by Robin Kantor
I go to a LOT of networking events, and over the years have amassed a wide variety of business cards. I keep them in a thick binder filled with pages of clear plastic pockets for standard business cards. (I also scan them into a searchable database, but that is fodder for another blogpost). However, I do find myself mentally classifying them as great design, classy/elegant, and/or memorable.
Lately, I have seen a new subset in the “memorable” category: minimal. There was a great article by Meg Fry in the April 9, 2018 issue of ROI-NJ. Some of the highlights are below.
The card of Amanda Parks, who works with NJ non-profits, is an excellent example. The front has only her name along with “Nonprofiteer, Runner, Coffee Lover,” important facets of her life and topics she often discusses while networking, in large letters along the left side of this vertical card.
The back of the card has her contact info. She includes her phone number, email address, Twitter handle, and personal website. Regarding the Twitter handle, Parks said: “Don’t be afraid to include it because someone of a different generation might [not understand].”
She feels that the “information is just vague enough … to remember who I am, [and] encourages them to call and continue the conversation. I find that I get more of a reaction and follow-up … simply because these cards, which stand out against the standard, make people stop and think for a second,” said Amanda. “I am always looking for new opportunities … and want to be able to give them a card that identifies myself in the best ways.”
Clever, minimalist business cards express more of who you are rather than what you do. Business cards can express the real you, and not who you think you should be. People will want to collaborate because of the unique personality that shows through.
As Amanda said, “I believe that my cards say, ‘This is me. If you need me, in whatever capacity, this is how you can reach me, and that’s that.’”
A business card is a minimal space that can have a memorable impact.