“Do you have a card?” is still one of the questions that comes up after the first initial business encounter.
In many cultures it is a rite of passage and a traditional business exercise; however in our digital native first and time challenged environment of today, the simple act of printing and having business cards seems to be slipping away, and that’s not a good thing, especially in an environment where you only have a short period of time to differentiate yourself from the competition and leave an impression that will have you top of mind not just in business opportunities today, but in personal relationships that last a lifetime.
In our dealings with younger people entering the workforce, or with their parents, or even with slightly older folks who are doing a career change, I always ask about the business card, and more and more I get the slight snicker or the little eye roll, as business cards can be so “old school.” It always surprises me when I get that reaction, especially from people who are trying desperately to create their own narrative and show the world what they can do.
Sure you can send someone a text with all your information; one of our young mentees last summer even suggested that he uses his Instagram account as his business card, as everything about his life is listed and played out there. Well that’s all great if someone is willing to take a look or share a phone number, but there are people who won’t or believe it or not, aren’t on Instagram (PS, this year, after meeting a senior executive at a media company, our very smart mentee printed business cards and has them on hand now as the exec also told him they were a necessity if he wanted to be taken seriously).
We are so focused on making the user experience easy and seamless, so being able to exchange information however is easiest is the smartest, simplest way to consider. For some it’s LinkedIn and Twitter, for others maybe it’s Facebook, but the value of a small leave behind in the form of a card is still a great way to leave an impression, literally.
Business cards are also a great form of tangible self-expression. For those without the skills, design and delivery platforms are both cheap…less that $29 on a site like VistaPrint…and fast. We had some of our School of the New York Times students make their own cards in 24 hours this past June, and they were able to link up with executives they met as the class was unfolding. That type of professionalism is welcomed and leaves a positive impression, and we are all about impressions.
So there’s the little sidebar that has been puttering around; the value of business cards. Everyone after a long trip will clean out their pockets, wallets and bags, especially us older folks. That little reminder of who and how, if it is stored electronically or kept in a drawer for down the line, will have great recall, and one never knows when the simple act of passing along a small piece of cardboard will lead to something bigger.
Success, can be literally in your hands…
