When someone offers me a business card, my first instinct is to refuse… but it’s rude to do that so I politely accept and put it in my wallet. After living in a crammed pocket of my wallet for a few days with its other very-boring-counterparts, the sad life of the business card comes to an end, till it’s time for the bi-monthly cleaning. I just shred em’ all up and chuck them into the bin… no guilty feelings whatsoever.
Yup, in a movie where business cards are the heroes, I’d be the villain, shredding them all into pieces with my equally capable sidekick called the Paper Muncher. Somehow, none of the business cards I have ever received have been able to live up to my expectations. I believe that business cards can be used for much more than just displaying your contact information. They can boost your company’s “talkability” and make your company stand out amongst a crowd of go-getters.
Talkability is a relatively new term in the marketing world but one which matters with the advent of social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter. There are currently over 1 billion people on Facebook; most of them keen to boast about every single thing that is happening in their lives – from what they had for breakfast to when they went to bed and with whom.
The idea is to capitalize on this trait by creating marketing materials which are so unique that they make people want to take a picture and share it on their favorite social network. Business cards are one of the things that can be easily used to increase talkability online and offline. I wish business owners would make cards that people actually want to keep and I say this because I have seen a few extremely creative options on the Internet which have made me protest about the crappy ones I always get.
Would you like to see some of my favorites?
Only a hairstylist can understand a girl’s plight when it comes to bobby pins – we can never have enough. This business card by Yuka Suzuki – Hair and Makeup artist is a masterpiece when it comes to creating an impact.
Sharing is caring, they say. Know any friends who need a divorce lawyer? Just hold your card from both sides and pull apart to share the details. But that’s not the best part, I love how this card displays exactly what the lawyer specializes in by adding a tear along line which denotes separation.
Here’s a card which displays flexibility and activity through its design, which is exactly what Mais Pilates Studio offers. I’ve never seen a card like this one before; it’s bursting with energy, and I really wouldn’t mind pinning this up on my office soft board.
A Brazilian cheese store called Bon Vivant has a business card in the form of a grater which you can actually use. This ingenious business card ensures visibility and remembrance by lurking around in your kitchen utensils and maybe even coming in handy when you’re in dire need of a grater.
Here’s one you can never refuse. The company Choko La wanted to capture the essence of its brand through a business card and that’s exactly what it does. The card is in the form of a chocolate which when unwrapped, reveals the contact details on the wrapper.
I’d always keep this one in my wallet. What a great way to display creativity. Who would have thought a scribbling slate could be used on a business card. Well, apparently someone did and I think its absolutely brilliant.
The purpose of a business card is to serve as a silent reminder of your company’s existence, and if your card is not interesting it will never be able to serve its purpose because people will just dispose it off. Try to create business cards which people would be proud to keep and not embarrassed to pass on for a referral. Think creatively. A creative business card may cost you more than a simple one, but a good image is worth the investment.
