You might think that only people doing business need name cards, but you might be surprised at how useful they are outside of business. Get a little creative and you might leave a lasting impression on the person receiving the fruit of your labour.
1. Networking
Name cards are great to have at hand whenever you’re meeting someone new! If you’re interested in keeping in-touch with the other person, just exchange cards! It’s easier and quicker than whipping out your phone and trying to save a person’s contact or trying to add them on Facebook with a slow, or worse, no Internet.
2. Branding
You don’t need to be a business to care about branding. Even normal people have some form of branding too! It’s a complement to your identity, an extension of yourself that you can give to others! Let others know your passion by having it printed on your name card, like having a picture you’re proud of printed on one side if you’re a passionate photographer, or a picture of your favourite movie or show on your name card to show how enthusiastic you are about it. Questions are pretty much ensured with such a unique name card.
3. Information
You’re not limited to placing contact information on name cards. You could mention things like random tidbits about yourself to pique your card’s receiver’s interest. Maybe you could treat it like information you’d leave in a guestbook. Instead of the typical name and phone number, how about a nickname you use often or your username for game social networks like PSN or XBOX live?
4. Appreciation
Stand out from the crowd! Show how thankful you are to meet a person by handing out your name card that has “thanks for the coffee” printed on it. Going with the coffee flow, you could have a link only to your Instagram on the card… complete with a collage of your Instagram photos, maybe?
5. Inspiration
Fancy yourself a motivational person? Why not impart on them some words of wisdom from yourself as a keepsake? As Maya Angelou said, “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” This is especially crucial for speakers at events… it’s a perfect place to network with probable like-minded people. They’re attending your talk, after all.
By the way, have you heard? We provide name cards now, too. 🙂