A business card is an essential tool for any business. There are different ways of creating business cards, and while some might seem tedious, the effort is worth it. Photography is an exciting profession, but again, reaching out to potential customers and building a foothold in the industry is often difficult. That is why every aspiring and established photographer must have a business card.
Before we go into the specifics of business cards and their value even in this digital age, let’s first quickly understand the few ways business cards help photographers.
Reasons Why a Business Card is a Must for Photographers
Builds Credibility
For any professional, a business card is an effective way of establishing credibility. When you create a unique one with some innovative business card ideas, you are able to demonstrate your professionalism, creativity, and commitment to your business. As identity-establishing tools, these cards say it loud and clear to the audience that you are reliable and competent in your job.
Creates a Strong First Impression
Imagine pitching to a new client, a reputed fashion house, or trying to enter a competition that promises valuable prizes and a lot of exposure. Carrying a business card and handing it over confidently creates an amazing first impression. It immediately establishes you as a person who is here to stay. A good business card should be legible, polished, and memorable so as to urge anyone to look into it carefully and take a note, too.
Exhibits Expertise
How do you explain to a prospective client what work you do and how many challenging projects you have handled successfully? Right. By showing off your business card, that beautifully sums up your achievements and your promise in the field of photography. Remember to add your photo to the card to create a better impression and memory retention.
It is a smart idea to make the business card a little more elaborate than usual by adding a short biography. Of course, it’s not your resume, so you have to be as concise and crisp as possible while explaining your role, the services you provide, and how you can be the best choice for anyone looking for this service.
It would be even better if you could add a brief comment about the clients you are interested in working with. Now, that’s a step up, but there is no harm in going the extra mile. If you are thinking that all this information will make your business card look clumsy and unprofessional, trust that all you need to do to avoid this is hire a remarkable business card designer. You’ll be surprised by the quality of the outcome.
Stays for Long in People’s Mind
Just as a business card works wonderfully well in creating a great first impression, it does even better when it comes to leaving a lasting impression. Photographer business cards that truly stand out are what stay in the memory of the people who have them. Looking at your card, they remember meeting you and what your brand looks like.
If you are able to get a unique business card designed for you, you are able to provide all the important info about your business. At the same time, the card makes it easy for your prospective clients to identify and reach out to you when they believe you are the one to get that epic shot they are looking for.
And yes, while focusing on the design of the business cards, pay equal attention to the printing quality, too. These are little things that people remember and hold on to, so it’s better not to save costs on the printing material.
Communicate a Lot More Than You Can
When you meet a client and hold a conversation, you know that you are the right photographer for their needs. You are excited to share why you think so, your portfolio, and collaborate on a project soon. But you have limited time and don’t know how and what to communicate. Well, skip the trouble and let your business card do the talking.
The business card, on your behalf, tells your prospective clients what you can do for them in a concise way, fast, and with a smile. Be extra cautious about the taglines you use. Let’s understand this with an example. You can say, “I specialize in family portraits,” or “I aspire to keep creating timeless images, capturing each moment.” These are all good, but apart from conveying what you do and how you do it differently, you are failing to communicate why you are the best choice for your customers. So, if you say something like, “I create beautiful family portraits, capturing bonds and moments that evoke memories for generations,” you are successfully saying it all and as beautifully as to touch the person who is reading it.
So, business cards are must-have tools for photographers because they share information, help you stay organized, keep track of your contacts, and, of course, show off your great work to the world. But a concern is with such digitization, is it really worth carrying a stack of printed cards?
Well, printed business cards never go out of style for photographers who meet people regularly in workshops, exhibitions, events, and so on. However, you can go for online business cards that promise more exposure and convenience and cater to the digitalized world around us.
Online Business Cards: Are They Better?
An online business card can be an even better option than traditional business cards, although they should exist simultaneously. First, online business cards are more eco-friendly because, unlike traditional ones, they don’t need paper and do not contribute to waste. With online business cards, you can reduce your environmental impact while still being professional and sharing your work and offerings with clients.
Updating and accessing online business cards are easier, too. It is particularly helpful when you want to change information such as the contact number or perhaps, want to add an award you have just won to your achievements. You don’t need to reprint or redistribute the new cards. It saves a lot of time and makes sure your business card carries the most updated information.
Sometimes, an online business card can be more visually appealing and interactive than the conventionally printed ones. You can add website links, social media profile icons, and even multimedia content like audio/video clips. So, the amount of information that a potential client can get about you from your online business card is way more than what traditional ones can provide.
So, as photographers who need to keep up with the changing demands of the industry, getting an online business card is an effective and cost-efficient way to reach out to a broader audience and communicate better.
Quick Tips for Designing a Business Card
While it’s a great idea to hire a professional business card designer, you must keep a few factors in mind. First, the card should be easy to read. Make sure the text is large and clear enough for an average person to read. You don’t want your prospective clients to strain their eyes to find out your email ID or phone number.
Second, a business card must be easy to understand. The urge to use ornamental language and sound extremely creative is often hard to resist, we understand. But before being impressed by what you are saying, your clients must understand your point. Avoid overly complex words and phrases, and try to be as simple as possible. The average reader’s attention span is reduced, and you don’t want to end up with a card that people avoid because it kind of tests their patience or makes them keep it aside for later.
Wrapping Up
Online or traditional business cards are immensely important for photographers. Regardless of your career stage, get a bunch of these designed by the best and go ahead and establish yourself as a loved and sought-after professional.
