The new year has definitely made its presence known. Let's face it, most New Year’s resolutions have been abandoned (even if not yet verbally admitted), and the feeling that something fresh and renewing may be just around the corner is leaving a path of anticipation and excitement in its wake. Spring cleaning, vacations and improvements to the tired and ordinary are pronouncing themselves as necessities.

So what does this mean for your business? It means it’s a perfect time to implement a new brand identity! Don’t worry, this doesn’t have to mean that you’ve got months of hard work on a single project ahead of you. Starting small, with business cards or appointment cards, can help jumpstart your rebranding project and push it in the right direction.

Here are 5 reasons to start small and begin rebranding your company with business cards and appointment cards first:

1. Business cards and appointment cards are incredibly inexpensive with quick production times and easy shipping, making them a great test product for your new logo and/or slogan.

2. They’re already staples of your business materials, and are widely circulated among existing clients, patients, customers and business associates, as well as potential clients and casual acquaintances. Who better to test a new logo or slogan on than that?!

3. Business cards and appointment cards are easy to replace. Instead of beginning your rebranding with a new marquee outside your building or a redesigned website, starting small with an everyday business material (and an inexpensive marketing tool) will be sure to save you time and money if there’s any uncertainty in your new logo design or slogan.

4. They’re a great transitioning tool in business name changes. Instead of redesigning and rebranding everything at once, implement the change gradually, help eliminate confusion, and offer your customers clarity about the change and what it means for them.

5. Appointment cards and business cards put designs into perspective. Your new, intricate logo might look great as a watermark on your letterhead and on the homepage of your website, but it may look cluttered and messy on your smaller business materials. Implementing the design on a smaller office item first to guarantee you’ve got the look you want will save you from unnecessary reprints of other stationery and branded products in the future.