Never Bother With Sub-par Business Cards Or No Cards At All

Youre about to go to a tradeshow and you realize that you dont have any business cards on you anymore. You had handed out the last one just the week before and you havent had a chance to print business cards since. You dont know of anyplace in the area around the tradeshow where you can get them done, so what do you do? Are you supposed to go without any color business cards at all, or are you supposed to just pass up on the event altogether and wait until the next one.

To be honest, if it were me I would pass up on it altogether and wait until I had some more cards. The same is going to be true for when I get back a card from the printer and realize it isnt really what I was looking for, or if I just get some negative feedback on my card shortly before an event.

This seems like a rather drastic measure that could lose you some sales by not showing up at all, but consider what type of long term damage it might do as well.

When youre talking to someone at an event specifically designed to gain leads, do you just expect that theyll have a business card on them? Every time I talk to someone the conversation ends with each of us exchanging cards. If they dont have a card I know my opinion of them is going to be changed.

This can be just as harmful when you have a really bad card to hand to people. As soon as they look at your card their opinion of you is going to be altered and there isnt much you can do about it. Either way people are probably going to think less of you rather than more for having come anyways.

This kind of negative impression might very well have long lasting consequences for your business, and cost you a number of future sales down the line if you arent careful. Is that really worth whatever little business you might still be able to generate?

Besides, for most industries these kinds of events happen rather often, so it wont be a huge deal to wait to go to one until after youve been able to print business cards, or improve your current card.

I would rather make no impression at all than potentially give someone a bad one. I consider a bad impression to be the same as burning a bridge, and I try to never burn a bridge if I can help it.

The decision is obviously going to be yours, and if you have enough other supporting marketing material you might be able to get by without a strong business card. Still, at least be aware of the risks, and factor them into your decision.