Let’s face it, whether you’re a business owner or an employee, everyone that has the potential to find themselves face to face with a customer or client needs a business card!
We’ve all experienced that gut-wrenching feeling, when we’re toe to toe with a potential customer or client, wrapping up a great conversation, only to reach into our pocket, wallet, or portfolio and come up empty handed.
Out of business cards!
Stuck with no way of quickly and effectively passing along our information in the moment. Sure, we could pull out our smart phone and exchange information, or request to connect on LinkedIn later, but without a business card, our actual chance of reconnecting just decreased significantly!
With everyone from kindergartners to grandmothers holding a digital device in their hands these days, it’s easy to understand why some people question the effectiveness of this traditional method. But even with the rapid achievements in technology and communications over the past few decades, nothing has surpassed the business card in quickly and effectively relaying our contact information to potential clients or customers.
According to Adobe, The number of sales a business captures increases by 2.5% for every 2000 business cards they pass out. Even further, over 27 Million Business cards are printed daily, so there must be some value there right?! But Adobe also goes on to illustrate that 88% of business cards handed out get thrown away in less than a week.
So, the question becomes, how do we optimize the effectiveness of our business cards?
Not All Business Cards Are Created Equal
According to experts such as this group of Psychologists at Princeton, people make up their mind about a person within the first 100 milliseconds of meeting them! That’s right…
We may be told from an early age not to judge a book by its cover, but as humans our brains naturally are designed to make these snap judgments, as a coping and survival mechanism.
In the same vein, of the roughly 10 billion business cards printed each year, 8 billion will be tossed within a week! Now combine that with the knowledge that….
“72 percent of people judge a company or person based on the quality of their business cards. And 39 percent of people would choose not to do business with a company if they had a “cheap looking” business card”
….and you can begin to see why this is such an important decision for a business owner to consider. What makes the 2 billion business cards that aren’t thrown out different and how can you harness that power?
There are several reasons responsible for the excessive amount of waste in the business card industry, one of which is poor handout etiquette.
Aside from that:
- Unprofessional Appearance – Understandably companies want to keep cost low, but you get what you pay for. Going cheap on business cards to spend in other areas of your business can seem like an easy trade off. But when you put your name on something, it needs to represent your company and stand out. Using generic, old, or low-quality cards is simply asking for your cards to be tossed.
- Lack of Color & Bad Printing – Quality matters, and people notice business cards with bad print jobs or poor color, for all the wrong reasons. Business cards that have been thoughtfully designed and produced with high quality printing and color stand out from the rest. They catch attention and generate buzz.
- No Value Add – Business cards should engage their recipients. That means they should be handed out with a purpose and a call to action. But that purpose and call to action will fall on deaf ears if not coupled with a card that is received well, liked, and respected.
- Bad Card Stock Quality – Do you want your card to be placed on flimsy paper that bends at the slightest touch, is cut oddly, lacks color consistency, or is a terrible overall representation of your company? Of course not! The feel and look of your cards matter. Your business card is a symbol of you and your company and in many cases is the first and only thing a customer sees before contacting you.
The Effect of Custom Plastic & Transparent Business Cards
There are a variety of benefits provided to businesses by utilizing custom plastic business cards. Sadly though, many companies don’t consider printing plastic or transparent stock and opt for the more traditional paper medium.
As we mentioned first impressions mean everything, and when you’re handing someone a card, be it a custom clear business card, a custom customer loyalty card, a VIP card, a custom membership card, a gift card, a key tag or any other type of card, being remembered is your top goal!
What better way to standout than with a unique business card that the recipient rarely or has never seen before.
- Custom Plastic cards have an immediate impact on people when you hand them out. Because they are more uncommon than traditional paper stock business cards, people take notice as soon as they hit their hand. This automatically allows potential clients or customers to associate your company with one that’s different from others.
- These cards are VERY durable. The typical custom plastic business card or transparent business card has a shelf life much longer than a traditional paper stock card, and they maintain their integrity on wallets and purses much longer. This means the chances of your customers holding onto them longer, and your business’s contact details, increase.
- Custom transparent business cards leave a lasting impression. Because of their unique designs and make up customers remember your business. You have differentiated yourself from the normal group of cards and will be remembered for it, removing friction from a potential deal.
- They have a perceived value. A custom plastic card gives a feel very similar to that of a credit card, or hotel room key. This subconsciously assigned weight of credibility and industry leadership to your company. If you have the budget to invest in something different like this, business must be doing well! The durability of a paper business card just does not cut it! Supplying your interested customers with a durable, plastic business card tells them right off the bat that you’re not afraid to invest in your company, and that you’re successful and serious about what you do.
The plastic card industry is evolving and expanding through new printing technologies and increasing interest, as businesses swap from the traditional card to plastic. This means plastic cards (including plastic business cards for companies or individuals) are affordable and accessible to the vast majority of business across the world.
The results of utilizing one of these cards is a very classy, professional, and unique look to your business cards that will keep them out of the trash and in the purse, folio fold, briefcase, or wallet they were intended for.
Remember, a business card is a representation of the business for which it’s advertising. Best Plastic Cards ensures that our clients business cards are an asset to their company, providing long term value, and not being thrown in the trash! Our products encourage you to make a memorable first impression by throwing out those standard white paper business cards that have been giving you no luck, and evolving into a modern, transparent, plastic business card that won’t tear, fold, or get grouped with the rest of the trash.
Partner together today with Best Plastic Cards and stop the revenue from escaping through your business card program. Harness the power of standing and making a lasting impression.