Why a Business Card Is Still Relevant in a Digital World

Everywhere you look, experts are saying that businesses have to focus on a web presence. Websites, social media profiles and search engine optimization have become industry buzzwords. Traditional networking methods may not seem relevant in the face of all this, but having a good business card is still just as important as it's always been.

Recognizable Format

Everyone recognizes a business card. The size and shape of this simple networking tool is standard for every business, and people of all ages are familiar with the format. This is important to keep in mind, especially if your company's products and services appeal to a varied customer base. You may be able to entice young consumers to check out your mobile site or Facebook page, but other potential customers might not be so tech-savvy. Having a business card lets you instantly connect with interested parties of any age, regardless of how familiar they are with the latest technology.

Quick Reference

A good business card puts all of your company's information in one place. The physical address of your office or store, land line and cell phone numbers, your e-mail address, social media profile links and more can all be included on one simple paper rectangle. Customers can see all of this information at a glance without having to touch their computers or Smartphones.

Fast Networking

Even if you have the most amazing, user-friendly website ever designed, it won't get you anywhere at a business meeting or trade show. You can't hand a digital page to potential customers. But business cards can be exchanged in a matter of seconds and referred back to just as quickly. Your card also makes a statement about your business. A concise, well-designed card tells potential customers that you care about details and organization, two important points which can put you ahead of the competition.

Doorway to Digital

Since the Internet isn't about to go away, you do want to have a digital presence. You can use your business card as a doorway to whatever Internet-based setup works best for your business. Including your website address and social media information on your business card gives people instant access to every aspect of your company's web presence. Interested customers can go to your website for an in-depth look at your products and services, while existing customers can "Like" you on Facebook or follow you on Twitter for up-to-date developments and real-time interactions.

Though many traditional business transaction and marketing methods have gone digital, it's still important to have a physical business card. A well-designed card gives you a quick way to connect with customers and clients while leaving a lasting impression that will make them want to come to you when they need your products or services.

If you're simply looking to refresh your cards, Snap business card printing professionals will work with your existing branding to create an eye-catching design that leaves a lasting impression.

Research Indicates Digital Signage Is On The Right Track

Political watchers probably are familiar with that often-asked question -and even more often asked in an election year: Is the country on the right track or the wrong track?

I would propose that those who make their living communicating marketing messages, ads, information and even entertainment on digital signs should frequently ask themselves a similar question. Is digital signage on the right track or wrong track? In other words, is digital signage a growing, vibrant communications medium that is headed in the right direction as a viable communications choice? Or, is it losing favor?

A new forecast from display market research specialists IHS iSuppli suggests that, indeed, digital signage is on the right track, at least if its adoption is any indication. According to the forecast, digital signage will see impressive growth. Worldwide shipments of signage and professional displays this year will reach 17.2 million units, up from 15.4 million in 2011 and 13.5 million in 2010. For the year, the unit shipments will reach 12.6 percent, and by 2016 they are expected to reach nearly 26 million units, IHS iSuppli forecasts.

The research firm attributes the healthy growth to a few factors, including a greater need for digital signs in public spaces and the rapidly declining price of LCD panels.

The IHS iSuppli forecast also identifies the largest digital sign markets for 2011. They include retail, hospitality/healthcare and government/corporate. The forecast also finds the education, outdoor and control room/simulation markets to be important.

So why are those with a message to communicate increasingly adopting digital signage? A few reasons are clear. First, digital signage has the unique ability to reach the public with clear, impactful communications when they are on the go.

Second, because it's a place-based medium, digital sign communicators can identify areas to locate signs that likely will be frequented by their target audience. For example, a restaurateur has a pretty good idea that the people entering the restaurant have eating on their minds, and the registrar of a college knows students entering the administration building at the beginning of the semester are likely interested in class registration information.

Third, digital signs offer communicators the chance to change messaging frequently -at little to no expense- which makes the medium responsive to rapidly changing requirements.

For all of these reasons and several others that have been well discussed in this space in the past, digital signage increasingly is being selected as an important part of an overall communications strategy.

As this nation enters the political season, journalists surely will report on the public's response to the right-track-wrong-track question. I'm sure each time I hear one of those stories, I am will be reminded of this column and the clear evidence from IHS iSuppli that digital signage is indeed on the right track as a communications medium.

While prognosticating about the results of any of this political season's races is a craps shoot, one thing is predictable. Digital signage as a communications medium will remain on the right track as long as professional communicators need to reach people on the go with their important messages.

David Little is a charter member of the Digital Screenmedia Association with 20 years of experience helping professionals use technology to effectively communicate. For further digital signage insight from Keywest Technology, visit our website for many helpful tips and examples. For more in-depth research from Keywest Technology, download our free digital signage white papers and case studies.

The Hype in Digital Marketing

There are a number of successful marketing tactics that tap into our mobile phone craze. Some of these tactics include mobile coupons, mobile videos, mobile display ads, branded smartphone apps, scannable codes and text message marketing. Text message marketing has become the number one most used tactic when it comes to marketers implementing a mobile marketing strategy.

Text Message Marketing or SMS Marketing allows businesses to short message service (SMS) text messaging as a medium of direct advertising. An SMS Marketing campaign involves collecting mobile phone numbers usually by customers. Once numbers are collected, you can prepare special promotion and send a mass message to all potential repeat customers.

When a company is considering the use of SMS text message marketing they should weigh all the pros and cons, including the cost of SMS marketing and how their target market will likely respond. Compared to traditional forms of advertising like billboards and radio, the potential audience for SMS marketing is a bit more limited, but this form of advertising can build a loyal customer base that will help advertise and build business through word-of-mouth and social media. SMS text messaging may give the impression that your business is technologically savvy, which will greatly appeal to some customers.

Scanned coupons or sometimes called Quick Response codes are another route within the mobile marketing industry. It's a bit more tricky than SMS text message marketing. These are encoded barcode image resembling a square-like maze. Unlike a UPC code, these 2-dimensional barcodes store data in both directions and can be scanned vertically or horizontally to be decoded.

One of the positives involved in Quick Response scanned coupons is that these barcode images can be printed on nearly any surface like newspapers, TV ads, billboards, product packaging and more. This enables you to drive traffic from anywhere. The digital marketing believes an even bigger advantage is the increase in user engagement. Digital barcodes create a more enticing, personal experience for users that is can't be replicated in other forms of marketing. They also have the ability to quickly show the success of a campaign based on the number of scans per location. Additionally, digital barcodes can drive quality traffic to a company's website, which was the ultimate goal.

To ensure campaign success, consider consulting with a mobile barcode and SMS marketing expert, especially if you have never ran a these types of marketing campaigns before. Technology, trends and tools in this arena are rapidly changing. A few hours of expert consulting can bring your team up to speed and give you a better chance at campaign success. You don't want to be embarrassed from poor implementation.