Teri Burgos-Gutierrez, Corporate Trainer

Teri, a wife to a dentist, and mother to 3 adolescent sons, trains professionals and writes textbooks in Speech. She can be reached at gutierrez_teri@yahoo.com

Networking through Business Cards
By Teri Burgos-Gutierrez

“For every sale you miss because you’re too enthusiastic,
you’ll miss a hundred because you’re not enthusiastic enough.”
- Zig Zagler

Exchanging business cards can be a smooth transaction or it could be the most awkward situation you’ll find yourself in. These days, big or small businesses need every ounce of marketing and networking muscle they can get. It has been observed that business cards can be the most perfect weapon for anyone in the industry to have handy in the trenches when meeting, consulting, competing, and communicating with business associates.

Perhaps you have already designed your business cards using all the right techniques, lay-outing, artistic designing, and has everything on it that you may want others to know about you. The question now is: area you aware of the do’s and dont’s on business networking though business cards? Here are a few tips to remember:
 

Seven Simple Tips to Remember

• Always be prepared
  Make it a habit to have a handful of business cards with you to present to prospective clients, new acquaintances, or business associates

• Never give a torn or worn business cards
  Make sure that that your business cards are clean, presentable, crisp, and with no folded edges or unnecessary marks. It will be best to have a business card case where you can keep yours and that of whom you will meet. Remember that your business card is your personal profile in miniature!

• Make it a point to hand-out business cards
  Make it a practice to hand-out business cards. It doesn’t take a large convention to bring customers and owners together. Informal meetings or gatherings can also be a great venue to network and exchange business cards.

• Receive a business card properly
  Accept a business card properly. It will be nice that when receiving one, have a good look at it for a few seconds. Offer a simple but nice compliment about the design, logo, artwork, etc. Quickly verbalize it! When you do that, you are likewise complimenting on the personal profile of its giver.

• Exchange business cards smoothly
  Request for a business card from someone you meet for the first time. However, if the person is of higher position that yourself, you should wait for the person to offer the card to you first. Always have in mind that if the person wants you to have a card, he will definitely give you one.

• Handle the business card
  Show respect by handling the business card with care. Place the card received in a planner or a business card case. Neither the pocket nor wallet is the place for it.

• Keep the business cards
  Have a business card organizer where you can keep all business cards received. That will make it easy for you to locate one when needed. You’ll never realize how important this card will be too you, sooner or later.