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easyeboy easyeboy
 
M$1 February 24, 2009 05:58 AM

Is beaming a business card acceptable? Do we sometimes ask for paper paper cards so we can easily toss them?

What are your thoughts on virtual business cards such as rmbrME? If you don't know what they are, read below description of rmbrME:

rmbrME is an alternative to paper business cards. The online service provides users an electronic business card with their photo and contact info. On it you can put your company info, web addresses, email, and all the information you would put on a standard paper business card, yet instead of handing someone a paper card, a vCard is emailed or beamed to the person. Contacts can view a business card on their smartphone and save contact information directly to their address book.

In order to send someone a business card via the rmbrME www.rmbrme.com virtual business card system, you need to beam your card by knowing the other person's email address. You can text an email address to 762763, and the person will receive your business card via email. What I've realized is that someone who does not want you to contact can still ask for your business card, but they would prefer you give them a paper business card, because they can politely ask for it, take it, and throw it out. Whereas, when you ask them for their email address and tell them, "I'll beam you a card" they decline, and say, "How could you not have a business card?" Or, they might say, "beam me, yeah right, are you kidding me?" Would you say, this is basically a test, which means they did not want your business card, they were asking for it? Or, are some people not totally into the idea of beaming a business card to someone? Is this a ridiculous assumption to make that some people expect people to carry around a big stack of business cards everywhere they go? Do we still need to carry around paper business cards? Do you believe there will be a point in our lives when the vCard will replace the paper cards?

Does anyone use vCards, or RmbrME cards, or do you find this to be a not so good way to carry around business cards?
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gzicherm gzicherm
 
 February 24, 2009 06:45 AM
Hi all. I'm a biased expert on the subject, as both inventor and CEO of rmbrME. :)

The basic answer to this question is this: in over 1500 beams that I've sent in the last 6 months, I have never been refused. Nor have I ever received a "that's weird" response. Most people respond positively with "that's cool" or "how does that work", and then they get excited at receiving my vCard sent directly to their phone. The novelty factor will wear off (some day), but in the meantime, just using rmbrME (or our easy iPhone app - beamME) will make people remember you.

The way I always do it is to offer folks my beamed card, and then give them the option of giving me their email or mobile number (beamME accepts either). That way they can control which contact point they provide, and I get an important piece of data. With beamME for iPhone, I can even customize my greeting message on a per-send basis.

While it will take a while to change this behavior, I can guarantee you that you can go paper card-free _right now_ if you want. I have done it for the past 6 months, and I meet a lot of people. :)

If you want to know more about beamME, you can visit our site (www.GETbeamME.com) or follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/beamMEpro
Source(s):
Personal experience
www.GETbeamME.com

Asker's Rating:
• A few great answers here, and the inventor has a proven way! I think as time goes on this will become more of an accepted practice, yet there I believe some believe there is still a need for a paper card. It's interesting, and I believe this concept is still very much so in its infancy!


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easyeboy easyeboy
 
February 24, 2009 08:01 AM
I agree, it's a very interesting concept/phenomenon and your approach seems to be the best way to make it work, without trying to explain to someone how or why you choose not to carry a stack of cards. Yes, most people respond it's cool and such. Yet what's interesting to think about is how you get the email address from the other person in order to beam your card. It's so easy to ask for a card without asking for a phone number or email address, and even though they contain the same information, asking someone for a card is not the same as asking for a card. Asking for a paper card will allow you to send off a text and email a virtual card. However, when you are in a loud area and cannot hear the person or easily enter their email address, sometimes giving you a paper card works and then you send them a beamed card. I've only gotten the rejection once, but this person would've accepted a paper card, yet they were skeptical about the beamed card. The interesting thing about beaming a card is that both sides have to receive some sort of contact information, whether it may be a phone number or an email address. You can't just say "give me your card and I'll get back to you," as easily with this concept, because in order to give someone the card, you have to have their email address or phone number. So, the moral of the story is, if someone does not want to give you their email or phone number, it's probably safe to say they would have rather accepted your card just because they are being polite. Maybe I'm thinking too much into the sociology behind this, but there certainly is something that can be said about the virtualization of cards, and how it requires more of a mutual consensus between two parties to give up some sort of information, whereas a paper card can be unrequited.

The one thing that would be good for you to figure out, is how to carry around multiple cards (ie. sometimes you want to give out your promotional or another card).

