Why Business Cards Still Matter in Real Networking

Here’s something I didn’t expect to learn so quickly while growing this marketing and design agency: a business card can either help you make a connection… or completely sabotage the moment.

A few weeks ago, I was at a networking event. Great atmosphere, great people, great conversations starting around the table. And then someone handed me a business card that was huge. Too tall, too wide, and definitely not fitting into any normal wallet. 

The moment it hit my hand, everything in my brain switched from networking mode to geometry mode. I stopped listening to the person talking. I zoned out thinking: where do I put this? How do I not bend it? Why is it shaped like this? 

Instead of remembering the person who gave it to me, all I remembered was the inconvenience. That’s the worst part - oversized or odd-shaped cards don’t get remembered for the creative idea behind them. They get remembered for being a problem.

Another time, someone handed me their phone and asked me to scan a QR code so their details would save instantly to my contacts. And sure, it saved - but I’m never going to find that contact again. It didn’t stand out, it didn’t feel personal, and there’s nothing physical to remind me of that interaction. It became just another digital ghost lost in my phone.

This is why regular-sized, simple, well-designed business cards still matter. They fit. They’re easy. They don’t interrupt the moment or pull attention away from the person you’re talking to. They stick around. I even keep the ones that matter - real cards from real conversations that I want to come back to in the future.

People remember how you made them feel in a conversation. They don’t remember the oversized card that got crushed in their pocket or the QR code that dumped information into the void of their phone.

So here’s something worth asking yourself: when someone receives your business card, are you adding to the moment - or creating a distraction they’ll remember instead of you?

I’m offering a free 30 minute discovery call to discuss your design and marketing, drop me a DM or comment if interested!