Fancy leaving your business cards at home! Networking is so important and business cards provide us with a nice and easy introductory 'step' in the whole meeting and connecting with people process.
But if without business cards (and we are all caught at one time or other), what else could we use as an ice-breaker, conversation starter and general memory aid at large networking-rich events?
* Could the LinkedIn app help out? I admit I don't have the app on my phone so can't comment on how easy it is to use on the fly for adding connections.
* Maybe you can take a photo of yourself on your phone, set up a standard message, and then text your contact details to everyone you meet?
* Or maybe treat it as a great reason to access your work email and send everyone you meet a nice follow up email?
Will it be technology to the rescue? Or good old pen and paper?
Lianne
Thanks Lianne,
ReplyDeleteThey are all good points, and perhaps a better option than the business cards themselves? On the last trek of my journey to Boston yesterday I sat next to two Bostonian's, obviously from different backgrounds, but both business men roughly the same age with teen age children. I weaved in and out of sleep for most of that 5 plus hour flight as I succumbed to the time zone differential, but they talked the entire trip. Business, kids, wives, sport, sport, music, films. It was endearing, and I thought about how we connect with people and forge relationships - business, interests, friendship. After we landed and started disembarking they exchanged cards. I thought about all the cards that I have filed at work, accumulated over 15 years - so many of them I never look at, in, fact its a rare day that I do go to the cards to look for someone. Everyone I know, or need to know is on LinkedIn or in my email contacts. LinkedIn is a much more effective way, for me, to exchange details - there is much more meaningful context around who we are than a job title, phone, email details and a company logo.
Amanda