It’s believed that the first business cards were in use back in 15th century China and were called ‘Visiting Cards’. They were a way of promoting one’s importance in society and were used as a form of proof of credentials to gain invitations into elite establishments.
Around the 17th century, it was believed that the high-born families in Europe used these cards to announce their arrival. Men were expected to leave a card for every woman in the room when visiting a friend. The cards usually included embellishments such as embossing and gold foiling to imply the card holder’s social status.
Small business establishments saw business cards as a handy opportunity to utilise them as ‘Trade Cards” to further business. One side would have promotional material about the business and the other side would have the address or a map to the location, so the customers could easily find the business. Eventually the Visiting Card and Trade Card merged to create what we now refer to as a Business Card.
Research has shown that business cards have a direct impact on people’s impressions of businesses so don’t underestimate the power of a business card, or the message it carries about you and your business.
If your business cards are leaving the wrong impression then drop us a line and let’s have a chat.