Major corporations, small business owners and artists realize the importance of networking and keeping in touch with clients and potential customers. Business cards are key tools that leaders in the business and art industries use to initiate new relationships and to strengthen current business affiliations. Different types of business cards are available for you to use to establish valuable professional relationships.
Function
Business cards introduce professionals across industries to one another. Networking events and individual meetings are often used to distribute business cards. Even if you have passed your business card out to industry contacts before, handing a familiar contact your business card for the second time helps the person to remember you, which may, in turn, lead to a rewarding partnership.
Types
Plain black and white business cards without a logo are easiest to create. The drawback with a plain business card is that in a rolodex of hundreds of other business cards, it is hard for the plain business card to stand out.
Business cards with raised print and a logo design add personality and brand to your card. In addition, there are full-color business cards. The more color you use to create your business card, the more ink will be required.
Card paper used for cards comes in matte and glossy material. Some business cards are even made of magnetic paper so that the cards can stick to a refrigerator, the metal spine of a computer monitor or the metal side of an office desk.
Electronic business cards can be created at your personal computer, stored on your hard drive then emailed to potential customers, clients and business partners. Business cards can also be printed on rolodex card paper to allow for easy storage.
Features
Business cards that are patterned after your business logo and that use your company colors strengthen your brand. Key fields in business cards are: business or individual name, mailing address, telephone and fax numbers, email and website URL.
Benefits
It is easy to create a business card. With the creative software packages on the market today, you can design and print your own business cards. Additionally, business cards are inexpensive. Paper to print 250 business cards can be purchased for as little as $8. If you choose to have a printer create your business cards, some printers design and print 1000 business cards with raised lettering for about $17.
Business cards are convenient and easy to carry. When hole punched, business cards slide into a rolodex with ease, making it quick to locate a professional and make contact by telephone, email or in person. If you include your website URL on your business cards, you may see the numbers of visitors to your website increase.
Considerations
Because business cards are generally used to make and maintain professional contacts, creating cards with openings that slide onto a rolodex may extend the life of your business card. Keep in mind that you can also create a matching digital business cards, which are especially convenient for online networking.
