What is the alternative to Business Cards: QR-Powered Digital Business Cards

Paper business cards have been a key tool for professional networking for ages, but the question remains: Are they still impactful in their traditional form? 

Sadly, No. 

As more professionals look for better and greener options, QR code digital business cards have become a top choice because of their ability to elevate your networking experience. You can add information without any space limitations, share details with just a tap, embed dynamic QR codes, and maximize networking ROI.  

Take a look at how QR-powered digital business cards are proving to be a more effective alternative tha traditional paper business cards.

The problem with traditional business cards

While traditional business cards have been a reliable tool for exchanging contact information, they come with several significant drawbacks. 

Environmental impact

Nearly 10 billion business cards are printed annually, and most are used only once before being discarded, making them less eco-friendly. 

Paper business cards have a high carbon footprint and they directly impact deforestation; 7.2 million trees are cut down each year to produce them. The environmental toll is considerable and hard to justify in an era where sustainability is a priority.

Limited information storage

Conventional business cards offer limited space to add information. Most often, they incorporate only simple information like a name, professional title, phone number, and email address. 

To make it worse, once printed, the information becomes static and cannot be updated, leading to outdated or incomplete cards.

Vulnerability to damage and loss

Paper business cards are relatively easy to misplace, rip, or shred and, thus, are not very useful in long-term networking. 

Alternatives to business cards

With the limitations of traditional business cards, professionals are turning to modern alternatives that offer greater functionality and convenience. 

Two popular options are digital business cards and QR code business cards. Both provide innovative solutions that address the shortcomings of paper cards while adding new features that enhance networking and information sharing. 

Digital business cards

Digital business cards are purely virtual and can be accessed via a website link or mobile app. They let you exchange contact information, social media handles, and all other professional information with a simple tap or a click.

How to make a digital business card: 

• Step 1: Log into Mobiqode and choose ‘vCard’ to open its digital business card generator
• Step 2:  Choose a template that fits your brand style or start building one from scratch
• Step 3: Add profile details, like your name, business name, and logo, 
• Step 4: Next, add your contact details, phone number, email address, website and company details
• Step 5: Add social media links with appropriate icons for each handle or link to your portfolios or product catalog by adding a custom URL 
• Step 6: Customize your digital business card to fit your brand voice with appropriate colors, fonts, and layout 

Once you’ve created it, you can start sharing your digital business card with prospects, people you meet at events, recruiters, and so on. 

QR code business cards

Source

For those who still prefer having a physical card but want to embrace modern technology, QR code business cards offer a perfect middle ground. They are conventional business cards that have integrated a QR code, which, when scanned by any smartphone. These QR codes can navigate users to the appropriate pages (product catalog, company website, portfolio, and PDFs).

You can also opt for dynamic QR codes which are fully editable even after they are generated. You can change the destination URL even after the card has been printed, thus offering flexibility for your evolving professional needs.

How to make a QR code business card: 

• Step 1: Access Mobiqode’s QR code generator on any browser
• Step 2: Select the QR code type: link, image, video, WiFi, etc
  • Creating QR Codes:
    • For link QR codes to paste the URL into the website tab
    • For PDF QR codes to upload your PDF under the PDF tab
    • For social media QR codes: Enter your account URLs in the social media tab and customize if needed

• Step 3: Customize your QR code with colors, logos, and patterns, or skip this step (if not needed)

• Step 4: Download your QR code as a JPG, PNG, or SVG file

• Step 5: Add them to your business cards to make them QR-powered for better networking and information sharing

Embedding QR codes and paper business cards helps add comprehensive information. Contact details can be added to cards, and product/service-specific details can be linked to a QR code. 

Why switch to a digital business card?

The compelling benefits of switching to a digital business card are:

• You instantly share your digitized information via email, text, or QR code without needing a physical exchange
• You establish all premium information with no space restrictions. You can consider adding CTAs like scheduling a call or filling out the form so prospects can better navigate
• You save costs by updating information anytime without reprinting new cards. 
• You design interactive networking cards with clickable icons for social media handles, portfolios, contact details, etc 
• You include rich media like videos, portfolios, and social media links to offer more context and engagement
• You make informed decisions with analytic reports tracking how often your card is viewed and shared
• You help the environment by reducing paper, energy, and physical waste

Upgrade your business card game with digital and QR code business cards

Leverage modern business cards and enable multiple sharing options; consider using Mobiqode’s QR code generator tool. Our platform offers an intuitive interface, allowing you to create and customize QR codes and digital business cards. With features like custom QR codes and detailed analytics, you can enhance your networking efforts and gain valuable insights into your interactions.

Get started today with our 14-day trial to experience the benefits of our powerful QR code generator.