Digital Business Card With QR Code vs Paper Business Card - Which One Is Better?

Business cards are still one of the most important networking resources for all varieties of professionals and businesses. 

Yet, in a world where almost everything is digital, traditional paper cards leave something to be desired. This is exactly why many are starting to rely more on digital business cards for their networking purposes.

The question is, does your traditional card still have a place in your networking arsenal, or is a digital business card with QR code everything you need?

Pros of paper business cards

They may be ancient, but paper cards still have a bunch of advantages you should consider, such as:

1. They help build relationships

If you ever exchanged these pieces of paper, you’re aware that there is this whole ritual to it. You shake hands, look into someone’s eyes, and swap contact details, as well as give a small gift to the recipient. 

What we’re trying to say is, they help build a more meaningful connection because the recipient will have an easier time recalling how you made them feel at that particular moment. 

2. They allow you to get creative

With paper cards, the design options are almost limitless - you’re not limited by the size, color, the material. Because of this, you can go to town and ensure every color and design element truly reflects your brand. 

It’s also worth noting that an impressive and professionally designed card can help you stand out from your competitors, which is a huge plus.

3. Make a good first impression

Since you can use a thicker paper stock or get your cards laminated, you can pretty much make a lasting impact on a client. For example, if your business card screams quality, the person receiving it will have a positive impression of your brand. 

Cons of paper business cards

Paper cards may be tactile and a good conversation piece, but they have a significant amount of drawbacks such as:

1. They are expensive

Think of it this way:

If you’re to reap the full benefits of your paper business card, you need to make sure it’s high-quality. Naturally, quality print and design come at a substantial cost that might seem reasonable for printing the first batch of cards. However, since you have to constantly print new ones, you’ll quickly learn you’re spending quite a bit of money on something that may end up in someone's garbage can.

All of this is even worse in case you’re printing business cards for the entire team. Just a single networking event can leave you with hundreds of dollars in business card costs, which is ridiculous, to be honest.

2. They require constant updates

Every time you or your team members update contact info, your marketing strategy changes, or you hire a new employee, your printing costs skyrocket as you have to print a new batch of cards.

3. They’re inefficient

With a paper business card, there’s a likely chance crucial business information won’t end up in your recipient’s phone. 

Just like we moved past Rolodexes as a main hub of contact info, the paper card has somewhat lost its value and it’s easy to see why. The recipient may simply misplace the card or throw it away because it’s too bothersome to manually input your email or LinkedIn profile to their phone. 

Pros of digital business cards

A digital business card with QR code can help you circumvent most of the disadvantages associated with traditional paper cards. Consider this:

1. They’re the fastest way to share contact information

A digital business card with QR code is a digital version of the traditional business card. The way it works is simple: your recipient can click a link or scan a QR code and they’ll be redirected to a page with your contact details.

With some cards, it’s possible to automatically save the information, which is a great way to see to it that your info ends up where it’s supposed to. 

2. They’re easy to make 

If you want to create digital business card with QR code, you can do so in just a few minutes. Many apps allow you to make a card without any design experience whatsoever for free. 

The best thing is, you can make updates to the information whenever you want with a few clicks and no additional costs.

3. They’re efficient and interactive

You can share a digital business card with QR code online or in person, with the biggest advantage being their  interactive nature. Regardless of whether the other person scans your card online or face-to-face, they can access and save all the relevant data they need - your website, email, phone number, social media handles, etc.

As a bonus, you can add images or short videos if the app you used to make the card allows it. 

4. They’re cost-effective

Since you won’t have to constantly print new cards, you can save money in the long run, especially if you make a digital business card with QR code for each team member. 

Sure, some apps and sites may require a small monthly fee to access additional features or expand your design options, but the price is negligent when you factor in how much printing paper cards costs on a yearly basis. 

Cons of digital business cards

Although they might be one of the most effective networking tools around, there are a few disadvantages to digital cards you should consider, such as:

1. They may lack personal touch

Scanning a QR code or receiving a link in the email isn’t the same as swapping physical cards. It lacks that tactile aspect specific to traditional business cards.

As a result, the absence of personal touch may stop you in some circumstances from connecting with a recipient you likely would traditionally. 

2. They may be inaccessible for some individuals

If you want to create a digital card, the key is to avoid services that require your recipient to download an app in order to access your contact details. This makes the entire sharing process more difficult and adds the risk of turning away a valuable connection.

3. Your cards may not reach the recipient

When sharing a digital business card with QR code via email, there is always a chance the message will be simply buried in your recipient’s inbox. 

How to make the best of both worlds?

If you’re wondering how to create a digital business card with QR code, the answer is simple - OamiiCards.

Why?

First, you can create a polished digital business card for free using an endless variety of customizable elements. You can include all your details, along with any external links and images.

Your recipients don’t need an app to receive your contact information. Upon scanning the QR code, they gain access to your profile, from where they can save relevant info to their phone’s contacts app. 

It’s also worth mentioning that if you use our service to make your card, you can take it a step further and order a modern-looking physical NFC card. 

With it, you can simply tap on your recipient’s phone and they will be redirected to the digital version of your card. Hence, you get the best of both worlds: a physical experience of having a card in your hand while also reaping the benefits of using digital cards.

If you still want to use paper cards, OamiiCards can help you dip your toes into the digital realm of networking. We offer an option to generate a QR code and implement it into the design of your paper cards, thus allowing you to have all the benefits of the traditional approach mixed with the flexibility of the modern approach. 

You can also pay $4.99 a month to fully customize your online profile with powerful networking features and keep track of your networking progress. This is a good option for managing teams, as the premium version of OamiiCards provides a variety of team management options. 

Start networking with style

Today’s business world is a lot faster than it used to be, as such, we need tools that will allow us to keep up with its rapid pace. Digital business cards fit the bill perfectly as they have the potential to add some extra oomph to your networking practices.

Yet, a purely digital approach can make the process a bit more cold and sterile, which is why paper cards will always have a place in business dealings, regardless of the ages of the participants.

When you consider both sides of the proverbial coin, a hybrid approach with NFC cards or printed-out QR codes may just be the right solution to bridge the gap between the hyper approach of the digital realm and the warm “analog” approach of the paper card.

Sign up now to create your card and start networking with style without losing touch of the well-established business tradition.