Fast Talk

May 27, 2008

Q: Are business cards no longer essential? | posted by Fast Company staff

Tags: Careers

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9 Total

May 28, 2008 at 11:32am

Rachel King

Business cards are absolutely essential. E-mailing your contact a potential client or partner on your blackberry at a cocktail party is too time consuming. While people may be inclined to toss paper aside these days, it is much easier to simply pull your card out of your wallet and place it in the palm of someone's hand than scribbling your phone number or e-mail on a napkin. And if you're waiting for him/her to e-mail you his/her info, chances are the other person won't remember, so get a business card from them if you can.

May 28, 2008 at 3:48pm

Haewon Kye

I can see traditional business cards getting smaller in size or even high tech (cards that allow the client to beam your info right into his Blackberry w/o having to type it in), but I don't see them going away entirely. Some things are better old school.

May 28, 2008 at 3:50pm

Gloria Sin

You'd think! I've been to networking events or met new friends sans business cards -- it's as if I've committed a major social faux pas! Next to a driver's license, having a business card is probably the most grown-up ID a person can have.

May 28, 2008 at 4:31pm

Gene Lu

first it was the death of posters / then books / and now business cards? business cards are essential. they connect with more human senses than a URL being given to you verbally.

it's time to start being human again... and stop over-relying on the digital medium.

May 29, 2008 at 8:15am

Charles Okwechime

l think we can't do without the business card for now,because its easier for a prospective clients to reach you easier than the UrL which may not be readily available as at when you need it due to a network issue

June 2, 2008 at 7:07am

Lisa Birtles`

All you need on them these days is your name, email address and cell phone number.

June 2, 2008 at 7:44pm

Paul Maiorana

I would argue that business cards are still essential for many reasons, but especially for people doing business in China or Japan. The exchange of business cards is an important part of doing business in some cultures.

June 4, 2008 at 11:40pm

jordan leiser

It depends what industry you work in. In technology I would say no, but in more traditional industries they still probably make sense.

June 5, 2008 at 11:50am

iredia osagie gbenga

they are , itm make transactions possible and easy. but the issues of spamers make it a long story.

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