Failing to engage: business cards are missing out

While the ritual exchange of business cards remains a thriving practice amongst professionals, new research by Kyp Systems has found that only a third of people ever look at them.

Despite only 38 percent of participants saying they look at business cards they receive and 56 percent now swapping details digitally, 68 percent professed to hold on to business cards, and 59 percent thought that they’d never become extinct – suggesting a personal attachment to the format that companies are failing to exploit.

‘Clearly people still relish the business card swap as a real opportunity for direct contact. Such opportunities are becoming rarer in today’s digital world and should be viewed as a chance to communicate a lot more than just where your office is located,’ said Nicholas Miller, chief executive officer of brand engagement specialists Kyp Systems. ‘Companies need to ensure that their business cards work harder beyond the point of exchange. They need to act not simply as a convenient memory aid, but as a physical representation of a brand.’

Indeed, 87 percent of survey respondents said they are more likely to keep, look at and share business cards which are more engaging – by containing better content or through eye catching and innovative design.