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philipy philipy
 
February 24, 2009 05:25 PM
Nope, I think you have the psychology right easyeboy.

If we met casually, I would probably accept your card, and I might even visit your site later to see what your company does. Maybe if I liked what I saw on your site, I might even follow up with a phone call.

In fact your card can be a mini-sales brochure. The strap line can intrigue me about your company's mission or USP, the overall look might give me the impression you are professional and serious, or creative and fun, or whatever.

But if I have to give you my email, that's like giving you permission to contact me, which is a bigger deal.

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easyeboy easyeboy
 
February 24, 2009 06:05 PM
It's interesting, as giving me your card is the same as giving me your email, yet there are people who look at the card as a different item, even though the email is on it.

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philipy philipy
 
February 24, 2009 10:56 PM
No I don't look at giving you my card as any different than giving you my email or phone number. I wouldn't give you my card unless I was ok with you calling me or emailing me.

There are many scenarios in which I'd take your card but not give you mine.

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eatthatpop... eatthatpop...
 
February 24, 2009 06:14 AM
People are too busy on their computer, and thing's get lost.

I think business cards are the way to go, as people can carry them in their wallet.

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aslan72 aslan72
 
February 24, 2009 03:44 PM
It depends on the culture. Eastern cultures value the exchange of business cards as, essentially, a handshake. You take the card, comment on something regarding it and then hold onto it; it's impolite to shove it in your wallet.

So, if you deal alot in Asia, beaming while you can do it, probably isn't culturally acceptable.

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easyeboy easyeboy
 
February 24, 2009 06:14 PM
Why is beaming a card not culturally acceptable in Asia? How is this any different from the hand shake with a paper card?

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aslan72 aslan72
 
February 26, 2009 04:48 PM
with most customs it's not about efficiency or acceptability, it's about care for the other person. IMO, when you've done your homework and brought a paper card, it shows that you care about the person and think they are important.

I don't think anyone would fault you for beaming it, or look down on it, it's just that you say something when you follow another country's customs.

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philipy philipy
 
February 24, 2009 05:16 PM
You are right that I'm one of those people that would politely take a card if you offered me one, even if I doubt I'd ever call you. Even if frankly, you are the last person on Earth I'd want to call. :)

Often times all I really want, even if I actively ask for card, is your URL, so I can find out some more, before deciding if it's actually of any interest.

And I certainly don't want to hand my contact details to all and sundry that ask for them. Especially not my email address, as I hate spam.

On top of that business cards are quite useful for communicating the identity of the business. The design, logos, quality say a little bit about the business.

So I wouldn't like to see paper cards replaced by virtual ones. And I would think you were rather geeky if you suggested that you wanted to send me one.

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easyeboy easyeboy
 
February 24, 2009 06:14 PM
Would you be one of those rare people who might ask for a card out of interest, and when I said, "I don't have any paper cards, I'll beam you a card when you provide a phone number or email" then say something like, "I don't accept beamed cards" or "That's silly, beamed cards are not acceptable or real business cards." What if you could design a virtual card the same as a paper card, just without the paper?

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philipy philipy
 
February 24, 2009 10:48 PM
I'd probably just ask you to note down your url or email address on the spot.

As for the the design of virtual cards... no that wouldn't mean a thing to me. Except that you are either very geeky, or can't afford to get physical business cards made.

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aslan72 aslan72
 
February 26, 2009 04:53 PM
It's the same type of thing when I go to trade shows and a company I'm interested in offers me a flyer on their product. I really don't care for them, I usually throw them away and would just as easy go to their website. Cards, in general, imply more than a passing interest in someone/something in a world where any info could be obtained from the internet.

If I were in philipy's situation, I would just respond with 'oh, I'll look you up on the web'. It's easier than beaming a card to someone. It's a little like overthinking a simple social transaction; "I want to remember you, I valued our contact, give me something to do that". A beamed card runs the risk of being lost in a sea of contacts (I have a few hundred), or just being forgot.

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oboewan oboewan
 
February 25, 2009 12:53 AM
Would you rather:

1. Put your hand in your pocket, pull out a card, shake the guy's hand and smile.

Or:

2. Pull out your smartphone, ask him for his email address (or look at the paper card that he gave you), confirm the spelling of his email address, type it in, say "I'll beam you a card," explain what that means, and meanwhile he's standing there bored and unimpressed.

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