Business cards - Trend revolutionized

Business cards bear information about a company/individual. These were best used for formal introductions, but lately have found their way in casual client talks and even prove as an important resource in encounters with the to be clients. Standard business cards come in 2 x 3 inches, rectangles although creative custom card designs have been made using a variety of materials. The fact that it can be carried around easily in quite large numbers is an added advantage.

Business cards are still the de facto standards in exchanging connections even in this century where digital era has taken levels unexpected. This reason being attributable to the human factor in the equation, which can nevertheless be replaced by any e-emoticon possible. All thanks to eye contact and good verbal skills.

Business cards/name cards still remain the base and backbone of marketing and networking. A good business card is not just a tool for giving your info out to your prospects, but an opportunity to connect with them on a personal level.

Business cards usually serve the following purpose:                  

• Source of info: The front of a business card usually has the name of the business person/firm/industry/organisation along with the apt details needed to contact them. They also give you the right details on what exactly the services provided by them are.

• Advertisement: It’s a walking billboard! Anyone holding the card in their hands would instantly relate himself or herself with your brand when the need arises. What more, they can always be passed and carried on, increasing the number of clients.

Traditionally the business cards were simple black text on a white background, owing to the restricted printing services. But now there are an array of business card models, which blend style and utility. Now, the basic look of a business card would definitely include a striking visual design, taking the customer satisfaction to the next level.

With more and more people focusing on the printing business, its important to bear few things while getting name cards printed. If you want people to contact you, you should tell them how to. For this you need to sort out the exact details to be included- the exact meaning the needed.

• Name and designation: As obvious it seems! However the number of people who lose clients because of this reason is plenty. Most of them get it wrong.
  
  Name - Make it precise. Avoid 3^rd and fourth names (yes, some do give that!) unless and until it helps you in specifically identifying and reaching out to the person.
  
  Job title - You may hold a variety of designation, especially if you happen to own a startup/or is a freelancer. But what goes into your job title should be the one that describes your main function in the best form. For example: CEO, President and Chairman – these may not give you a correct idea bout what the person whom you have just left really do. Instead if u make it specific enough describing the exact divided part of the task that you do, you are giving your clients an inhibition and confusion free zone to contact you when the need comes.

• Logo and tagline: Your logo is all yours. These may include shapes designs words colours that describes and features your brand identity. They should serve the purpose of “instant recognition” when seen clasped in another hand/displayed by any means! Make sure u give adequate space for the same.
  
  
• Contact number and email id: If you want your clients to contact you, you need to give them a 24*7 (or little less) phone line preferably with no intermediate to confuse them. Know that no person would want to dial a number in the wish of getting needed information and instead end up in a digital phone line with a digital menu and talk to fine personnel’s before talking to you.

• Quality of the paper: Selecting high quality paper is one of the most important things that go in to categorising your card into standards. Matt cards, which are comparatively thicker and thus remain durable for a long time are preferred by some. They are often fading proof. Gloss laminated cards: glossy and shiny, often on both sides, adding great aesthetic value is preferred too.

• Colour scheming/designing/creativity: This should go hand in hand as this is where the printing enterprises out law the others. The extent of creativity with elegance goes into making the best market, yes of course at affordable prices. The colour code should go in with the logo or brand colour. Let your customers have the pleasure of selecting from a set of designs weaved by you.

• Clean free space: The last but most important! Ever seen cards that are overfilled with data that you feel literally nauseous? The kind of confusion and irritation an overstuffed business card brings in can never be compared to anything what so ever. This can be avoided if you bear a simple point in your mind- the whole idea of business cards is not to detail the bits an details of your enterprise to your clients, it is an invitation to connect with you, so that you can give them only the apt info as required.
  
  Always and always avoid unnecessary clutter and focus on producing a business card with just what they need to come to you!

• Image and font: Some brands prefer to keep the profession images of the company/firm. Going by the customer choice is advised, but providing them with basic standard design is our responsibility. Focus on the font- aligned left to right with legible fonts. 

• And lastly, present your business cards in person to person, and with eye contact!! That will fetch you the maximum number of customers!