“Passing out business cards is quickly becoming passé.”

Or so wrote Matt Stevens, LA Time Contributor, in a recent post which misguidedly weighs in on the business cards’ role. With this reduction of business card interest, most printers are feeling the loss.

And yet—Matt Stevens’ gloomy post notwithstanding—business cards still keep their importance in conferences, international business, and our digitized world. Within many contexts, they stay essential, trumping “modern-day” electronic techniques of exchanging contact information. That’s particularly a fact for ease of use (no awkwardly fiddling around with your cellphone for twenty seconds), as well as for branding.

Business cards, in Asia, have a strong ritualistic and cultural importance, and a stringent etiquette. They’re more than an exchange of contact details; cards serve as an initial impression. If you are handling overseas clients at all, particularly in Asia, you ought to have the right business card.

Within the Western world, individuals are really getting creative with their business cards. From ink to paper, graphics to textures, these cards are evolving into something a lot cooler than contact details.

Cards, as well as social media accounts (like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and About.me) often are stated to do the same function: turning meetings to business connections. However, a professional will benefit in various ways from both of these networking tools.

Business Cards Reconnect with Social Roots

Unlike a profile on social media such as LinkedIn, a card is a tangible reminder inside a digital world. Notifications become lost in new interactions. Emails wind up in spam boxes. But a business card, which someone invariably will study at least two times, may at a minimum, serve as a reminder. Plus, if the card has the proper information and style, it’ll lead to more interaction.

Social Media in Networking

Lots of platforms solely exist to build an image. Whether you are job seeking or wanting to connect with other people in your industry, there isn’t anything like a great internet presence for a possible employer or contact to explore and find. No one is going to argue that. However, there are a few things technology cannot do.

We are in a generational shift, in which folks who grew up with the power of cards and individuals who grew up with mobile technology share the work space. LinkedIn is an excellent space to forge connections, yet a good many connections begin at conferences or within the everyday world.

Do not be Afraid to Mix Eras

Times: they are blurring. Some folks still read the newspaper, other people receive news tweets on their cellphone. Another may more readily pick up their Kindle rather than a book. It varies by personality, age, and person. Within the business world, you are bound to meet at the minimum of one person who prefers a card to a LinkedIn request.

Social technology and business cards should not be individual networking methods—their natures complement one another. Using both methods keeps your options open with whoever you come across.
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