In today’s digital world, physical forms of marketing such as business cards are often given short shrift; with many writing them off as outdated and comparatively ineffective in relation to their more technologically advanced competition. There is no denying that online marketing methods like social media and email marketing are easy to use, but their use, while far reaching, is still not quite ubiquitous. This presents some marketing gaps that physical marketing techniques; business cards in particular, are more than able to fill.
Drive visitors to your social media channels, therefore increasing engagement
It may sound obvious, but this is an excellent way to build engagement on online platforms; it makes your details readily available to interested parties, while also plainly and obviously listing your essential digital locations and communication vectors. If your company is focussing on client acquisition or marketing via LinkedIn, then your business card can funnel prospective clients directly there, rather than wasting their time trying to locate you on other websites and services that your business doesn’t have as large a presence on.
This is also helpful when dealing with potential clients that aren’t particularly tech-savvy; presenting an opportunity to impress them with your know-how, while wasting a minimal amount of their time. Adding a QR code onto your business card, linking to your most comprehensive social media profile or customer facing website, is a novel way to drive web-traffic to the right areas.
Increase awareness of your brand and further promote your brand identity
Everyone remembers the adage “First impressions are the most lasting”, and it’s definitely worth keeping in mind when designing your business card. From a more general perspective, a well-designed business card introduces your company to potential clients in the strongest possible way, giving a solid idea of what your business offers, as well as a taste of what they can expect from your company in regards to culture and values. In the simplest term, a creative online marketing agency’s business card would connote a sense of their enthusiasm and imagination; while a wholesale building materials merchant would instead be trying to give an air of knowledgeable reliability.
This is still important in terms of synergy with online marketing efforts; giving potential clients an idea of what to expect from working with you, while encouraging them to look closer at web-based materials, that support and build upon the information and style found on the business card itself.
Provide potential clients and employees with a number of different contact options
Another advantage of business card usage is that the information contained on it is available no matter what the status of the recipient’s internet connection, or the status of the various applications they use. Easily accessible contact alternatives are essential in a world where connections, programmes and websites can go offline at any time, for a multitude of reasons.
As well as providing a range of alternative contact options, it’s also worth noting that distributing business cards will allow you to have a greater degree of control over the demographic make-up of those seeking your business online; ensuring that a larger proportion of visits to your online real estate will bear useful results or conversions.
