A person worth knowing always carries business cards with him or her. That’s how you put value not just on the card itself, but also on everything it embodies—your profession, company, brand, etc.
Last week, I was given my own business card. If I am not mistaken, eight employees (including me) were given his or her own set of calling card. Then, I heard one of my co-workers asks, “How do you hand a card to another person?”
Come to think of it, how do you give and receive a business card? What should you do after giving one? What should you say after having received a card from someone else? How do you actually present the card?
Let’s explore the answers.
A business card is a staple of networking and thus, business success. What entrepreneurs and careerist do not understand is it only takes one wrong move to jeopardize one’s professional image. You only had one shot to make a good first impression, right?
Sadly, though, we see lots of well-dressed people who speak eloquently, highly confident but still leave a bad impression due to poor etiquette. This includes a lack of understanding of how to present a business card properly.
First things first—always bring copies of your calling card with you, in a box, holder or any container that can protect the cards from wear and tear. You’ll never know when to give one.
There is nothing more unprofessional than having to say to the person who asks for it, “Oh sorry, I forgot to bring my card…” or, “Sorry, I just handed out the last copy of my card…” This leaves a bad taste in the mouth. Not to mention, a lost opportunity for you. So, make sure you always have them with you.
White at it, make sure you invest in quality business cards. This is an extension of your profession and the company you represent. It is only wise to present a business card with a well-thought-out layout, color scheme, and standard fonts.
Have as many calling card samples as you can have before printing the final one. Print new copies whenever necessary or when the needs arise (i.e. when you changed your contact info or if new information is available).
Your business card is not something you hand to every people you meet on an event. Don’t think that just because you handed out 100 business cards during an event you will receive 100 calls in a few days. Nope.
Although the goal of networking is to connect with as many people as possible, you still need to identify qualified leads, referral sources or future employers. Simply put, you need to be selective of who you are going to exchange calling cards with.
This does not mean that you should only talk and meet people who you think need or will need your products or services in the future. That’s absurd especially during a networking event.
Don’t be too aggressive about the whole process. Wait to be asked for your card. If an individual is interested in connecting with you beyond the event, he or she will ask about ways to contact you. This is the right time to give him or her your business card.
Hand your business card with discretion. Don’t give up to a dozen calling cards. This sends the message that your business card is not worth much as if you are telling the person to give them to others for you.
When receiving and giving a business card, use your right hand—the hand of discretion—or both hands. Receive the calling card the way it was presented to you. If the individual is using both hands, receive it with your both hands.
There may be a slight difference when doing business internationally. In some countries, handing over a card using the left hand is considered a grave insult. So make sure you understand the rules or practices of business card exchange first before meeting up people in another region or country.
Don’t ever give a business card with your fingers covering the details. Hold at the top corners of the card with the card facing the recipient so that he or she can read it. Look the person in the eye and smile.
You may give specific instruction on when is the best time to contact you and how (i.e. phone call, email, or chat, ) assuming that all numbers and email addresses listed on the card are up-to-date. However, do so politely, without being intrusive or tactless.
Ask for the person’s contact information as well. More likely, you will receive one’s own business card. Reciprocity generally follows. In case he or she forgot about calling you, you may simply do a follow-up as per your conversation. Just make sure that you are reminding the person of what you have talked about during the event.
One proactive way of dealing with this is through writing a note at the back of the card that is if that is the general practice in that area. You may write a note on your card before handing it over as well but ask for the permission of the person first. If he or she says no, then don’t scribble anything on it.
Some may say that asking if you may write something in the card is also an indiscreet practice. If you are in this situation, it would be wise to keep an organizer where you can write notes.
Observe how the person treats your or other business cards given to him or her. If he or she is writing directly on it, you may ask if you can do the same on his or her business card. Don’t assume that other people will welcome the idea, however.
If you are writing notes to yourself, the business card is not the appropriate venue to do so. You may only write on the card if what you will write is seemingly relevant. For instance, if the person asks you to send a copy of an e-book, you may simply put “Send e-book” on the back of the card.
Further along, make sure that your business card is not crumpled or dirty in any way. This makes for a really bad impression. Cards should be professional-looking. The same applies to giving a card where you crossed off an old contact info and written the new one.
Also, be wary of where you put the box at all times. Otherwise, you will need to rummage through your things just to find it and lose credibility instantly. Don’t place it on your wallet too. Not only it will get creased, but is unsightly to pull out one from your wallet every time a person asks for it.
When you receive a card, make a comment about it. Always. Focus on the positives, though, like the logo, business name, and other such elements you will see on the card. You may also clarify information detailed on the card. What you will say places value on the card.
If you have to put it away, do it gently. Put it inside a card holder or organizer, and not in your wallet or the back pocket of your handbag. Don’t chuck it on the table or your bag. Place the information in a database. Another etiquette faux pas is the need to ask for the business card of that particular person again.
Don’t stash the business cards you have collected at the back of your notebook, not in front of the person most especially. Put them somewhere you can easily access when you need the product or service later.
That’s the standard practice. Why collect a business card if you do not intend to make a follow-up? Isn’t it a waste of time and effort on both ends? The premise is that you need to capitalize on the first meeting and conversation.
