6 Reasons You Need a Digital Business Card When Working From Home

By Rachelle Dragani

The shift to remote work has put the kibosh on all kinds of traditional business practices. One of the biggest to get the boot? The business card. It was long a staple of in-person professional meetups, but the advent of video conferencing and virtual boardrooms made it impossible to exchange little paper cards. 

A new contact card contender is taking over: the digital business card. Also known as a virtual business card, this online tool can contain all the information that a paper business card can—and then some!

Digital business cards are often formatted like a paper business card, but are shared digitally—often via a QR code, email, text or digital business card app. Like traditional business cards, you can customize and design them exactly to your liking and share with anyone you want. Because it’s all online, you also have far more opportunity to get creative, paint a more complete picture of yourself and your work, include links to videos and your social media and/or website—and stake your claim in the workforce of the future.

Still not sure if it’s right for you? Check out these six benefits of digital business cards: 

1. It shows you’re forward-thinking. 

Even if the pandemic hadn’t forced tons of work online, paper was getting a bit outdated. Show potential employers, colleagues and prospects that you’re equipped to navigate the digital world and adopt the latest and greatest tech innovations.

2. It offers limitless possibilities. 

You’re not beholden to a wallet-sized piece of paper when you create digital business card designs. Sure, you can keep it as simple as you’d like, but if you want to include anything from examples of your latest work or even your resume, a digital business card can hold it all. 

3. It gives people more insight into who you are beyond the Zoom screen.

In a work-from-home world, where professional connections are often forged via screen, it can be tougher to form bonds that occur more organically in person. But as there are no boundaries (or paper edges!) to virtual business cards, you have room to include some fun details about yourself that will give people a better sense of who you are behind the screen.

4. It can lead to more work opportunities.

Now that job searches and interviews are happening online, sending over your digital business card when you’re applying for a job gives you a cool persona with comprehensive, customizable links. When people can easily pull up your entire profile, you can make a dynamic impression that can’t possibly fit on a physical card.

They might also choose to share your digital card with another colleague, helping to expand your professional potential further than ever.

5. It’s eco-friendly.

Why waste paper when you don’t have to? Digital business cards will never end up in a trash bin. If you feel strongly about sustainability or are in an industry that could use a push to more earth-friendly initiatives, you could incorporate that message into your business card designs.

6. It’s easily adaptable. 

Ever get a box with a thousand new business cards only to get a change of title or new phone number the next week? The beauty of digital cards is that you can switch up your info or design at any time. It takes just minutes to level up any digital card, update it with your new information or add links to some examples of recent work you’re proud of. 

How do I make a digital business card? 

Ready to get started creating your own virtual business card today? There are tons of online resources that can help you do so, including HiHello, Mobilo, Kado or Dibiz. 

If you’re up for the challenge, you can design your own business card. Or, if you’d rather leave the creative stuff to someone else, you can choose from virtual business card templates. Here are a few things you want to include: 

• Basic info – Make sure you add all the info you would put on a traditional business card: your name, title and contact info. If you work with international contacts, you might also include your name on messaging apps like WhatsApp, Signal or WeChat. 
• Socials and online presence – If you have a robust social presence or a virtual portfolio, you can link to it. If you typically only lurk on Twitter, keep that link out—you only want to put the most up-to-date, polished version of yourself on your digital card.
• Photo – Your paper business card may not include a photo, but it’s a great thing to include online, as you might be passing this along to someone who’s never met you in real life. If your company has any video about your company’s products and services or customer testimonials you can use, that can be a great link to include, too.
• Credentials – If you’re working in an industry where credentials like a real estate or medical license are important, create a business card that makes it easy for your contacts to know you’re the real deal. 

It’s a digital world. Don’t just live in it—thrive in it.

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