There is no denying it; we live in a digital world. Then why, may I ask, are we still passing out our most important business information on little 2″x 3.5″ cards? Doesn’t it seem a little behind the times? Why would we still continue to give our contact data in a format that can be easily tossed in the trash (after you use it to pick food out of your teeth), or washed in tomorrow’s load of laundry?
I’ll tell you why the business world has yet to embrace the idea of the digital business card. Because, while the paper business card seems ancient, it’s extremely portable, it doesn’t require a specific application, chip, or operating system to read, and most importantly, it’s very cheap to reproduce (thank you Vistaprint).
It seems all other printed media is going down the toilet: magazines and newspapers are folding left and right (no pun intended), snail-mail is becoming a thing of the past and the new eco-friendly “green” consumer trend isn’t helping print, either. So it should be no surprise when business cards finally get their long overdue digital makeover.
Well, that time may be at hand my friends.
A new niche industry has recently appeared on the radar specializing in transmitting business contact information using smartphones, social networking websites, or USB drives. All you have to do is touch your smartphone (or other device to) another, and all your contact information and social networking addresses are magically transferred or “swapped”. It’s sort of a digital handshake or digital high-five.
Poken Ninja
While I do have a special place in my heart for iPhone applications, the Poken Pulse seems to be the coolest digital business card on the market. However, other (less cool) digital business card brainchilds do include iPhone’s Bump; twtBizCard, which allows Twitter users to transmit business card information through hashtags; and EverNote, which converts pictures of business cards into text data.
Considering the swift growth of social media applications, smartphones, and tech gadgets, many experts (actually, just me) predict that the digital business card will almost completely replace the paper business card within 10 years. You heard it here first…maybe.
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I agree. I disagree.
While we’re certainly using less paper-based products, I still find a need to have a business card. In Japanese business culture it is ceremonial to give your card to another business person. I still like to see the look on the receivers face when they see my card. If someone who doesn’t have a card would like to email or TwitBizCard me their information, that’s OK, too.
You see, I have a love/hate relationship with technology. I like interacting with people and a shiny, glossy, app-filled device will never replace a handshake (or hug).
The Poken Pulse is so cute!
I was interested in your post as I had actually just blogged about this issue not so long ago, focusing mainly on Twitter – see http://www.fusionview.co.uk/2009/07/twitter-usernames-as-the-new-businesscard/.
The problem with all these digital solutions is that both giver and recipient of the biz info need to have the same application or whatnot. The plain old paper card is so simple in comparison. I suspect whoever comes up with the non-proprietory digital biz card will win the game.
Joann,
I also have a love/hate relationship with technology! I am fascinated by technology and my job as a graphic designer depends on technology, but I love simplicity and the days of old. At least, with most of the “digital business cards”, you still have to meet the person face to face in order to swap contact info. I guess it’s still somewhat personal.
Yang-May Ooi,
I read your post on FusionView.co.uk…great job!
I agree that the biggest hang-up to the digi-card is that both must have the same gadget or application in order for it to work. I personally prefer the paper biz card but I am interested in where this will go. If the digi-card takes over and we see the paper card disappear…give it 10-15 years and it’ll make a “retro” comeback like vinyl records did
Thanks for your comments!
While not completely unbiased, I agree with Quillen. Sure, the biggest hurdle is that both people need to have the same technology to trade business card information.
What if I have one, and they don’t? This is something the market will figure out, because if the product is good and it easily solves a problem, as Poken does, it will pass its tipping point.
The guy who bought the first fax machine didn’t have too many people to send to, right? But the fax machine solved a popular problem, became affordable and then ubiquitous.
I completely agree – why waste the paper? When we live in an age where a tiny gadget can replace hundreds of trees! I am an advocate for the poken! I heard about the poken at the first of this year and jump head first into getting one. The nice guys at “find a poken” gave me a discount coupon “findapoken23″ for me to help share the love and to help others save a couple bucks!.