Apparently, print is dead.
Someone I’m coaching emailed me the other day. They’re getting a new business established and were looking at the foundations: business cards, brochures and a company profile. Useful things to take into meetings and leave with potential clients.
Then a digital marketing ‘expert’ told them not to bother. Print was dead, and they’d be better off putting the money into Google Ads.
I disagree.
Google Ads can help people find your business. But if you’re heading into client meetings, attending networking events or building relationships face to face, you also need to think about what happens during that conversation and afterwards.
What can you leave behind? How will that person explain your business to their manager when you’re no longer in the room?
“Just Google us” is asking them to do quite a bit of the work.
And no, I don’t want to scan your QR code so you end up on my phone. I don’t even know you, you aren’t going into my phone yet!
That doesn’t mean every new business needs 5,000 brochures and a stationery cupboard worthy of a regional bank. It means choosing a few useful printed items around how you actually meet customers and win work.
If face-to-face conversations are part of your sales process, print deserves a place in your marketing budget.
Give people a useful reminder
After an event, someone might return to a desk full of emails, missed calls and work that didn’t politely pause while they were out networking.
A business card or brochure can help them reconnect your conversation with your business.
For that to happen, it needs to be clear who you are and what you do. A striking logo is useful, but if your business name doesn’t explain your services, add a short description.
“Commercial Electrical & Maintenance” gives someone a helpful memory prompt. A vague tagline about powering possibilities probably doesn’t.
Make it easy for someone to remember why they wanted to speak with you again.
Business cards still have a practical job
Exchanging details digitally can be convenient. A business card also gives you a quick, simple way to share your information without interrupting the conversation to search for a profile or unlock a phone.
Keep the essentials easy to find:
- Your name and role.
- Your business name.
- A clear description of what you do, if needed.
- Your preferred contact details.
- Your website.
Readable text matters more than squeezing every service onto the back.
Leave a little space for a handwritten note, too. “Ask about the warehouse signage” can make a card much more useful when someone finds it a week later.
If you expect people to write on it, consider that when choosing the stock and finish.
Choose the print to suit the meeting
You don’t need to carry your entire marketing cupboard to every event.
The right piece depends on the setting and how much interest someone has shown.
At a casual networking event, a business card may be enough to keep the connection going.
At a scheduled introduction, a short brochure can help explain your services and show examples while you talk.
At a meeting with a potential corporate client, a capability statement can support a more detailed discussion about your experience, team and ability to deliver.
When discussing a particular challenge, a relevant case study can show how you approached similar work.
The aim is to give someone information that fits their interest. Handing over a thick company profile after a two-minute chat can feel a bit like assigning homework.
Use print to make your work easier to explain
Some services are difficult to describe in a short conversation.
A builder might use a project sheet to explain a complex renovation. A signage business might show before-and-after photographs. A consultant might use a simple diagram to explain their process.
Print gives you something you can look at together, point to and discuss.
That makes the design important. Strong images, clear headings and short explanations help someone understand the work without reading every paragraph.
Rather than filling a brochure with broad claims about quality and service, show a few examples that give those claims substance.
What was the problem? What did you do? What changed for the client?
Those are useful conversation starters.
Help your contact introduce you to someone else
The person you meet may not be the person who makes the buying decision.
They might need to speak with a business partner, manager or procurement team before anything moves forward.
A clear printed piece gives them something to pass on. It should make sense to someone who wasn’t part of your original conversation.
That means explaining what you do, who you help and why your experience is relevant, with an obvious way to contact you.
Think of it this way: could your contact use this document to explain your business accurately in your absence?
If the answer is no, it may need clearer information rather than another page.
Connect the conversation to a next step
Print works well alongside your digital marketing.
A short website address or well-placed QR code can direct someone to a relevant project, service page or booking form.
Be specific about what they’ll find. “View our recent fit-outs” gives people a reason to scan. An unexplained QR code leaves them guessing.
Match the destination to the discussion wherever possible. If you’ve been talking about school signage, a page showing school projects is more helpful than making someone search your entire website.
Test the code on a printed proof, and keep an alternative contact method visible.
Make your follow-up personal
A business card creates an opening. Following up is what helps turn it into a working relationship.
After the event, note what you discussed and any action you promised. Then send a short, relevant message.
“Good to meet you yesterday. Here’s the project example I mentioned for your new reception area” gives the recipient a clear reason to continue the conversation.
It also shows you were listening.
Your printed materials, website and follow-up should feel connected, with consistent branding and a clear description of your services. Someone checking you out afterwards should immediately recognise the business they met.
Prepare for the conversations you want to have
Before your next event, check that your cards are current, your contact details are correct and your printed examples reflect the work you want to win.
You don’t need a huge quantity or an elaborate pack. Start with a few useful pieces that represent your business well.
The conversation builds the connection. Good print helps people remember it and take the next step.
Have a networking event or client meeting coming up?
Brand Hero designs and prints business cards, brochures and capability statements that help you introduce your business clearly and confidently. Talk to our team about what would be useful for your next opportunity.