After entering the details into a database, you can make a quick call, send an email or send a card. You may:
Even if you have the person’s calling card, he or she is not yet a part of your network unless you connect with him or her one time or another.
Other things to consider:
You may always dress with finesse and offer a remarkable handshake. However, without knowing the basic rules of giving and receiving a business card, all your efforts will be futile. Remember, one wrong move and your business success is doomed.
Whether you’re a buyer looking for a business card print vendor for your company, or a design agency choosing a printer for your clients, you want to ensure that you’re getting the best print service. Not only one that helps you reduce printing costs, but also saves time and provides support along the way.
Each type of printer has advantages and disadvantages, from personal and handy, to complex and sophisticated. The costs of operating the different kinds of equipment dictate what a particular printer will be able to complete most effectively. That’s why we suggest treating a printer like you would when hiring an employee - asking critical questions before putting your work in their hands.
Here are 6 questions we suggest asking before committing to a business card print vendor to see if they are the right fit for you.
A business card portal is an online storefront that allows you to simplify the ordering process dramatically. Essentially, it’s an online account that enables you to do things such as editing, proofing, approving, shipping, and paying for business cards for everyone in a company.
The way a business card portal works depends on the provider of the portal and the workflow preference of the client. In a best-case scenario, a business card portal will allow either one administrator or multiple users to place orders for themselves or others. The pre-setting templates make ordering simple enough so that anyone, even those without any design skills, can self-order as needed.
Make sure your vendor provides you with a business card portal to manage, edit, and order business cards with ease.
If you’re interested in opening a portal for your company, which we recommend, some vendors will want to charge a monthly or yearly fee to “maintain” your portal. Fortunately, there are great solutions that accomplish the same things and are entirely free.
At Brandly, we strive to provide the most straightforward ordering solution of high-quality business cards for large teams, with exceptional service and a competitive price.
Not only do we offer a free business card portal, but we also provide:
Learn more about Brandly’s free business card ordering portal >
If you’re a frequent business card buyer, you’ve most likely experienced a situation in which you see an ad that promised low-cost business cards + free shipping, but after creating your card you realize that you’ll have to pay extra for printing on the second side and that an additional shipping cost will be added.
Many print vendors hide their true costs when it comes to pricing. Watch out for hidden fees or look for a solution that shows every little detail upfront.
The initial contact is the right time to bring up expenses. Here’s a list of the factors that incur the cost of getting business cards, and also a brief explanation of how a portal can minimize them:
Paper-type (also called the stock): It’s likely that the business card vendor will offer different paper types, from standard to premium, and more. If you’re interested in learning more about business card paper types, check out our article on how to choose the right paper for your business cards.
Printing: Though printing costs usually won’t be shown in the order details as a separate line, you’re paying for it. Therefore, you need to be super attentive here, since some providers charge extra for printing the second side of cards. Before making a decision when comparing solutions, make sure the second side’s printing costs are included in the price shown (or at least be aware of it and add it to the price equation). Some business card portal providers will offer some kind of discount for clients using their portal. Some call these “Business Level Pricing,” and others “Corporate Pricing.” The takeaway is that by just using a portal, you’ll most likely be paying less per card than by ordering any other way.
Quantity: The more cards you order, the higher the price of the order will be. Most providers will offer boxes that range from 50 to 1000 business cards.
Most vendors will charge you for shipping. Some will charge as little as $9.99 for any size order, and others will be higher. At first glance, these prices may appear to be fairly figured, but in actuality, $9.99 could be up to 50% of the cost of a business card box.
Finding a vendor that offers free shipping makes the difference. You’d be surprised on how much it can add up to at the end of the year.
By ordering with Brandly, no matter if you’re ordering and shipping one box to one address or ordering hundreds of boxes and shipping them to hundreds of different locations, shipping (within the U.S.) is always on us.
Responsive and ongoing support are important considerations to remember when seeking out the right service provider.
A business card vendor will experience a lot of good and bad cards. Even if they’re not directly involved in developing the design, a good solution will provide you with fast support to point out potential errors that may lead to problems or unnecessary costs at the production stage.
Without a reliable and flexible support team, you could be plagued by a number of unexpected issues that can cost you a lot. Make sure you choose a vendor that has a technically competent support team.
At Brandly, we pride ourselves on the credibility of our support team. Feel free to check out our reviews on Trustpilot and Capterra.
At Brandly, every order is reviewed by a member of our quality control team before going to production. We call it “Human QC”! Quality control is done by real people and we offer a 100% satisfaction guarantee.
We’ll fix any issues that we find and reprint for free until you’re satisfied.
Business card print vendors can provide your business many benefits in terms of cost reduction, increased service reliability, and overall productivity. It all comes down to choosing the right vendor and support provider to ensure that you can take advantage of the benefits.
Your printer should be an important part of your design team. Develop a relationship with a. business card vendor who understands your needs, and think beyond a single print job.
Hopefully, this article gives you some food for thought and will put you in a position to make informed decisions when it comes to choosing your next business card vendor.