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Alok's Posts / Startup

Sir, can I have your visiting card?

 

 

 

Did the ‘Visiting Card’ get run over by a Truck?

 

Over the past few months, I have noticed that very few people in the Digital Space at least even possess cards – leave alone bother to exchange them.

 

Before this, people had begun saying ‘err…my cards are out for printing OR i have a new job title etc’, but now, its like ‘I don’t have business cards’.

 

If you are on Twitter, Linkedin, Facebook, and Foursquare, do you need visiting cards? Also, how many people actually scan and index their cards perfectly so that you can look them up when you need to?

 

Visiting Cards are useful when:

 

– You check into a hotel and are too lazy to fill in the registration details.

– In governemnet offices, where the sleazy peon needs to slip the sleazy boss your card to announce your arrival outside his cabin.

– To just show off – Yeah, I’m the CEO of the Kalbadevi Typewriter Company.

– Surely to put in the lucky draw bowls outside restaurants to win free lunches.

 

Its sooo cool NOT to have visiting cards.

 

Its like saying ‘you know who I am and if you don’t, look me up on the web. If you cant find me on the web then probably I’m not worth knowing’.

 

(Ps – if the person finding you CANT look you up, then probably you dont need to know him :-))

 

Ok – that stuff above is very snobbish ‘dot com’ attitude.

 

I think ‘visiting cards’ are OK to have if you are still in Brick and Mortar businesses and need that ice breaker to start chatting and also ‘plant your flag’ when others have planted theirs on discussion tables and in meeting rooms.

 

In conferences, using your visiting card is the best way to collect your badge and also insert on the opposite side of your necklace-  so that when the necklace accidentally twirls and flips to the ‘blank’ side, you no longer are ‘anonymous’ but you can show your name and Janam Patri.

 

Ah – not to forget mentioning a 26 year old Cassanova I know who gives his cards to all the airhostesses in all the flights he takes – hoping that one of them will call him one day 🙂

 

I think Visiting Cards if designed well can also speak about your Company and what it stands for (or doesn’t stand for).

 

Trivia – Japanese businessmen have Plastic Cards so that they can exchange them in swimming pools :-))

 

Tell me what you think about this ubiquitous piece of paper!?

 

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20 Comments

  1. With QR codes there is this another wave of digital business cards, they make it so cool!

  2. There’s also the need of visiting cards when you’re running a startup making the rounds of the market. I can’t go to prospective clients and tell them “look me up”. So yes, visiting cards to have a role for the smaller people around.

  3. There’s no doubt well designed Visiting Cards speak about your Company, and it still matters but today now when most of the people having smart phone, so Visiting Cards With well designed  QR codes is the smart way to present your VC. Its quick and easy way to keep your card records properly.

  4. WOWOWO! awesome analysis!!

  5. seriously awesome, out of the box m/

  6. The title of the blog should have been “Naam heee kafi hain” … People just gets your name and may be twitter handler and connect ….

  7. creatively designed cards can get special attention in offline marketing (conferences, meetups, potential customers etc.,)

  8. @Jyoti,Wow Fantastic awesome analysis.

    @Alok this is the best visiting card deisgn i have ever seen i am so inspired by it now i am going to  my visiting card too as it was too boring.

    I think the one thing that i find most interesting from the design of your visiting card is of daring entrepreneur willing to take risk.

  9. Jyoti…

    wow wow wow….take a bow…..

  10. I am guessing Alok’s contact info will be on the reverse.

  11. Visiting cards are uncool. 

     

    However, Mohan has latched on to something.

     

    The human brain is the most expensive real estate on this planet. And the easiest and CHEAPEST way to buy it, is with a business card that is aligned to the purpose of the company or the person; and is creatively designed. The objective is to be remembered, create curiosity and to make an impact.

     

    See some examples here :

     

    https://creativenerds.co.uk/inspiration/40-most-creative-business-cards-you-will-ever-see/

     

    https://www.quicksprout.com/2008/09/20/creative-business-cards-that-make-you-look-twice/

     

    https://www.webdesignmash.com/2010/10/60-stylish-and-innovative-business-cards/

     

    So, visiting cards are traditionally uncool.

     

    But they dont have to be uncool. It is a great way to demonstrate your attitude to life and work, your values, the ambition of the team and most importantly, it leaves a bit of you in the hands of a person who can make a difference to you, your cause and your team.

  12. I believe saying Visiting Card is not required will be wrong. You cant expect me to meet 10 new people in a conference, have a pen and paper, remember their exact names and than heck google each of them and take notes for later use!!! Thats not fair! I do understand with the advent of Social Media the card is no more an ordinary card BUT it still holds value. Doesnt it ?

  13. Does this make any sense? 🙂

     

  14. Not a big fan of visiting cards as even in conferences you would remember the junta that clicked. Add cocktails to the same conference and yes, cards do help you remember 🙂

    The funniest part is when people who have been calling you/emailing you to schedule the meeting hold the cards with both hands and bow just short of that japanese thingie. That’s where I say, “sorry, no cards” 😛

  15. Amazing..

     

  16. The VCs (visiting cards in this case) helps to know the designation /dept/office address to send business mails or gifts (birthdays, diwali etc). Make a mistake in the spelling or the desig and all marketing efforts go fgor a toss. If you write Kapur instead of Kapoor or Agrawal instead of Agarwal or Ayyer instead of Iyer then it is bound to get noticed for the wrong reasons.

     

  17. The analysis of your business card was great.

    There are still some old fashioned people like me who prefer to have the printed catalog, manual etc rather than the soft version and its the same when it comes to business cards.

    The business cards on the phones are not all compatible with each other whereas the one in the hand is always helpful and if you have one of a big policeman or politician in your pocket it may help you out of tricky situations.

  18. Just posted about my views on importance of a business card … I guess it increases your recall value 10x and has more uses than we can probably think of.

    End of the day even the ones who brought the social wave used business cards. Although for a different purpose boasting I am the CEO B**** 🙂

  19. it always helps in recall and recognition..

  20. Its actually perfect for the kind of business this person is in.. Nice & Creative..

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