Are business cards dead? Or dying?

I’m Seeing a Lot of Online, Digital, and App-Based Business Card Options of Late.

Like card.ly for example.

Or that iPhone app where you just bump phones and your contact details are magically shared.

Well, a lot of people are saying that applications like these have rendered the old fashioned business card, dead.

Or dying.

Frankly, I Couldn’t DISAGREE More.

Is there a place for these applications? Absolutely. Will a lot of people use them? Surely they will. But that doesn’t mean that business cards don’t have a long, useful life ahead of them.

In fact, from a business building standpoint (especially small local businesses) I think traditional business cards that can be seen and felt have a lot greater potential than a novel fist bump. Why? Because a good business card gets people to LOOK at it. It makes an actual impression and encourages people to pay attention to it. And not just to contact details, but more importantly to a marketing message.

In essence, a GOOD business card is like a powerful ad matched with a genuine person behind it.

While novel, someone’s contact details magically whisked away to my smartphone makes less of an impression. I may not even look at it (right now, or ever) Not so with a good, creative, business card.

Long Live the Traditional Business Card.

Business cards are also a lot easier for your fans and referrers to share with other people.

You can leave them on your retail store counter. Or in your office.

You can leave them with related, non competing businesses. You can place them in envelopes, on restaurant tables, on community posting boards, and in outgoing mail.

That’s a lot of good use.  It”s also why — in one man’s humble opinion, anyway — traditional business cards are more versatile than their electronic counterpart.

Consider This Case in Point

I was just at a DJ convention representing my wife’s company (Rock & Soul DJ Equipment for all you DJs out there — after 35 years, it’s one of the first and most famous DJ shops in the world) Well, business cards were out in FULL force and getting a lot of great use.

DJs were sharing them with other DJs as they networked. Businesses were using them to promote their stores and equipment. And they were collecting business cards to keep in touch with — and promote to — people they met at the convention.

Business cards, dead?

I don’t think so.

Not by a longshot.

If you like your digital business cards, by all means use them. I defend my choice without attacking yours. But please don’t tell that the traditional business card doesn’t have its place. They continue to be one of the most cost-effective and versatile little marketing tools on the planet. And a good card can make a great BIG impression. Period.

End of rant.