Business cards have been around as long as the 17th century, and they typically represent professionalism and credibility. They are also used as a tool for marketing and networking yourself as an individual and your company. But, with the birth of the digital world, ways to network have changed as well. Don’t get me wrong, I believe everyone should still have a business card, but I believe it is extremely imperative to have a LinkedIn if you are in the business world. Still thinking that old school business card is effective? Here are some reasons you should forget enhancing your business card, and instead focus on beefing up your LinkedIn!
Unlimited Space
The first reason your LinkedIn triumphs your business card, is the unlimited space! A business card does not have much space on them. They are only really meant to have the basic information, like your name, position at company, company name, and contact information (email address, phone number). Your LinkedIn has almost unlimited space on your page. It’s essentially like a digital resume that should have your skills and experience listed on it. Your LinkedIn should have: a professional photo, your experience, education, skills, accomplishments and interests. Under all of these categories you can add paragraphs of text highlighting details for each of these.
Dynamic Instead of Static
Another reason your LinkedIn triumphs over your business cards, they are dynamic! This means that because it’s digital, the content can be changed and updated quickly, unlike an old school business card. Once your business card is printed out, you can’t change those 100 cards that you have printed and ordered. Your LinkedIn is a great professional tool to utilize because if you’ve gained a new certification, add that to your site. Learned a new skill? Simply update your site. Have you been promoted at work? Simply update your job title. You get the picture, once something is printed you can’t really update it easily. But, having a “digital business card” aka your LinkedIn, allows you to update it easily and quickly.
Easier to Connect
Connecting with people all over the world has become easy with LinkedIn. It would be pretty tough to spread your business card to other countries, unless you are attending conferences that are in other countries all of the time. Having a LinkedIn allows professionals to easily connect, network, and interact with other professionals and businesses on a global scale! Interested in a company that has locations all over the country? Simply connect with one of the employees by searching the company and checking the employees that currently work there. Can your business card do that?
Lasts longer
A business card is typically made out of paper or card stock. The problem with that, is that is can get torn, lost, or wet. Your LinkedIn is not going to get lost, the information is there to stay. Unless you choose to delete your own account, it will stay on LinkedIn, and people are able to search you easily. Where a business card you have to physically connect with someone in order to get your information to that other person.
More Affordable
Good-quality business cards can become costly depending on the ink, design, size, and material of the card. Don’t forget, you have to update your business cards if your company has changed locations, if your logo has changed, you have a promotion, etc. Updating your LinkedIn is not only easy and quick, but it is also FREE! Creating a basic LinkedIn account is actually completely free as well, unless you upgrade to a different plan which includes: career plan, business plan, sales plan, or hiring plan. All of these plans help you connect and network even better than the basic plan!
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