What is your business card strategy?
When you envision yourself at any kind of networking function, I’m sure you’ll agree that the business card is the easiest way to share contact information. Many of my clients have asked me which is better, to receive business cards, or to hand them out.
The simple, easy, fast answer is to say it is better to receive than to give.
Why? Because it puts you in control of the next contact. If you rely on handing out business cards, you are essentially placing the action into the other person’s hands. What they do with your business card once they leave the networking event is up to them. Out of your control. You may never hear from that person again.
The converse is the goal. By taking a business card FROM another person, you have the control of the next connection. If you want to contact that person, it is all there. You don’t have to “hope” that they will contact you.
This is so simple a concept, yet so many people miss the mark.
I feel that people who make it a practice and a goal of handing out business cards are confusing activity with result. They get back to the office with a “feel good” attitude that – wow – they gave out 20 business cards. Woo hoo. NO! Boo hoo. It is like having a business and waiting for the phone to ring.
Just this past weekend, this was once again made very plain to me. While I thought I had packed my business cards, I had left them on my desk at home. (OK, my bad!) BUT. No matter! I collected as many business cards as I would have, having handed out the same number. Again, no matter. It is in my court to decide what to do with all of those business cards I picked up.
This is one instance when it is better to receive than to give.
Do you have any business card stories you’d like to share with our readers? What has worked for you?
