I’m a firm believer in business cards. I still haven’t met a business owner that doesn’t carry one. You may not need them in the thousands, but they are still an essential tool.

Occasionally I’ll see ads for apps that say, “Ditch business cards! We live in a digital world now.” while promoting a service that requires you to scan an image or tap your phone to another to transfer contact information. Call me old-fashioned, but I don’t feel that makes the same impact as a well-designed card. There is also some fear of getting your phone hacked or tracked because, as they state, we live in a digital world now.

Don’t forget that cards can also have added purposes beyond providing contact information, such as offering a promotion, briefly describing services, or serving as a reminder card for appointments or notes.

Here is a recent business card I designed for Life Safety Associates, a company in San Jose, California, that offers emergency response and safety related training programs. They requested two slightly different card variations to use for alternate purposes. The vast majority of my clients still use business cards. What about you, friend? Do you still use business cards for your company?