[conductr]

I am thinking how most of the people I get business cards from are people I've already invited in to my office and are discussing some potential business relationship. They've often flown to my city, staying in a hotel, paying for transport, meals, etc. The impression they make during that 1 hour meeting is paramount and I think this is certainly going to leave a lasting impression. Most of those business cards just get tossed into a drawer or trash bin, I bet people keep this one on their desk a play around with it.

[computomatic]

This matches my experience fairly accurately except for the one guy I met at a housewarming who handed out cards to everyone. It was so weird - I haven’t seen anyone do that in real life. He had a shop that repairs chipped windshields.

And you know what? About 8 months later my windshield got sprayed by gravel. That guy got the business (he’s a friend of a friend after all, and I had his number in my wallet).

I’d say the issue isn’t that cards are outdated. It’s that people aren’t using them correctly.

[NikolaNovak]

I had an ad on Facebook marketplace for a synthesizer. The guy who bought it gave me his business card - cloud architect for a competitor. He didn't give it to me because we were in similar field - we had a pleasant conversation over shareEd hobby and he gave it to me then, after which I realized we were in same field, so clearly he gave them around a lot.

If I consider changing jobs, or if I need those very particular services he's getting a call :-).

[conductr]

Definitely still a market for regular cheaper business cards for stuff like this. I regularly keep cards of people like this were I might need their service in the future, but they don’t need to be fancy at all and I don’t think it really adds much value when they are. The market for “good service” in trade type labor that I’d always hire a guy I have even a weak social connection with over some random person I found online. I feel like there’s a higher chance of them not price gouging and caring about the workmanship.

But, I don’t think he’d be handing out $20 BOM cards that freely. I was more validating that there is still probably a market of people where $20 cards might make sense. As in the example I posed, a business card isn’t providing any additional information. By the time I meet these people in my office, we’ve already exchanged emails and had some conversations on the phone and are acquainted. That’s what led to the in-person meeting. I know their names and have them in my contacts.

But, just as it felt like a social faux pas to receive a business card at a housewarming party, I think it also feels like a faux pas to meet someone in a business environment (where you are the selling party) and not give out a card during the initial first handshake interaction. This is a pretty low volume and high value moment for that person so a $20 card is no big deal and could easily make sense.

[ChrisMarshallNY]

I have what I call my “Victorian Calling Cards.” I’m retired, and have no need to advertise or boast.

They are fairly fancy moo.com cards, with my name, email, and cellphone. Nothing else.

On the back, is a fancy “dragon head” logo (the one you see, if you look at most of my social media accounts). It’s actually my old artist signature. It’s over a burnt umber gradient.

People like them, and use them.