Comments on: How do you handle business cards and networking? http://www.valleyprblog.com/pr-best-practices/how-do-you-handle-business-cards-and-networking/ A (dry heated) group blog from Phoenix, Arizona on public relations, marketing and social media Mon, 22 Aug 2011 21:48:29 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Gelie │ NetworkingPhoenix.com http://www.valleyprblog.com/pr-best-practices/how-do-you-handle-business-cards-and-networking/comment-page-1/#comment-12969 Gelie │ NetworkingPhoenix.com Thu, 18 Mar 2010 22:58:21 +0000 http://www.valleyprblog.com/?p=4041#comment-12969 Generally I don't ask people for a business card unless I feel there could be value to establishing a relationship. This helps eliminate all those business cards that will just pile up and go into the trash anyway. When I get home, I separate the cards. All of them get scanned into my CardScan (When it's working!! Been having serious issues with this machine lately). Once they get scanned in, I toss them. This way, I can always pull up the person's name and see the card because I'm very visual. I also have a 'VIP' folder where I keep all my 'VIP' contacts. After the cards get scanned, the ones I want to keep, go into my folder. However, it's all easier said than done. Currently, there are business cards all over my desk and I'm trying to find the time to organize them. Also...if I give you my card...that does not mean I automatically want to receive your newsletter. ScribeDevil, I think you should ask their permission first before adding them to the email list. That's my little system :) Generally I don’t ask people for a business card unless I feel there could be value to establishing a relationship. This helps eliminate all those business cards that will just pile up and go into the trash anyway.

When I get home, I separate the cards. All of them get scanned into my CardScan (When it’s working!! Been having serious issues with this machine lately). Once they get scanned in, I toss them. This way, I can always pull up the person’s name and see the card because I’m very visual.

I also have a ‘VIP’ folder where I keep all my ‘VIP’ contacts. After the cards get scanned, the ones I want to keep, go into my folder.

However, it’s all easier said than done. Currently, there are business cards all over my desk and I’m trying to find the time to organize them.

Also…if I give you my card…that does not mean I automatically want to receive your newsletter. ScribeDevil, I think you should ask their permission first before adding them to the email list.

That’s my little system :)

]]> By: Loren Yaskin http://www.valleyprblog.com/pr-best-practices/how-do-you-handle-business-cards-and-networking/comment-page-1/#comment-12924 Loren Yaskin Sun, 14 Mar 2010 01:53:01 +0000 http://www.valleyprblog.com/?p=4041#comment-12924 I enter business card information into my computer's address book. Under the notes section of the contact's entry, I add keywords on when and why I met the person. It's similar to adding tags to pictures. When I'm looking for certain contacts later, I can search a keyword in my address book database. I enter business card information into my computer’s address book. Under the notes section of the contact’s entry, I add keywords on when and why I met the person. It’s similar to adding tags to pictures. When I’m looking for certain contacts later, I can search a keyword in my address book database.

]]> By: Dan Wool http://www.valleyprblog.com/pr-best-practices/how-do-you-handle-business-cards-and-networking/comment-page-1/#comment-12911 Dan Wool Fri, 12 Mar 2010 19:49:25 +0000 http://www.valleyprblog.com/?p=4041#comment-12911 Never Linda. Never! :) Never Linda. Never! :)

]]> By: Marketing $ociologist http://www.valleyprblog.com/pr-best-practices/how-do-you-handle-business-cards-and-networking/comment-page-1/#comment-12910 Marketing $ociologist Fri, 12 Mar 2010 19:25:25 +0000 http://www.valleyprblog.com/?p=4041#comment-12910 Pros turn to pros for advice. First, pickup Larry James' book, "10 Commitments of Networking" for the answers to all the questions asked here, then visit his blog, http://networkinghq.wordpress.com/ For authors and speakers, everything is answered here, http://www.authorsandspeakersnetwork.com/ Also, currently finishing Harvey Mackay's book on Rolodex. Visit HarveyMackay.com for The Mackay 33™ for Managers, Mackay's 35 To Stay Alive, Mackay 12Ps Competitive Profile, Mackay 66™ for Customers, Harvey Mackay's Negotiating Strategies, plus Publish or Bust! Pros turn to pros for advice. First, pickup Larry James’ book, “10 Commitments of Networking” for the answers to all the questions asked here, then visit his blog, http://networkinghq.wordpress.com/

For authors and speakers, everything is answered here, http://www.authorsandspeakersnetwork.com/

Also, currently finishing Harvey Mackay’s book on Rolodex. Visit HarveyMackay.com for The Mackay 33™ for Managers, Mackay’s 35 To Stay Alive, Mackay 12Ps Competitive Profile, Mackay 66™ for Customers, Harvey Mackay’s Negotiating Strategies, plus Publish or Bust!

