Website or Business Card which one is more effective

Marketing has become an integral part of business operations. All the firms irrespective of their modus operandi or the size and structure of the organization, are indulged in one or other type of marketing tactics’. The firms are using new and robust marketing techniques but the traditional ways of marketing are still equally popular. Large organizations can afford to allocate hefty budget for the marketing activities but small or even medium scale business operating in a local market cannot afford to spend more in marketing. Hence, they cannot invest in different types of marketing activities and have to narrow down the choices. The biggest dilemma faced by the firms is to choose between a website and a business card. Both have their own importance and are widely used by the companies.

Here, we have compared the merits and demerits of a website and a business card which will help you to make an appropriate choice for your business.

Business Cards:

There are various ways to share the contact details or information and get into receiver’s contact list but business cards are being used since long and will be used for a long time. There are several advantages of using business cards and hence they are majorly used by all the businesses whether they are small or big. They are cheap, portable, and easy to share. And you should hire someone to who are expert in business card printing and make long last impression on your business. They can prove to be the road map to opportunity.

Here we have listed the advantages and disadvantages of using the business cards:

Advantages:

• Build trust: They help to create a positive impression. Handing over a business card to someone would indicate that you are a reliable and professional individual. It helps in gaining trust and credibility.
• Convenient to use: They are very convenient to use and are a very easy way to exchange the contact information with the fellow professionals or customers. It readily gives the contact information to the potential customers.
• Advertising: It can also prove to be useful in advertising. Business cards can be shared at the public places like supermarkets, beauty shops and libraries.
• Cheap and affordable: It is specifically useful for the companies that have constrained budget as business cards are very cheap and affordable.
• Networking: They are very useful in networking as you can readily exchange the cards and can access the required information. It helps in maintaining contact with the people and creating a network.
• No downtime: Cards are always accessible. They don’t have a downtime or internet outages. It can be viewed anytime irrespective of the location or the time.

Disadvantages:

• Very common: Business cards have become very common and are generally used by everyone. Hence, there are chances that they can be ignored by the receiver.
• Needs to be updated: They need to be update regularly with the change in the designation or any of the contact details. If any of the details change than the old cards become useless and they need to be updated and printed again.
• Limited reach: They can only travel at places you travel. They can only be shared with a limited number of people whom you meet or can be placed at some public places. They cannot be shared to a person dwelling in another city or state.
• Ineffective use: If the cards are not shared and used effectively than they are of no use. According to an online survey of more than 2,400 faculty and staff performed by the University of Kansas, 60 percent of respondents admitted to handing out fewer than 10 cards a month and only 9 percent of respondents handed out more than 25 cards in a single month. If the cards are not handed over to others than they are of little use.

Website:

We are living in the era of technology and website has become a mandate for all the business whether small or big. In the modern era, people and companies are using internet for information. If your business does not have a website it means that the business does not exist and is invisible to many. Having a website helps in developing the credibility and creating the brand image.

Here we have listed the advantages and disadvantages of having the website:

Advantages:

• Reach more audience: Having a website will gain you access to wider audience as anyone searching for a related product or service can get to know about your product.
• Less expensive: It is less expensive as compared to other modes of marketing like print or electronic media.
• More information can be shared: Through the website you can share all the required information and details regarding the products or services offered along with the contact information.
• Increase in sales: Having a website can help you to track the number of visitors and can track the development. In certain cases you can even fetch the certain details of the customer which can be helpful in increasing the number of customers and increasing the sales.
• Increase in accessibility: With the help of the website customers can access your details from anywhere at any time. Even in the non working hours your website will be accessible and you can get the details of the visitors just by enabling the contact form in the website.

Disadvantages:

• Technical problems: A website can encounter problems like crashing at times or having technical lags. No one would like to visits the website that crashes frequently or isn’t user friendly.
• Needs to be updated frequently: The website needs to be updated on a regular basis even if there is a minor change in the functioning of the website. If not updated on a regular basis it can have a negative impact in the minds of the customer.
• Fear of bad publicity: If a customer isn’t satisfied by the services than they might take it to the web and can spread a bad word of mouth. Having a website can also bring bad publicity if not handled carefully.

Summary:

Website and business card both are important however; they have their own merits and demerits. After studying the pros and cons it can be interpreted that the advantages of website outweighs it disadvantages and hence it is more preferred as compared to the business card. As we are living in an era of technology having a website is must to run any business as it helps in targeting more customer; and more customers means more sales.