The Great Australian Business Card Debate

What’s French and possibly outdated?

Our Australian MD, Jörn Sanda has posted a thought provoking blog on the simple subject of business cards. As ever with Jörn, he poses a question to which he’s inviting response. And it’s telling that in only 24-hours, it’s created some good debate. Take a look on the Hotwire Australia blog and comment for yourself.  Or, comment here and let’s get the debate going.

Jörn Sanda, 30/11/2010 - I’ve tried, but just simply can’t imagine how many business cards are exchanged in the world on a daily basis.  Imagine whatever that number is, and at least halving it.  Lots of trees saved.

But I’m in business services, so I get even more excited at saving half the inefficiency created by a custom invented in France, ruled by Louis XIV.

The other day I began my little experiment of not reciprocating an offered business card with mine.  Instead I offer to contact the person, who just presented me with their contact details on card, through LinkedIn by the next morning.

With taking the card I create a debt.  A debt which I suspect must originate from when we used to trade.  By accepting her card but not returning the favour with a card of my own, I created an IOU.  But by creating a connection, as promised through LinkedIn, I now actually impress by resolving a debt, plus, plus, plus.

And I’m not going to insult anyone’s understanding of LinkedIn by even attempting to describe what the added benefits are of being connected through LinkedIn, rather than at best entering the details of each other’s cards in a contacts database.

Instead, I’d like to gauge what you think.  Is it rude of me not to reciprocate an offered business card?  Do you think the business card is still a real differentiator on which reputations are built?  Do you think, as I suspect there may be, some cultural taboos transgressed if we were to obliterate business cards from Hotwire?

And a closing thought.  While a colleague remarked how impressive Hotwire cards are, given everyone comments on their gate fold uniqueness including a corporate portrait, I suspect they still land up in a business card holder at best, but usually in the bin, soon forgotten.

The owner outlives her/his business card… So far, LinkedIn keeps pace with professional life. (who knows what happens when it all comes to an end)