Business cards… Those small pieces of card stock paper that get such a hard time for existing! I really think that people love to hate business cards.
There are several reasons why people have a problem with business cards… at least I’ve heard from hundreds of people over the years about how they struggle with business cards. The most common anti-business card comments I hear, include:
- Business cards are old fashioned.
- My company doesn’t pay for business cards for us.
- I forget to grab cards from my desk before a networking event.
- What’s the point of getting someone’s card if I’m not going to do anything with it?
- I have a big enough stack of business cards at my desk, I don’t want to add to the pile!
- I don’t bring business cards to a networking event because I don’t know what to do with them.
OK, people. I know you don’t like business cards, but let me share some insights from people who do like business cards:
- I love that business cards can be customized, smart, and uniquely depict people.
- Even though I have business cards for my employer, I also have business cards for just me. That way I can share information about my side business, or my personal contact information, as I see fit.
- I keep business cards in my wallet so I always have some on me… never know when you’re going to meet someone and want to share your contact information.
- Business cards are the easiest way for me to quickly connect with people. I hate tracking down contact information after meeting someone at a networking event.
- Once I enter the person’s contact information into LinkedIn, I throw out the card to eliminate clutter at my desk.
- I keep business cards in a sleek business card holder so that I can easily hold it, or carry in my pocket when I’m at a networking event. Helps to keep my cards looking good, but also organize the cards I gather.
Ironically, yesterday, I was composing this blog post while commuting on the train and started talking to a nearby passenger who was reading an interesting book. That led to a conversation about career coaching and she asked for my card… and you know that I had cards on me which made it helpful for her to have my contact information easily.
Take cards with you everywhere. You never know who you’ll bump into along your journey of life.