Free Business Cards

The prospect of obtaining free business cards exist in the form of offers advertised by a multitude of publishing houses and printing businesses wishing to market their own businesses through this type of promotional activity. Printing businesses offering to provide free business cards do so with the hopes of heightening the awareness of the consumer market the presence of that particular business.

Types of Free Business Card Promotions
There are two primary types of promotions that provide individuals with free business cards, which consist of a ‘one-off’ promotional offer, as well as a consumer-targeted contest:
1.    ‘One-off’ Promotional Offer
These types of activities offering free business cards are primarily classified as marketing ventures; by advertising in this fashion, a business allows itself the opportunity to raise its presence amongst consumers who would normally be unaware of the business in question. The following benefits can be latent within this type of promotion:
•    The supply of free business cards allows potential consumers to sample the production, value, and quality of work set forth by the printing business
•    The ability to place that printing business’s contact information on each card printed; this is done in hopes of increasing awareness with regard to the printing business
•    The supply of free business cards may demonstrate a commitment to customer service on the part of the business responsible for the printing of the free business cards in question
•    The promotional offer may generate increased traffic with regard to the business’s online presence

2.    Consumer-Targeted Contest
This type of marketing activity takes place as a result of a random lottery or raffle; in certain instances, the winner of this promotional contest wins a prize that is specific to the business offering the free business cards:
•    It is not uncommon for the promotional business to place ‘drop-boxes’ in certain locations that prompt individuals to drop their business cards in the specified boxes
•    The promotion will explain that one (or more) business cards submitted swill be picked – the owner of the business card that is chosen will be the recipient of a prize
•    The prize might reveal itself as a complimentary pressing of free business cards for the winner
Free Business Card Pros and Cons
There are a variety of benefits that are latent within the prospect of receiving free business cards:
Pros
•    New businesses - or startup businesses - may wish to take advantage of such promotions in order to gauge the amount of business cards needed to participate in networking endeavors and events
•    Participation in such promotions may result in the connection between an individual and a printing house in which a flourishing business relationship can develop
Cons
•    Due to restrictions latent within the promotion, there may only be a finite of designs, fonts, and graphic available to individuals wishing to take advantage of the promotional offer for free business cards
•    Certain business and/or individuals might not wish to disseminate business cards with the contact information belonging to another business on them; as previously stated, certain promotions offering free business cards only do so with the expressed condition that they are permitted to include the contact information of the promotion – or printing – company