someone with a higher rank exchanges their card with you, consider it to be an honor. You also want to handle their card with your right hand and make sure to look at it carefully and sound out their name and title to ensure that you know who they are and how to say their name. Finally, make sure you are familiar with the country’s protocol in presenting cards and practice for a few minutes before you go.

Organizing cards is its own industry:
Need ideas on what to do with the cards you receive? Some people use card albums to display the business cards of people they are currently working with. Others use card files to store contacts so they can be easily accessed. Digitizing the card image with a cell phone and then storing the card is another organization style that is growing in popularity.

Overall, using a professional card while doing business remains a standard behavior for businesspeople in most countries. Not having a card to give out when you meet someone will sharply decrease the chances they will remember you!

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