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If you are a student, you need to have a business card. It’s plain and simple, especially if you are looking to network effectively and make successful connections within your university. Business cards are the way to build yourself up and also establish your personal brand.
Here are some of the basic reasons you need to have a business card as a student.
- Share your contact information - this is pretty basic. Without a business card, you find yourself writing your name and number or email address on any scrap paper found or a bar napkin. It is then likely to get thrown away because it looks like trash. With a business card, it is much more recognizable so it does not get tossed, and it looks much more professional.
- Professionalism - going along with the above point, if you are trying to network with people within your university community or local business people, not having a card to give back to them after getting theirs does not look professional. Solve this whole dilemma by GETTING BUSINESS CARDS NOW!
- Networking - if you are serious about making connections, then you need to have business cards. It happens to me and I am sure it happens to you all - after you meet someone and talk to them for a few minutes, you move on and start talking to someone else. Then after the night is over, you can not remember what the first person you talked to did. But, if you have their business card you can easily see their company name and probably a slogan on the card or you can look up their website to find out about them. The same thing goes for students. If your card is focused on use as a student, then you are likely to have your University/College name, your contact information, and your degree or program of study. This quickly gives someone a snapshot about you and helps refresh their memory about the conversation they had with you.
- Personal Branding - as a student and soon to be college graduate, you need to brand yourself in a certain way. Whether that be in your area of interest, a certain discipline, a certain industry, or based on your own company. Personal branding plays a huge role in college and having business cards is a way to help you stand out among your fellow students.
- Other “Partners” - college students like to party. So why not give out your business card when you are out at the bar, club, or party to give your information to prospective “partners”. I’ll leave it up to you which kind of partners you share your information with. I’m sure there are some who you do not want to have your number the next day.
Hopefully these tips help you out in deciding to get business cards printed up as a student. Don’t think about whether you need them or not, think about what to put on them and how soon you can order them.
Best of luck,
Chris Pund
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Comments
02.23.09
Hey Chris-
Great post--and I totally agree. I think getting business cards printed as a student requires him/her to hurdle a mental obstacle--that is, to start looking at their education as training, as their schooling as more professional. To me, this move is tough, but critical to fully realizing the skills and knowledge we gain while at university.
A friend of mine forwarded a link to me last fall, when an online company was holding a promotion for 50 free business cards, with free shipping! I don't know if the promotion still is honored, but you (and others) can check it out here:
http://www.ooprint.com/wisconsin
All the best-
Andrew Stuhl
02.23.09
Chris,
good article, I have to say as I was reading this I was thinking it to be a little silly. But Andrew's comment got me thinking "why is it so silly". this is mental obstacle I and other students need to get over. This is a great idea, and I'll let you know how it works out!
Anthony Dineen
10.18.10
Having a business card as a student now sounds like a great idea and I'm sure that it can actually work very well. But back in the days when I was in college and voip wasn't even invented, having a business card as a student would have looked a bit snobbish to many of the ones you would hand them out to.
11.24.10
this is mental obstacle I and other students need to get over. This is a great idea, and I'll let you know how it works out!kimley
11.24.10
But back in the days when I was in college and voip wasn't even invented, having a business card as a student would have looked a bit snobbish to many of the ones you would hand them out to. Online Loan Calculator
12.13.10
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01.02.11
Great article! I couldn't help but link back to it as a resource in my blog. Thanks for the great information!
Blog article here: http://tianamaedesign.com/blog/print/business-cards-are-for-students-too
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