Given the inexpensive nature of flash memory, and LCD/LED/OLED technologies how far off can 30 second video cards be? Get a chance to introduce yourself *as* yourself.

Dan

@Rebecca – I agree on the focus, but when I think of Chris I think “all things social media/marketing” and with a strong emphasis in financial aid knowledge. But that’s just me… and to be fair, I really don’t know the dude! However, remember that I would have got his card at a face-to-face networking event, so it’s just a tool to remind me who he is, and I’m thinking all the info that I want to take it to the next level is on that virtual page…

@Dan – good point, if you put your pic on your card send me one! Can you imagine how the world (business) would be different if everyone had cards with their pictures? I’m not necessarily advocating it but it would have prevented hundreds of cards from my piles of business cards going in the trash.

@Carl – a card for your dog. You know, if someone would have asked “do you know anyone that would have a business card for their dog?” I would have said “Carl Chapman. He’s just like that :p”

@Bryan – I do like this kind of landing page… it’s what all the “experts” say to do on internet advertising. Why not from paper to bits-and-bytes?

@Chris – right… the card is just a tool, a reminder, a tangible. (man, all that blog-correlation really threw me off – I’m a newbie to the blogosphere :p)

@Susan – interesting, I never really thought about the business card giving/collecting strategy as you’ve outlined it in your post…. and, to your point to Chris, I agree with what you are saying but think that this is most effective after having some kind of conversation with him… so it’s not the main communication, rather a supplement. And a pretty cool, catchy and probably effective supplement.

@Name – I think that the picture can work, but obviously some people will walk into it with their own feelings one way or another. However, if I meet someone at an event, we have a nice chat, and I want to build a relationship with this person, a picture on their card isn’t going to turn me off.

……….

I see a theme in my responses/thoughts… this is a tool, but not the main and only communication. Does the business card that Chris hands out do the job? Does it reinforce his brand? Does it turn people off?

Does the fact that he is “younger” have anything to do with this?

Again, I can’t believe we got this many comments (and a few offshoot posts) about … business cards! Pretty cool

Only real estate sales people put their pictures on their cards. Why? Who knows. They all do it. It’s tacky. Tacky. TACKY! Whenever I see a picture on a business card I think “real estate sales person”. Ranks right up there with being compared to a used car sales person. I never see anyone else, not even used car sales people, putting their pictures on business cards. Sometimes most people are missing a good idea, and sometimes most people have the right idea. I think the photoless business card is the latter.

As for branding, a business card is part of an overarching marketing presence and however which way you drive business to your door the message must be the same on all your methods of delivery whether print or web. Yes, who you are is more than five words, but quite frankly, when I went to your website it took me too long to figure out what you do and whether or not I need your services. We live in an age of ‘bites’ of information and if you can’t make a statement that encourages me to read further, I won’t.

These are the realities. And all these ‘tools’ are meant to draw people in to create relationships. You have to know what draws people in and then capitalize on it. Just my considered .02