In our world, most people don’t pay much attention to business cards. They’re given, accepted, thrown away, and then forgotten. It’s a shame because business cards are often the only link we have to other people and what makes them who they are. In Asian cultures, the business card represents its owner in more than just text and is treated with the same level of respect delivered to the person who is giving the card itself.
While insulting someone by simply pocketing a business card is unlikely to happen in western culture; it’s still important to consider the impact your own card can have on the recipient. Business cards represent the culture and identity of the person bearing them. Artists and photographers carry them as samples and portals into their work. Writers and bloggers use them as guides and maps to exchange between other writers and their readers. Each card is a picture of who you are. They represent your title, your culture, your occupation, and even your hobbies.
That’s why you should always double check the quality of the cards you make and design them to fit the people you normally come across. Cheap paper wears and folds easily while low quality ink fades and changes color with age. Either outcome is equivalent to showing up to an interview or dinner woefully under dressed. It’s also wise to avoid pre-made cards because they don’t express you or your message as an individual person. Custom business cards allow you to emphasize the things that make you or your message what they are. Don’t just save space. Pick, choose, and place to represent you!
