I know, I know. I’m a little bit cynical and yes, the world hasn’t gone digital enough yet to eliminate the business card. But I’ve been at my current gig for over three years, and haven’t had to reorder off the initial order of 500 cards. Of course, I’m not in a business development role right now, or I’m sure I would have been to the printer numerous times..
But, do I really need an etiquette lesson on business cards to avoid a faux paus? I found the following clip at BNET (great site, by the way) as part of their "how to" series, and I have to say, it seems a little overplayed. Can’t I just bone up on how to present the card to my Japanese homies the night before my meeting with them?
The expert says to pause to look at the face of the person you’re exchanging cards with rather than dealing them out like a rookie poker dealer at a second rate casino (my words, not hers).
Really? Can you imagine NOT distributing them like a lawn sprinkler as your CEO waits to get the meeting started? In a room with 15 people from two tribes across a single conference room table?
I have to get video for this site going. It’d be fun to do a "realities of managing" series as a parody of these types of how to….
Great clip…here are a few of my favorite lines…
1. Presenting a business card with your left hand is considered a total insult. Why be so sensitive?
2. Writing on the front of someone’s card is like writing on their face. Like a voodoo doll?
3. Putting a business card in your wallet, placing that wallet in your back pocket, and then sitting on it is little sitting on their face. That’s gross…
4. Loosing someone’s business card is like loosing their face. Sounds so “final”…once it’s lost is their face gone forever or can you find it again?
I think I’ll just learn the proper cultural etiquette the night before and then just act accordingly…
personally, i like the charm of… “here’s my card – call me sometime.” i’ve been just waiting for the day to come that i meet a gent at a bar and he says just that to me. it still hasn’t happened. maybe there’s a BNET video out there that has instructed the man of my dreams to not do such.
Here’s a trick you can add when handing out your business card…might be memorable but I don’t think I would recommend…
http://youtube.com/watch?v=t4SEsIJ_HLA
lawn sprinkler hand out description is excellent! Exactly how it works in my world. I have, on occasion, at conferences, resorted to giving out the business cards of others to avoid giving out my own info.
“Putting a business card in your wallet, placing that wallet in your back pocket, and then sitting on it is little sitting on their face.”
Funniest thing I have heard in a verrrrrrry long time.
Maybe I should have seen this video before I traveled to Japan with a team of employees to visit our parent company a few years ago. Let’s just say that there were several “international incidents”, including me on the first day accepting business cards from all of our hosts and quickly putting them in my back pocket. The look of horror on their faces was enough to let me know that I had done something wrong – I just didn’t know what. Of course someone let me know AFTER the fact what I had done. Doh! Another international incident occurred when we asked for soy sauce to put on the rice at a restaurant. Gasps were heard all around. You just can’t take us Americans anywhere these days. (But it sure was a fun and culturally enlightening trip!)
Jen -
Great story. Can’t we take you anywhere?
JLee – Can you imagine the call to your HR line about the guy who’s trying to do the “pickup” using a company business card. If it’s your dream, it’s also your nightmare as a HR Pro.
JLee – Does he have to present it with both hands and a slight bow like our host suggests?
I love Moo cards, makes them personal, fun and serious if that’s what you want
See http://www.moo.com
Think strategy: I tried many designs, and found simple to work very well. In addition to design, one of the most important components is your strategy. I found this strategy to distribute the cards very helpful. Read: http://tinyurl.com/lbh2ac