Are you still using business cards or which alternatives have you tried?

Question

Recently I had to decide if we would be using traditional paper business cards or something different (and perhaps even eco friendly). It seems that in Europe and especially parts of Asia people still expect business cards and not alternatives... some we thought of were:Card with info printed on but also on nf and as a qr code (or with fancy conductive ink)Goodies like USB Sticks/cards with pre prepared stuffUseful everyday items like... aluminium Multitool cards, post it, bottle openers (not great for formal settings) or whatnotCoins, wooden forms, alu poker chips and other alternative shapes and materialsNothing-> exchange via mobileAnyone has experiences or ideas on alternatives that engage?

tdhz77 · Accepted Answer

Business cards are much better than exchanging information. You can slide the card and continue talking about a topic without pausing and discussing numbers.

gregjor · Answer

A box of decent quality business cards doesn&rsquo;t cost enough to put a lot of thought into, unless you work with people like Patrick Bateman.Gimmicks don&rsquo;t fit into business card holders or wallets. You can&rsquo;t scan a poker chip or USB stick into a contacts app. I wouldn&rsquo;t put a random USB stick or scan a QR code into my phone or computer. Unless you work with wood or metal for a living stick with paper.

__d · Answer

I added a QR code on mine.It saves you having to type all the stuff in, or check the scanning was accurate, or whatever.It just goes to a simple page, with a picture and contact details, and then links for email, vCard, LinkedIn, GitHub, etc.

beardyw · Answer

When I die I want my unused business cards used to build a mausoleum.

gego · Answer

Thx - some good points made here!