More American Small Business Owners Believe Business Cards Are ‘Very Impactful’

Sep 11, 2026

Ipsos poll results show American small business owners are more likely than general Americans to view business cards as a “very impactful” networking tool. Thirty-four percent of U.S. small business owners report this view versus 24% among general Americans. Small business owners also distribute more cards monthly, use a wider range of event locations, and more frequently give cards in business or personal encounters. The survey additionally finds distribution has increased over the past five years, especially among small business owners.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryPresentations

FormatPDF

Pages10

Reading Time4 min

AccessFree to download

Key findings

Attitudes toward business cards

Monthly card distribution

Where cards are shared

Giving cards in encounters

Trends over the past five years

Ipsos Reid is Canada's market intelligence leader and the country’s leading provider ofpublic opinion research. With operations in eight cities, Ipsos Reid employs more than 600 research professionals and support staff in Canada. The company has the biggest network of telephone call centres in Canada, as well as the largest pre-recruited household and on-line panels. Ipsos Reid’s Canadian marketing research and public affairs practices are staffed with seasoned research consultants with extensive industry-specific backgrounds, offering the premier suite of research vehicles in Canada—all of which provide clients with actionable and relevant information. Ipsos Reid is an Ipsos company, a leading global survey-based market research group. To learn more, [visit](visit www.ipsos.ca)[ www.ipsos.ca](visit www.ipsos.ca) For copies of other news releases, please visit [http://www.ipsos-na.com/news-polls/](http://www.ipsos-na.com/news-polls/) More American Small Business Owners (34%) Than General Americans (24%) Believe Using Business Cards to Network is ‘Very Impactful’ American SBOs Give Out More Business Cards More Frequently (+16 Per Month) and atMore Locations Than Americans Toronto, ON – According to a new Ipsos poll conducted for [MOO.com](MOO.com) among Americans who own a business card, small business owners are more likely to consider business cards „very impactful‟ compared to general Americans. One-third (34%) of Americans who own a small business say that using business cards to network is „very impactful‟, compared to onequarter (24%) of Americans who use business cards and don‟t own a small business. Americans who own a small business are also more likely to distribute more business cards every month. The average American small business owner distributes approximately 40 business cards in a given month, compared to an average of 24 business cards given out monthly by Americans. Within both groups, those who see business cards a „very impactful‟ for networking are more likely to distribute approximately 13 more business cards per month compared to those who see business cards as „less impactful‟. An important aspect of networking is making as many contacts as possible at a number of different events. Six in ten Americans (59%) and Americans who own a small business (55%) typically distribute business cards at conferences, although small business owners tend to distribute them at a wider variety of locations and situations. The table below fully illustrates © Ipsos Reid -1- Washington 􀁺 New York 􀁺 Los Angeles 􀁺 Austin 􀁺 Chicago 􀁺 St. Louis 􀁺 Cincinnati Minneapolis 􀁺 Seattle 􀁺 San Francisco 􀁺 Vancouver 􀁺 Calgary 􀁺 Winnipeg 􀁺 Toronto 􀁺 Guelph 􀁺 Ottawa 􀁺 Montreal 􀁺 St. John what kinds of events/situations that Americans and Americans who own a small business tend to distribute business cards: | Event/Situation | Americans | American SBOs | | --- | --- | --- | | Conferences (Overall) | 59% | 55% | | Local conferences | 48% | 47% | | National conferences | 36% | 29% | | International conferences | 14% | 15% | | Parties and other social events | 45% | 58% | | Industry functions | 45% | 50% | | Community functions | 41% | 56% | | Volunteer functions | 33% | 36% | | Bars or restaurants | 28% | 39% | | My daily commute | 16% | 29% | | Airplane | 13% | 19% | | The gym | 11% | 18% | © Ipsos Reid -2- Washington 􀁺 New York 􀁺 Los Angeles 􀁺 Austin 􀁺 Chicago 􀁺 St. Louis 􀁺 Cincinnati Minneapolis 􀁺 Seattle 􀁺 San Francisco 􀁺 Vancouver 􀁺 Calgary 􀁺 Winnipeg 􀁺 Toronto 􀁺 Guelph 􀁺 Ottawa 􀁺 Montreal 􀁺 St. John | Other | 10% | 11% | | --- | --- | --- | Three in ten (31%) small business owners „always give out their card when they meet someone new in either a business or personal setting‟, while less than two in ten (18%) Americans do the same. Four in ten Americans (37%) and Americans who own a small business (38%) give out their card „most of the time‟ in similar situations. Four in ten Americans (41%) and

FAQs

How do small business owners view business cards for networking compared with general Americans?

Thirty-four percent of Americans who own a small business say business cards are “very impactful,” compared with 24% of general Americans.

Do American small business owners distribute more business cards each month?

Yes. The average small business owner distributes about 40 cards per month, versus about 24 cards for general Americans.

What types of events are most associated with distributing business cards?

Conferences are common for both groups, with 59% of Americans and 55% of small business owners distributing cards at conferences. Small business owners are also more likely to share cards at social events, industry functions, and community functions.

Sep 11, 2026

Uploaded by Olivia Brown