In an increasingly digital world, physical marketing still holds unique power. Chief among them are business cards. Business cards remain one of the most effective marketing tools for creating meaningful, real-world connections and first impressions. More than a way to share contact information, they serve as tangible expressions of brand identity and professionalism, especially when designed thoughtfully.
Sara Finney-Hon, Indy Lau, and Tova Vaginshtein each represent a new generation of entrepreneurs who are leveraging business cards as strategic components in their marketing strategy. For these small business owners, a business card is not just a nice-to-have—it’s a gateway to stronger customer relationships.
A Lasting Impression Starts with Intentional Design
Sara Finney-Hon, co-founder of Sunday Staples, designed her business card to mirror the elevated, sensory experience of her brand. Sunday Staples is a premium matcha and organic tea company that blends traditional tea culture with modern flair. Her linen, square-shaped business card features a QR code and premium thickness—details chosen to convey the same quality and care that go into her products. This allows her to align the card’s look and feel with her brand’s identity.
“My old cards were thinner and not vibrant,” Finney-Hon says. “The linen quality provides a unique and luxurious impression.”
After handing her business card to a customer at a recent pop-up event, Finney-Hon received a follow-up inquiry that turned into a wholesale order. “That one small interaction, sealed with a well-designed card, turned a casual shopper into a long-term partner,” she says.
Professionalism that Builds Confidence
Visual branding plays a critical role in shaping perceptions, particularly for small business owners working to establish credibility. For artist and stationery designer Indy Lau, upgrading her business cards from homemade prints to professionally produced designs significantly changed how she approached in-person events.
“I attend a lot of markets where I meet potential customers and partners,” Lau explains. “My previous business cards were flimsy and pixelated. I always found that with a business card, customers can remember me and either go on my website or follow my journey on social media.”
Her new business card is colorful and playful, reflecting the food-inspired stationery line she created as an homage to her Asian-American upbringing. It includes a QR code that links directly to her website and social platforms. During one local market, a retail shop owner who visited her booth took a card and later followed up with an offer to carry Lau’s products in-store. “Having a business card ready made that opportunity possible,” she says. “It turned a quick conversation into a lasting collaboration.”
Function and Form that Open Doors
When Tova Vaginshtein, founder of Canadian clothing brand Reborn Club, prepared for her first-ever pop-up with TikTok Canada, she made the strategic decision to invest in an elevated business card design that would stand out visually. Her soft-touch, square-shaped cards feature an aura-inspired orange design on the front, with a scannable QR code linking to her digital platforms on the back.
“I saw people picking them up because they looked visually appealing,” she recalls. “Some scanned the code right at the booth, and one visitor even made a purchase later that same day.”
Before this, Vaginshtein had underestimated the impact a business card could make, especially for an e-commerce-first brand. “I used to think that if someone wanted to find my store, they would just go online. I quickly realized how valuable it is to have something physical to share at events and in casual networking moments. Now, I keep cards on me at all times.”
A Strategic Tool for In-Person Engagement
Across industries, these small business owners emphasize a consistent theme: business cards serve as compact yet powerful extensions of their brands. Whether at markets, pop-ups, or networking events, a high-quality business card adds credibility and leaves behind a lasting impression. When paired with a QR code that drives traffic to websites or social platforms, the card bridges the gap between a physical encounter and digital engagement.
While each small business owner approached their branding differently, all have seen measurable results from integrating business cards into their everyday marketing strategies. From new relationships to increased online visibility, these outcomes illustrate the continued relevance of this classic tool in the modern business world.
For founders looking to elevate their first impression and unlock new growth opportunities, the right business card can make a meaningful difference.
