Not many staples of corporate culture can boast the resilience and longevity of paper business cards. For as long as they have been in existence (dating as far back as 15th century China), business cards have been one of the most popular go-to media for establishing connections and helping customers remember you. 
That was, of course, until the COVID-19 pandemic came along. As soon as governments around the world began to announce lockdowns and enforce no-contact social distancing, the exchange of paper business cards all but vanished. 

What does this mean for the future of business cards?

The coronavirus crisis essentially rewrote corporate culture as we know it — offices all over the world shut down, face-to-face meetings got scrapped, and networking events that couldn’t be hosted online became vaporized overnight.

Now that the businesses are gradually reopening after the pandemic, some key trends are starting to emerge as part of the new normal. One of them being the end of the traditional handshake and exchange of paper business cards. 

Customers and members of your professional network no longer want to handle paper cards for fear of the coronavirus, and your sales team isn’t so keen on giving them out either. Because of how fast the coronavirus can spread upon contact, the most prudent thing to do is to avoid physical contact altogether, albeit for the time being. 

How long is this expected to go on? Only time will tell. But one thing is certain — paper business cards no longer have a place in the new normal.

What then can you do? 

One of the many offshoots of the COVID-19 pandemic is that it emphasized the need to go digital. This is not the first time that technology has tried to replace paper business cards, but never has been a time that such a change is truly warranted. 

Plus, it’s 2020; how many people still rely on a piece of paper to learn about your business and get in touch with you? Let’s face it — if your business contact details are not saved to their phone contacts or easily accessible online, those details are essentially nonexistent. 

Enter digital business cards. 

Paper business cards may be dead, but building and maintaining rapport with business contacts and your professional network have remained as important as ever, maybe even more. That’s why many of the world’s leading brands are switching to digital business cards as one of the highlights of their re-opening strategy in a post-COVID-19 world.

The Case for Digital Business Cards

Digital business cards are basically the electronic versions of paper business cards, but with a couple of nifty features. Here are four compelling reasons why digital business cards are here to stay in a world where contactless communication is the order of the day:

1. They are germ-free

Everyone’s embracing their inner-germaphobe nowadays. If you touch a door handle, out comes the alcohol sanitizer. Electronic business cards are completely touch-free and do not require physical exchange. As such, you can share them as many times as you’d like without ever having to worry about germ exposure. 

2. They are cost effective

With paper business cards, you would usually print hundreds or thousands of copies and then lug them about everywhere you go. With digital business cards, however, you only need one copy and it follows you wherever you go. You can share this one copy over and over to anyone anywhere and they will receive it in real time. 

3. They always contain up-to-date information 

Every time your employees get a promotion or change their contact details, you’ll need to order new business cards to reflect the new information. Aside from being costly, this process is also quite time-consuming. On the other hand, you can easily update the information on a digital business card with just a few clicks and have it ready to distribute right away. 

4. They are better for the planet

Did you know that over 7.2 million trees are cut down every year to create paper business cards? The worst part is that most of these cards are not even used at all. Most people, upon receiving a paper business card just throw it away or forget it in their wallets. What an avoidable waste. Digital business cards, on the other hand, do not require a single scrap of paper to produce or distribute. 

In fact, many brands are utilizing electronic cards as part of their initiative towards responsible and sustainable business operations.

Ready to jump on the digital card bandwagon?

Here at DigiCard, we provide the easiest way to design and share custom digital business cards for your company. You even have the chance to spruce up the design with rich multimedia, such as voice introductions for a more unique recipient experience and quick social links for seamless sharing across multiple platforms. 

In a post-COVID-19 world, let us help you stay connected and expand your business online presence on the go. Contact us today to get started or check through our Digicard samples to make your selection.