Business Cards - A Forgotten Treasure Trove Or An Overlooked Pandora’s Box Of Uncertainties Part Two

Business cards, or what was known as trade cards, became a staple of the elite by the middle of the 18th century. In time the cards became engraved with gold and exciting typefaces and by the 19th century the cards were a must have by anyone and everyone.

Houses even had card trays, ornate in construction, made so those visiting your house could leave their card in. 

An Image Of A Trade Card From The Late 18th Century 

However, what was once a gateway to opening up and networking between businessmen is now viewed as nothing but an obsolete tradition.

With the advent of mobile phones and poor retention of information on physical cards, more believe that it would be more beneficial and practical to reach out to customers through advertisements and emails and notifications on their mobile devices.

It seems like a sure defeat for the business cards that are stowed away in drawers to collect dust when compared against online marketing and establishing a digital presence.  

Nevertheless, this may indeed be the time of re-emergence of the business cards. Having brought customer acquisition digital, more companies are struggling to differentiate themselves from their competitors amongst the pool of “template” advertisements and marketing campaigns.

Furthermore with so many companies fighting to grab the consumer’s attention it is undeniable that some do lose out in this plethora of information.

This is where business cards can now evolve to become “creative cards”. Printing out business cards with bright logo design, intricate designs and concise information can now be the stand-out factor for a business amidst a digitally advancing world.

Amongst the 100 competitors, all 100 of them will have digital presence but when you are the only one that gives out business cards, it gives you a competitive edge that differentiates your business from the masses.

However, that does not mean that digital presence can be avoided, it is inevitable that every business needs to have an online presence i
n this digital era.

A hybrid model that incorporates a balance of both digital and physical presence may indeed be the secret concoction to success.