13 Benefits of Digital Business Cards over Traditional Paper Cards (2024)
A dilemma can occur when selecting the best business card to use between a smart digital business card and a traditional card. Recently, the digital card has emerged as the most significant networking approach compared to the traditional business card.
In this article, I’ve compiled the top benefits of digital business cards over traditional paper cards to help you understand why the digital business card is right for your business.
What is a Digital Business Card?
A digital or virtual business card is a unique approach to sharing your contact details via web URLs. The virtual business card can contain as many contact details as possible, and it is not limited to the standard 85 mm x 55 mm associated with paper business cards.
A digital business card can be created through an app or as a PDF. You can send the latter via email, short message services, or new social media platforms. Third-party software could come to your rescue when generating catchy digital business cards.
What is a Paper Business Card?
You have likely received a print card from your contacts, friends, and links at least once. This physical document helps people quickly contact the owner because of the contact details printed on its face.
The document includes a name, contact information, and the title of the issuer. You can add stylish features to the card, but a formal look is preferable.
However, with the arrival of technology and smart business cards, not everyone prefers a print business card. This assertion is because the benefits of digital business cards outweigh the advantages of printed business cards.
Moreover, traditional business cards’ cons have driven reputable companies and professionals towards alternatives such as digital business cards. Let’s look at the benefits of digital business cards attracting professionals and businesses to use them to connect with associates.
What are the Benefits of Digital Business Cards over Traditional Paper Cards?
Simple to Design
Let’s face this, the chances that a random stranger will be willing to call the information on a business card depends on its presentation. Smartphones and computers have thousands of digital business card templates to select from.
These quickly customized templates eliminate the efforts required to design a printed business card. Your own set of elements will define other card features.
The availability of digital business card applications and graphic design tools further minimizes any effort required to design the card.
This luxury is absent in the case of a physical card. You may spend a lot of time establishing the best design to attract the cardholder.
A business will have to employ the services of a graphic designer who could fail to incorporate desired features on the card.
These individuals could introduce complex features to satisfy the need and preferences of the business, which could fail on the customer’s end. The chances of a simple design with a paper business card are minimal.
Cost Issues
Cost is the other significant benefit you will enjoy because of the adoption of electronic cards compared to physical cards. Saving a few dollars is desirable for small businesses and firms struggling with mounting expenses.
One of the areas that could be eating your profits is an issue such as failure to employ technology. Digital business cards will eliminate the costs accompanying the design and the purchase of the paper-to-print initials. With the diminishing forest cover, the cost of paper has been gradually rising.
Consequently, you will pay more using paper business cards instead of digital ones. Additionally, you will have to employ assistants to help distribute these paper business cards.
These assistants will require salary and fuel to move from one location to another as they distribute your business cards.
Editing and Sharing Benefits
Attention to detail is critical for any business card since it is what your associates will rely on when contacting you. The problem emerges when you want to change the contact details on your business card.
In the case of paper business cards, you can either recall the piece or reprint it. Your likely scenario, and those of most businesses, would be the reprinting of the card.
The move will attract minimal expenses compared to recalling and amending existing physical business cards. The latter would attract additional printing costs.
The editing issue is absent in the case of digital business cards. You will only alert your acquaintances about possible changes in initial details before sending an updated business card. The process takes the shortest time possible.
Tracking Benefits
The expected outcome of any business card is to generate leads. Accordingly, tracking the benefits of issuing a business card is necessary.
A digital card can track and interact with recipients, an advantage that is absent when you use a traditional card.
For example, imagine you are in an event where you find 100 potential customers who want to understand your brand. The biggest question would be the approach that would allow you to interact with customers and follow up on their decisions in the future.
In this case, the electronic business card will be preferable to a traditional card. The tracking ability of the digital business card means you will follow-up information and the decision of these customers compared to a physical one.
In the latter case, you must use other means such as telephone and visiting future networking events to evaluate the potential customer’s decision.
Environmental Benefits
Virtual business cards have environmental advantages over paper business cards.
According to The World Resources Institute, the tropical forest loss in 2022 was a total of 4.1 million hectares. The demand for trees increases with the request for more paper to print things like printed cards. However, digital business cards have no additional environmental costs because everything is electronic.
The environmental problem is a collective issue that you and I must tackle if we envision a sustainable future. Preserving forest cover and clean environments are core benefits of digital business cards compared to physical business cards.
The card uses digital bits to transfer information electronically, eliminating the need to cut trees, produce paper, print, and send to recipients.
The world is facing the risk of depleted forest cover, with the situation likely to continue if we engage in actions such as using paper business cards instead of digital cards.
Additionally, digital business card helps the government reduce the cost of dealing with global warming. A reduction in the movement of automobiles to deliver paper business cards helps deal with environmental costs.
The electronic business card requires a simple click to send the document to other digital devices.
Minimize Littering the Environment
Further, the risks that you will dispose of old paper-based cards carelessly in your surrounding environment are high.
