With this trick, you can turn a paper business card into a smart card...
The all-knowing NFC Smart Card: Not just a digital business card, it can do more.
The ClickMe Smart Card made an online editing platform for creating digital business cards and mini websites. With its help, you can design your virtual business card or website in minutes, in a minimalist style.
There are multiple ways to make our own business cards smart. The most common method nowadays is integrating an NFC chip into a plastic card. When you purchase one, essentially you receive a card that encodes the service provider's online server accessibility for data transmission.
However, few people know that having a card integrated with an NFC chip is not necessary for all of this. Of course, it's cool and impressive to see the jaws drop when you show less knowledgeable individuals the great trick of touching your NFC card to their smartphone, and it seemingly magically loads your desired data "out of thin air."
"The digital business card is environmentally friendly because we don't distribute as many paper business cards that eventually end up in the trash."
I'll be honest with you: this is a great marketing tactic, perfect for promoting our company's digital transition and sustainability efforts. But does it really matter? How much paper do we actually consume compared to the size of a business card due to invoicing and contract-related administrative tasks?
And then we could also talk about how much an NFC chip-enabled plastic business card increases our carbon footprint compared to disposable but quickly biodegradable paper business cards? If these factors play an important role in our lives, we definitely don't recommend purchasing these types of cards.
The ClickMe Smart Card provides an opportunity for those who decide to forgo the physical card but still want to enjoy the benefits offered by the Smart Card in their business life.
It is important to note that with traditional QR code scannable business cards, the contact information is stored within the QR code itself. This means that they can be read without internet connection, but once generated, the information cannot be updated. In other words, we face the same limitations as with traditionally printed business cards that contain personal data:
If the phone number, job title, or anything else changes, all of them would need to be reprinted. 🙁
Another drawback is that only one type of information can be included. For example, it can either contain contact information or a website, etc.
Just like with digital business cards and the ClickMe Smart Card, the QR code behind a virtual business card profile also contains online content.
In practice, this means that if the user updates their personal information on the online profile management interface, the content behind the QR code will also be updated.
There is no need to replace, discard, or reprint anything.
In terms of functionality, the NFC chip communicates through the same URL link, which can also be placed in the form of a QR code on a digital business card. Therefore, there is actually no absolute need for an NFC-enabled digital business card, as the desired outcome can be achieved by simply displaying a QR code. This can be quickly scanned using the phone's camera application. Most modern phones can do this without the need for installing additional QR code scanner applications.
Those who dig a little deeper can see that an empty plastic card equipped with an NFC chip costs only a fraction of that price. However, if you want to achieve the same result, in addition to card printing, you will also need a software that manages the digital business card system, allowing you to write the necessary content into the chip using a compatible NFC chip writer device.
Someone has to operate this system in the background, pay for software licenses and server fees, maintain customer support, or even invest significant amounts in software development and coordinate the entire process.
Most companies that sell digital business cards use their own proprietary software to provide these cards. So, by purchasing their product, you acquire the right to use their accompanying software. Each product is assigned a unique identifier (ID), so for example, if you purchase 2 cards, you will have 2 unique ID's for different content.
Anyone can register, and the basic options for creating a digital business card profile are available to users for free.
However, certain additional services, such as larger storage capacity, customizable designs, or other premium features, may require a subscription fee for using the system. As a result, it can provide users with greater flexibility. They can use it for free, place the received QR code or URL link on their own marketing materials or printed business cards, and seamlessly switch to premium services with a subscription whenever the situation demands.
Should I just use it as a trendy tool or treat it as a tool to enhance corporate efficiency? The most suitable solution for you or your company largely depends on how much you want or want to make it unique.
If it truly serves the purpose of a business card, it is worth choosing a standard version card.
If the business card is intended to represent the company's image, we recommend a smart business card with unique graphics and the company logo.
If we want to use it for a specific function, such as a guest card at our accommodation or for transmitting reference materials to potential clients, it is advisable to choose suppliers who offer custom development to tailor our digital presence to our specific needs (CRM, Marketing, HR, PR, Quality products).
If your goal is to have a digital business card with minimal budget, it's worth choosing some kind of open system where you can create a basic functional digital business card for free or print it yourself on paper with a QR code added.
Digital business cards that come integrated with an NFC chip and proprietary software in a plastic card offered by distributors typically range from 20 to 100 euros on average. The final price usually depends on factors such as the chosen quantity and execution, such as custom graphics.
Of course, there can be special demands in this category, such as a metal business card. However, these materials have certain technical limitations because they can interfere with the signals emitted by the NFC chip. To overcome this, a common approach is to engrave the desired pattern on a basic metal business card and attach a sticker with an integrated NFC chip on the outer surface, creating a raised effect. However, this solution may have an unfavorable aesthetic impact. Aside from such technical challenges, the possibilities are virtually limitless, as the NFC chip is so small that it can be integrated into almost anything.
In the ClickMe Smart Card's digital business card system, you have the opportunity to try out the card-based business card and the online digital business card editor without any obligations. If you decide within one month, we will refund the price, and you don't have to worry about returning the card.
