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Are Business Cards Still Relevant in 2023?

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The modern business world is completely digital. We are able to communicate with one another through the use of messaging apps and video calls. In the year 2023, do traditional printed business cards still hold any value, or have digital substitutes completely supplanted them? Is there a need to look for a free card maker like Vista Create and devote your time to understanding how it works? We will dwell on the matter in this post.
 
Even though business cards have been around for a century, their usefulness has not diminished. These business cards continue to be the quickest, most straightforward, and easiest way to market your company while also exchanging contact information with other people. As a direct consequence of this, companies all around the world produce an estimated 100 billion cards each year. Having thought about the number of cards produced annually, how do you think, "Are they effective?"
 
So, one can utilize business cards at the following venues:
  • Networking events
  • Meetings and presentations
  • Trade shows, and
  • Social gatherings
What Can Your Business Card Say About Your Personality and Your Brand?
 
Your business card includes essential details about you and the company/brand you are representing. The details on the card include your name, job title, organization, and other contact information, such as your phone number, email address, and website URL.
 
However, the design, graphics, and quality express vital characteristics of your company. And the following features of a business card are crucial to pay attention to:
  • Style and design: You have the ability to modify the style and design to put emphasis on your distinctive brand and aesthetic. That way, clients who resonate with your style and aesthetic can find you.
  • Paper and printing that are of high quality are indicators of professionalism and careful attention to detail. As a result, potential customers can easily put their faith in you.
  • Additional information: Information such as your slogan or title will highlight the emphasis of your business as well as its distinctive selling point.
  • Therefore, having a business card can assist in establishing your identity and projecting you as
  • a credible professional.

Are business cards still relevant in 2023?

A quick and brief answer is yes. And here are several reasons for this:

  • They are still the best and most natural approach to network and promote oneself.
  • Clients will remember you more fondly if you take extra care with details like print quality, style, and design.
  • They're a great way to advertise at minimal expense. The printing of cards is cheap and efficient.
  • They serve as an efficient means of mass mailing. Business cards can be used effectively on their own or in conjunction with other marketing materials such as flyers, brochures, and letters. As a result, interested parties can get in touch with you promptly to discuss the deal.
  • At the end of the day, they help bring up your offers in the minds of potential customers.
  • Their physical nature makes them easy for customers to keep in mind and bring up when discussing or recommending your company.

Should Business Cards Be Matte or Glossy?

Business card printing can be done with a matte or gloss surface. What's the ideal choice to make? Think about the following details while deciding on the final appearance of your business cards.
 
Appearance
The glossy surface of the finished product allows for the printing of vivid images and colors. A matte finish, on the other hand, is less noticeable and can soak up extra ink. Matte surfaces are not ideal for printing vivid images and colors, but they are easy to write on and don't reflect light.
 
Durability
You may increase the longevity of your business cards by using any of these two treatments.
Nonetheless, matte resists wear and scratches better.
 
Fingerprint resistance
Glossy finishes are not always fingerprint-resistant. Matte cards, though, can't be smudged like that.
 
That's why they're so effective and practical: glossy business cards. Also, the pictures and colors on these cards are very lovely. On the other hand, matte business cards are understated but sturdy. Either one can give your company a polished appearance, so long as you know what you're going for.
 
Conclusive Words
There's a chance that switching to digital business cards could help you save money, reduce waste, and eliminate the likelihood of errors. Printed business cards are easy to use and highly effective. As a result, there is value in having a branded card rather than using a technical substitute. In that case, in 2023, making the investment in physical business cards is reasonable.

 





Pittsfield Schools See 'Very Modest' Chapter 70 Increase

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

The School Committee is expected to vote on a budget in April. 

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Pittsfield Public Schools will see a "very modest" increase in Chapter 70 funding for fiscal year 2027, and administrators are working to calculate exactly what that will mean. 

Gov. Maura Healey filed a nearly $63 billion budget on Wednesday that increases the city's school funding by $404,000. The Pittsfield schools dropped into a lower Chapter 70 funding category because it has fewer students considered low income. 

This year's expected Chapter 70 aid is just over $68.8 million. In FY26, the district received $68,450,361.

"While the FY27 budget reflects a modest increase over last year's budget, anticipated rising costs such as any current and potential contractual obligations, insurance increases, fuel increases, etc., will result in a budgetary shortfall," Assistant Superintendent for Business and Finance Bonnie Howland reported on Wednesday. 

"The foundation budget also reflects that decrease in overall student enrollment, and this shapes the critical next phase of our work." 

In 2024, the discovery of 11 students meeting those income guidelines put the district in the higher funding category and added $2.4 million in Chapter 70 funds to the school budget. 

The district will review prior year spending trends and confirm district priorities before drafting the budget, which is about 80 percent contractual obligations for teachers, aides, administrators, and support staff. Embedded into the process is engagement with staff, the community, and the City Council. 

Interim Superintendent Latifah Phillips said that in some cases, the district may be able to reduce a current vacancy, but in other cases, there will be a significant effort to hire. 

"For example, for core subject classrooms, we have to fill those positions, and so we are taking a look at every position, every role, how it's being utilized to make recommendations for how we will balance this budget," she explained. 

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