Do You Have to Put Your Address on a Business Card?

Do You Have to Put Your Address on a Business Card?

A business card is a great way for you to give potential customers your contact information. However, you may want to be selective about what information you share. 

You do not need to put your address on a business card. There are arguments for and against it, but the determining factor should be which choice makes you the most comfortable, and makes the most sense for your business. If you work from home, putting your address on your business card may not be a wise idea.

However, some people think that if your address is not on the card, it looks incomplete and unprofessional. If you want to know if you have to put your address on a business card, check out this article.

Do You Have to Put Your Address on a Business Card?

You just started a business, and you want it to be successful, of course. There are many things that a successful business needs if you are to grow and flourish. One of the items that should be included when you start your business is a business card, and you can utilize placeit.net for business card design ideas.

When it comes to your business card, you want to make sure that you give all the pertinent information that it requires to contact you. However, you do not necessarily need to put your address on a business card, as it is not necessary to give your address for someone to contact you.

Business cards serve the purpose of giving the customer a reliable way to get in contact with you, so that they may utilize your business. However, putting a physical address may not be the best move. The following include the arguments for and against giving away your address on your business card.

Why Should I Put My Address On My Business Card?

When you opt for putting your address on a business card, you may benefit in some ways:

  • It makes your business look more professional. When you have a home-based business, you want to make sure that any potential customer knows where it is and how to get there.
  • You do not want the embarrassing situation of someone trying to locate you, but they cannot. You did not put your address on the business card, and they have to go to the trouble of looking it up. It would also not be good if they were driving around aimlessly and could not find your business.
  • You want to be trustworthy. Customers generally respond well when they fee that they can trust your business. Your potential customers may think that if you do not provide a physical address, you business may disappear. When you have an address, it proves that you are a legitimate business that has the intention of sticking around.
  • You want a meeting place for the customer. When you have a customer, there is always a possibility that you may need to meet with them face to face, depending on what services you offer or what products you sell. It may not look professional to meet at a coffee shop restaurant.
  • Having an appropriate meeting place can boost your customer base. Having a formal place to go can lure a potential customer to your doorstep because it gives your business credibility, and people tend to remember a place that they can physically get to.

For all these reasons, it might be a good idea to include a physical address on your business card. You can draw in customers if they know where to go to get to you.

Why Should I Not Put My Address on a Business Card?

With as many reasons why putting your address on a business card is a good idea, the reasons for not putting it there may be fewer, but they are more relevant in terms of safety and practicality:

  • There is not enough space on the card.  When you have a business card, you want all the necessary contact information on it that the card will allow. However, business cards are small and do not allow for much to fit in such a limited space.
  • There are other, more practical ways for the customer to get in touch with you. Maybe once upon a time before the internet, putting your address on a business card was a good idea. However, if you give them an e-mail address and phone number, that should be sufficient.
  • It is not safe to give away your address if you work from home. For those of you who work at home, giving away your address may be an invitation for trouble. You do not want random people just showing up to your house all the time.
  • Giving away your address may not be as professional as you think. Some people would argue that they may not think it is professional for people to know you do business at home. They may picture you wasting time all day or you are sitting around in your pajamas. It depends on the image you are trying to project to the customer.

For all these reasons, you may want to think twice before you put your address on your business card. The most important reason not to is if you work from home. It is a security issue, and you do not necessarily want strangers to know where you live. You can accomplish more than you think on a business card without putting your address on it.

What Should You Put on a Business Card?

The primary purpose of a business card is to give your content information, and maybe show your creativity with a great logo design. There is some debate about what is appropriate to put on a business card, such as what is necessary and what is not. It can be a challenge to fit what you want on the card to begin with.

For a business card, you want to put your name and your role in the company. Your e-mail address should also be presented on the card, as well as a phone number to reach you. You may also want to know what is not mandatory, such as a physical address.

Your business card should be short and sweet and to the point. However, you can flex your creative muscles a little with a logo. Just make sure that the logo does not override the rest of the information. The following is a quick run down of what is necessary to put on a business card:

  • Your name
  • The role you hold in the company
  • Your e-mail address
  • Your phone number (preferably a work number)
  • Your website
  • Any pertinent social media information or details

The above should be enough information to fit on a small card. Make sure that the logo is unique and memorable. Jazz it up with some color, or a fancy font type. Remember to leave some white space to make it look clean.   

Conclusion

When creating the perfect business card, know that a physical address is not necessary. Some would argue that it is relevant, but there are many other more practical ways for the customer to get in touch with you.

It is up to you how to handle the details of your business card and contact information. However, be realistic and selective about what you can fit into a restricted area.