DesignCrowd: Business cards are not dead

While running your own business can be exciting, there is a seemingly endless list of “little things” that go into it that aren’t as awesome as pouring your fresh new brew. Business cards, for example, are one of those things, but they can still be important to your business. A survey of more than 1,000 businesses reveals that contrary to popular belief, the business card is far from dead. In fact, the humble business card has a new lease of life: evolving in design and style, embracing new technologies and fulfilling a need for the wave of start-ups and entrepreneurs flooding the market place.

Research conducted by global crowdsourcing marketplace, DesignCrowd.com, found that almost 9 in 10 (87 percent) Americans still hand out business cards when they meet new contacts. Those receiving business cards also find them useful, with 67 percent either immediately entering the details into their smartphone or placing the card in a rolodex.

DesignCrowd, which helps businesses outsource or crowdsource business card designs and ideas from more than 150,000 designers, saw a 357 percent increase in business card design projects in 2013 alone.

Alec Lynch, founder and chief executive officer of DesignCrowd, said, “Business card design crowdsourcing is one of the fastest growing categories on DesignCrowd. While many are taking their business to the digital level, business cards remain an important marketing tool for small businesses and entrepreneurs.

“Aspiring entrepreneurs can now launch a business idea with a laptop and a credit card in just a few days,” Lynch continued. “You can crowdsource design ideas overnight and get your business card design printed and your website hosted and up and running for a few hundred dollars in just a few days.”

Lynch also observed that the way people use business cards is changing.

“The design is evolving rapidly; business cards no longer just have your job title, phone number, address and email. More are including their website, Twitter handle and even QR code.

“A business card should express what your company does and make it as easy for people to reach you – this is why more and more businesses are getting custom business card designs.”

Tech startup DesignCrowd.com conducted the survey in January 2014, canvassing the opinions of more than 1,000 small business owners in the United States, U.K. and Australia.