Although the paper business card is biodegradable, it will contribute to an environmental eyesore before it eventually disappears into the ground. This problem needs to be addressed in the case of digital business cards.
Address of Vehicular Emissions
Additionally, using a digital business card means you will contribute to the address of vehicular emissions.
Statista reported that the global passenger car emissions in 2020 were three billion metric tons.
Automobiles used to deliver paper business cards release harmful greenhouse gasses. There is no physical movement for electronic business cards, which means there will be no release of harmful gasses brought by the physical delivery of your business card to potential customers.
Allows Personalization of the Card
The most significant debate between digital business cards and physical business cards is the subject of personal connection. Some people argue that a physical business card adds some levels of personal connection.
The paper card allows you to add more colors and texture to the card to attract the prospect’s attention.
However, the tool has personalization limitations since the initial graphics and contact details stay put until you print the following business card.
Digital cards can also allow you to add graphics and logos according to your preferences.
However, the technique has high levels of experimentation compared to traditional paper business cards. The digital business card links your profile with websites and social media platforms, making customers reach you faster than a traditional business card.
The digital card also allows the exchange of contact information, which establishes a loyal customer base.
The Safety Benefit
The safety of your business card is critical, especially when you need to control persons that will access your information. With a traditional business card, it is hard to determine who will hold your business card and access your information.
However, it would be best not to worry since a digital business card eliminates the problem. The smart business card approach facilitates password protection, allowing selected persons to access this information.
The backing of the digital card in sites such as the cloud helps keep the document safe. In case of any security risk, you can update your details and improve your security levels. The digital business card helps deal with security scares facing traditional business cards.
There is a Guarantee of Durability
Virtual business cards have proved to be durable compared to traditional paper cards. The digital card is intact at all times.
These characteristics have been core elements traditional business cards have been concentrating on as cutting edge. Physical card producers have been bragging about their ability to withstand bending and staining as their selling points.
With digital cards, you can easily store them on your phone or other digital platform. The computer will ensure the lifetime storage and preservation of the card.
Less Storage Space
Storage is one of the digital business card pros causing businesses and individuals to ditch paper business cards in favor of electronic business cards.
You will require a few kilobytes (KB) to store a creative business card to share with your recipients compared to the traditional business card. The digital business card will benefit people who lack room to spare.
A Memorable Impression
Modern-day customers are keen on impressions and perfect details. One of the areas you must ensure perfection is the business card.
The digital business card allows you to impress your customers in the shortest time possible. The popularity of the digital tool is because of its eye-catching elements, such as videos and images, absent in the case of paper business cards. Multimedia features produce the wow effect that creates memorable impressions to recipients.
Additionally, electronic cards enable your customers to access the business website and social media. Besides, customers will likely appreciate an eco-friendly alternative to paper business cards.
Paper and ink have significant effects on the environment. Using a digital card proves you care about the environment and your customers.
The Combination of Both
In the competitive business world, you can select a virtual business card and a traditional paper document. You can carry a traditional paper business card with a QR code, which customers can scan and send to acquaintances unavailable during the meeting.
Additionally, you can have a digital business card with the download link so that customers can print wherever they want. Naturally, including these features will appear as a duplication of activities.
However, you should know that some customers prefer digital, while the rest desire traditional business cards. As such, you might aspire to benefit from both worlds. Studies show contemporary customers prefer digital business cards to traditional paper cards because of their convenience and costs.
FAQs in the Benefits of Digital Business Cards over Traditional Paper Cards
What benefits will the digital business card present to my young business?
Using digital business cards in your business would leave a lasting impression on your customers. The card helps exchange contact information with clients about the business.
The contact management would share the web address using the company website and social media accounts. The internet access of majorities of the mass means your business could develop a personal brand using the e-business card.
The applicable digital business card will depend on the branding strategy. The advantage is that it will position your business as a reputable company.
Can I convert a Print Business Card to a Digital Business Card?
Many business owners are warming up to the digital age and featuring elements such as QR codes to allow users to scan and store physical business cards in digital forms.
The business card scanner can pick up and store these details in physical forms. The business app card can store this information digitally and benefit from digital presence.
What are some risks a business could experience in failing to adopt digital business cards?
Cost and meaningful relationships are benefits a business could lose if it fails to store its cards digitally. Digital cards are cost-effective since a business is simply a click away from sharing information with its clients.
A printed card needs this advantage since you must print and distribute these items to clients. These processes cost more than simply designing and sending cards electronically.
Your business will also face significant disadvantages when it seeks to stimulate the client’s senses. Customers are used to paper business cards and cannot hesitate to welcome a new approach that stimulates their imagination.
Is the digital card here to stay, or the traditional card will make a comeback?
Today’s businesses have been keen on digital transformation and are unlikely to return to traditional ways. Modern business has been digitalizing to guarantee a personal touch and provide more room for development.
Features such as digital text and CRM programs attract clients to technology like digital business cards. As such, the technology is unlikely to be replaced by manual systems.
