Some organizations are reticent to deal with print materials, with time and expense being a deterrent. As website News Blaze points out, "the words ‘fast’ and ‘cheap’ were never associated with the printing industry." However, the news source points out that online printing resources have helped make the process easier and more viable for many needs. "The online business model has reshaped people’s perception by reducing the sizeable cost and time demanded by the process," the website attests. "As such, business professionals now have more time and money to spend on more important pursuits, be they business or personal."
Though an online printer is the place to turn for many services, News Blaze emphasizes their use as a source of business cards. "Serious business professionals," the article says, "understand that a business card is one of the most effective communication tools in introducing one’s product or services to prospects and in providing contact information to clients for future reference."
From an online printer, the standard turnaround time is five days to a week, similar to traditional local printers. However, when facing a sudden opportunity or shortage, a rush fee can get orders out as quickly as in two business days. The website adds that an online printer, as compared to a traditional source, can yield average savings of 30 to 60 percent.
Business cards may be one of the oldest forms of marketing, but they are hardly obsolete. A quick, convenient way to make connections and turn any interaction into a potential business transaction, they are widely considered an invaluable asset by business experts.
A recent survey of readers of technology and lifestyle website Lifehacker found 87 percent of respondents saying that they had business cards. Though the website is popular among followers of technological trends, 70 percent said they carried the cards with them either all the time or in business contexts.
A recent article at MediaPost emphasized the point in an article about conducting effective marketing interactions. "Business cards perform basic utility, but they are also accessories that say a lot about you, signals that promote or detract from your company or personal brand," the site said. "Whether you’re a free agent or an employee, in good economic times or bad, business cards are like oxygen for your ability to do better business."