]]> By: Leslie Sonnenklar http://www.valleyprblog.com/pr-best-practices/how-do-you-handle-business-cards-and-networking/comment-page-1/#comment-12909 Leslie Sonnenklar Fri, 12 Mar 2010 16:52:18 +0000 http://www.valleyprblog.com/?p=4041#comment-12909 I have contemplated this problem on more than one occasion. I started doing LOTS of networking over a year ago and have since collected hundreds of business cards that I wasn't sure what to do with. Since there are so many events, you might have hundreds of stacks if you group them by event so what I've done is group them by importance, so to speak. For example, I have a group of people that I would like to stay in touch with. Then, a group of those I met but don't think we are a good fit to work together or need to stay in touch, those I need to follow up with, those that are potential clients, etc. It's worked for me for the most part, I can usually find the card I am looking for without going through all of them. I have contemplated this problem on more than one occasion. I started doing LOTS of networking over a year ago and have since collected hundreds of business cards that I wasn’t sure what to do with. Since there are so many events, you might have hundreds of stacks if you group them by event so what I’ve done is group them by importance, so to speak. For example, I have a group of people that I would like to stay in touch with. Then, a group of those I met but don’t think we are a good fit to work together or need to stay in touch, those I need to follow up with, those that are potential clients, etc. It’s worked for me for the most part, I can usually find the card I am looking for without going through all of them.

]]> By: Linda VandeVrede http://www.valleyprblog.com/pr-best-practices/how-do-you-handle-business-cards-and-networking/comment-page-1/#comment-12908 Linda VandeVrede Fri, 12 Mar 2010 16:40:41 +0000 http://www.valleyprblog.com/?p=4041#comment-12908 Dan, are you saying I'm cheap? :) Dan, are you saying I’m cheap? :)

]]> By: Dan Wool http://www.valleyprblog.com/pr-best-practices/how-do-you-handle-business-cards-and-networking/comment-page-1/#comment-12907 Dan Wool Fri, 12 Mar 2010 16:29:15 +0000 http://www.valleyprblog.com/?p=4041#comment-12907 ScribeDevil - they have not opted in, but they are warm leads. He should follow up with them and in a natural way, ask if it would be okay. "You know, we have a lot of interesting tips [or whatever] we put out each month in a short e-newsletter. Would it be okay if I added you to our list?" Something like that. This respects the prospect and offers less chance you'll upset them with a spam email from seemingly out of nowhere. It cheapens the original interaction if you simply sign 'em up without asking. ScribeDevil – they have not opted in, but they are warm leads. He should follow up with them and in a natural way, ask if it would be okay. “You know, we have a lot of interesting tips [or whatever] we put out each month in a short e-newsletter. Would it be okay if I added you to our list?” Something like that. This respects the prospect and offers less chance you’ll upset them with a spam email from seemingly out of nowhere. It cheapens the original interaction if you simply sign ‘em up without asking.

]]> By: Linda VandeVrede http://www.valleyprblog.com/pr-best-practices/how-do-you-handle-business-cards-and-networking/comment-page-1/#comment-12906 Linda VandeVrede Fri, 12 Mar 2010 16:27:02 +0000 http://www.valleyprblog.com/?p=4041#comment-12906 I think your boss can send a newsletter to the people whose biz cards he has collected, but definitely with an opt in/opt out clause to receive future newsletters so he doesn't irritate them. Tyler, I like the idea of photos - that would help a face memory-challenged PR person like me. I think your boss can send a newsletter to the people whose biz cards he has collected, but definitely with an opt in/opt out clause to receive future newsletters so he doesn’t irritate them.
Tyler, I like the idea of photos – that would help a face memory-challenged PR person like me.

]]> By: Dan Wool http://www.valleyprblog.com/pr-best-practices/how-do-you-handle-business-cards-and-networking/comment-page-1/#comment-12905 Dan Wool Fri, 12 Mar 2010 16:23:43 +0000 http://www.valleyprblog.com/?p=4041#comment-12905 I think Chris needs to blog about lighting. ;) Seriously though, I very much agree with Chris Brogan. That's why I stopped carrying cards. I'm easy to find and generally so are others. If the interaction in meaningful, we'll exchange phone numbers or email addresses. It says more to the other person when you pull out a pen and write their info down in front of them. I think Chris needs to blog about lighting. ;)

Seriously though, I very much agree with Chris Brogan. That’s why I stopped carrying cards. I’m easy to find and generally so are others. If the interaction in meaningful, we’ll exchange phone numbers or email addresses. It says more to the other person when you pull out a pen and write their info down in front of them.

]]> By: ScribeDevil http://www.valleyprblog.com/pr-best-practices/how-do-you-handle-business-cards-and-networking/comment-page-1/#comment-12904 ScribeDevil Fri, 12 Mar 2010 16:23:09 +0000 http://www.valleyprblog.com/?p=4041#comment-12904 I wonder what ya'll think about this situation. My boss is an entrepreneur building a tech startup. He has stacks of hundreds of business cards from people he's met at tradeshows, conferences and the like over the last couple years. By handing over a business card, have these people opted in to receive quarterly email updates from my boss about the business he's building? Open to your thoughts ... I wonder what ya’ll think about this situation. My boss is an entrepreneur building a tech startup. He has stacks of hundreds of business cards from people he’s met at tradeshows, conferences and the like over the last couple years. By handing over a business card, have these people opted in to receive quarterly email updates from my boss about the business he’s building? Open to your thoughts …

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