Why Agencies Must Add Digital Business Cards as a Service

The global digital business card market hit USD 178.5 million in 2024 and is projected to more than double, reaching USD 381.7 million by 2033 at a CAGR of 8.81% (IMARC Group). This rapid growth signals a major shift in how professionals network, moving from traditional paper cards to smart, contactless, and mobile-friendly digital alternatives.

If you are a marketing agency owner, this presents a timely opportunity for you to tap into a booming market by offering digital business cards as a service to your valued customers. It’s a low-effort, high-impact way to expand your portfolio, build recurring revenue, and help clients modernize their brand presence.

This article will break down the key aspects of getting started with offering digital business cards as a service, why they’re valuable, how to implement them, and the benefits for both you and your clients. Let’s start.

Why digital business cards are an ideal service for agencies

Growing demand for digital networking tools: Business leaders are increasingly seeking digital networking solutions for their ease of use and key advantages, such as instant, contactless information exchange, real-time updates, interactivity, and a professional, modern appeal.

Cross-industry appeal: Every C-level executive and professional across industries relies on business cards to share contact details or generate leads. Digital cards are versatile, making them easy to sell to any client segment, from startups to large enterprises.

User-friendly and accessible: Unlike complex software, digital business cards are simple to use, requiring no technical knowledge or third-party apps. All that’s needed is a smartphone to create or share the card, making it a low-effort addition to your service offerings.

Custom branding opportunities: Agencies can offer personalized URLs on digital cards, reinforcing their own brand identity. By providing this service under your agency’s name, you can easily capture attention and build stronger customer loyalty.

Benefits for agencies when offering business cards as a service 

Offering digital cards as a service to clients helps agencies in numerous ways. Here are a few: 

✅ Diversifying revenue streams

Agencies can create recurring income streams by introducing different subscription models, like a free-time subscription with potential upsells or paid monthly/yearly subscriptions. This can be your diversified income source besides the one coming from the core marketing services. 

✅ Expanding service portfolio

Reselling digital business cards allows the agency to expand its service portfolio without the significant investment and resources required to develop a new product from scratch. Compared to in-house product development, reselling has lower operational risks and less time to launch operations.   

✅ Enhancing client value proposition

Integrating digital business cards into the agency’s offerings adds tangible value that clients can easily remember. With a physical presence, it’s easier to boost your brand identity and position yourself as a competitive differentiator, directly contributing to the business growth and networking efforts.

✅ Positioning as forward-thinking

Positioning is key in the marketing industry. By providing a cutting-edge digital solution, your agency signals that it stays ahead of trends. This strengthens your brand image as an innovative, forward-thinking group that understands and caters to the evolving needs of modern businesses.

✅ Strengthening client relationships & loyalty

A valuable and practical tool like a digital business card can strengthen the agency’s client relationship. It gives clients another reason to stay loyal with “extra” benefits that others might lack. This fosters loyalty and potentially leads to longer-term engagements.

How do agencies help clients by offering digital business cards?

Let’s understand the value proposition agencies can provide to their clients by offering digital cards. 

☑️ Broaden networking reach

Digital business cards provide modern and efficient networking, which traditional paper cards would have easily missed. Unlike traditional cards, your clients can instantly share digital cards with prospects or peers with a QR code smartphone scan or NFC tap. This multi-channel sharing allows them to connect with far more prospects. In-person meeting or not, their networking never stops.

☑️ Generating leads from prospects 

Sharing details is not enough; users must collect and save their prospect contacts to push them down the sales funnel. Digital cards allow integration of digital forms, which help prospects to fill out and share their contact information in exchange. This way, users turn a simple card exchange into a two-way connection. 

☑️ Improved follow-ups and conversion

With traditional cards, follow-ups can be hit or miss—people misplace cards or forget to contact you. Digital cards, however, allow users to save prospects’ contact information directly on their devices, saving it as a home screen, in Apple/Google Wallet, or the Gallery. Some service providers, like QRCodeChimp, provide advanced features, including SMS or email notifications, CRM integrations, Calendar meetings, and more. Businesses can quickly follow up on the notification and strategize to convert the leads. 

☑️ Enhanced brand representation

By customizing digital cards using the brand logo and URL, your clients can showcase and reinforce their brand identity. They can leverage the cards to represent the business professionally and create a great modern impression on prospective customers. 

☑️ Environmentally friendly and cost-effective in the long run

Using digital cards provides environmental benefits and cost-saving advantages. Unlike traditional paper-based cards, users are not required to print them. This helps the environment by reducing paper waste and offers long-term cost savings by avoiding printing costs. Updating information digitally, such as phone numbers or titles, is easy and fast. 

Be a reseller: Starting point for a digital business card service

You don’t need upfront capital or dedicated development time to start offering digital business cards as a service. Instead of building a solution from scratch, you can become a reseller of a ready-made platform like QRCodeChimp. Simply choose a subscription plan that fits your needs, and you’re set to go.

As a marketing agency, you likely have clients who already use traditional business cards. Transitioning them to digital cards will be easy, thanks to clear benefits like instant sharing, digital contact saving, cost-efficiency, and enhanced functionality.

As a reseller, you have two options:

• Sell under the provider’s brand, or
• Offer white-labeled digital business cards under your own brand by using a custom domain URL.

White-labeling adds credibility, reinforces your agency’s identity, and builds greater trust with clients — all while delivering a high-value, future-ready service with recurring revenue potential.

Implementation: How agencies can get started

Prepare the roadmap listed below to start the digital business card offering. 

1️⃣ Finding a reliable service provider 

Conduct thorough research and choose a reliable digital business card service provider. QRCodeChimp is a leading service provider offering enterprise-grade features, such as white label solutions, lifetime free memberships, lead capture forms, extensive designs and customization, advanced security features, prompt customer support, and analytics and tracking facilities. 

These are the key features you should look for when selecting the best digital card service provider. You can compare QRCodeChimp with its competitors for such features.  

2️⃣ Deciding on a subscription model 

Each provider offers different subscription models. QRCodeChimp provides one of the most affordable and extensive pricing plans for users. You can check out the subscription model available at QRCodeChimp. 

3️⃣ Branding of cards 

Use a custom domain URL to include your brand name in the cards’ URL. Prepare a strategy to design and align the card with your brand logo, colors, and other aesthetic values. You can leverage QRCodechimp’s white label merchandise solutions for a branded URL in digital business cards.  

4️⃣ Testing and launching  

Ensure the cards are tested thoroughly before launching them. Scan the cards using various devices, especially iPhones and Android phones, to check whether the card functions correctly. 

5️⃣ Train your staff or team

Train your team about the new service offers. For instance, the sales team should understand the value propositions (so they can pitch them), and the account managers or designers should know how to manage or create the digital cards for clients. This could involve a quick internal workshop or using documentation from the platform.

Conclusion 

By adding digital business cards as an additional service to their existing offerings, marketing agencies can generate new income and expand their service portfolios. Start by offering the cards as a complimentary gift to your existing clients and later charge the monthly/annual fees when they want advanced features. 

Besides unlocking the potential for increased revenue, agencies can create an enhanced client value proposition and a stronger market position. Offering digital cards as a service helps clients boost their networking and brings several opportunities for growth and innovation.

Frequently asked questions