Business cards have been a networking staple for decades. They are easy to hand out, relatively inexpensive, and provide customers with your contact information in one convenient place, but what happens to a business card after you hand it over?
It may end up in a wallet or desk drawer, but it can just as easily get tossed aside, misplaced, or forgotten. A custom decal gives businesses another way to put their name in front of customers, and it has the potential to stay there much longer.
Decals Are Designed to Stick Around
The biggest difference is right in the name. A decal can actually be stuck somewhere.
Customers might place a well-designed decal on a toolbox, water bottle, laptop, hard hat, cooler, storage container, or another surface they use regularly. Instead of your business information sitting in a drawer, your branding can remain visible every time that person uses the item.
Depending on the material, application, and environment, a quality decal can remain in place for a long time. That creates an opportunity for repeated brand exposure from something you only had to give the customer once.
Your Customers Can Help Spread the Word
A decal placed on a frequently used item is not necessarily seen only by the person who received it. Coworkers, friends, family members, and other people may see it too.
That can make custom decals a simple form of word-of-mouth marketing. Someone might notice your logo on a customer’s toolbox or water bottle and ask about the company behind it.
For businesses with recognizable branding or loyal customers, decals can become a small but effective way to keep the brand visible beyond the initial interaction.
Give People Something They Want to Keep
For a decal to work as a promotional item, people have to actually want to use it. Simply shrinking your business card design and turning it into a sticker may not be the best approach.
Think about creating something visually interesting enough to earn a spot on someone’s belongings. That could mean using your logo, an interesting illustration, a memorable slogan, or a design that represents your business without trying to include every piece of contact information.
The same principle applies to many types of effective business signage: focus on the information and imagery people actually need rather than trying to fit everything into one design.
Business Cards Still Have Their Place
This does not mean businesses need to stop printing business cards. They are still useful when someone needs your phone number, email address, website, or other contact information immediately.
Instead, think of decals as another tool in your marketing toolbox. A business card can provide the details someone needs today, while a decal can help keep your brand in front of them long after that first conversation.
You can even hand out both. Give the customer the practical information on your business card and a custom decal they may actually want to keep.
Make Your Brand Harder to Forget
Good marketing does not always have to be complicated. Sometimes a simple decal in the right place can keep your company visible for months or even years after a customer first encounters your business.
At Hollywood Signs & Graphics, we can create custom decals, stickers, and labels for businesses throughout Troutdale and the surrounding Oregon area. Whether you need branded decals to hand out to customers, product labels, or another custom graphic solution, contact our team to discuss how we can help turn your branding into something customers will want to stick around.
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