Business Cards: Who Do You Give Them To?

The business card can be seen as the hallmark of taking your first step on the corporate ladder. Getting your first business card is a major milestone in any young professional’s career, however once you get it, who do you give it to? Relatives? Neighbors? Small pets? Your goldfish? The possibilities seem endless.

Usually when you are on the bottom rung, you only get a limited amount of cards to work with. It might seem like a lot at first, but you would be surprised how quickly they can go (especially if you hand them out to your goldfish, they always need a couple). So how do you decide who takes priority? I have listed three groups below that you will usually need to hand out your business cards to, so you should always reserve some for them.

• Clients - Obviously, this is the big one. More often than not, your clients will want your contact information, and the easiest way to do this is with your business card. Also, you can get theirs in return, which gives you access to their contact information. Handing out your business cards to your client is also a long-standing business practice that reflects well on the professionalism of both you and your company. Unless they specifically request otherwise, you really can't go wrong handing out your business card to your clients.
• Senior Executives in your company - You need to be tactful when doing this, but if done properly this can be a powerful networking tool for you. Don't just run up to your CEO and shove a card in their face, but if you are introduced it can't hurt to throw a business card their way. Also, if you have a speaker who is a senior executive and you stay to meet them afterwards, you can offer them a business card as well. If you make a good impression, it might lead to excellent opportunities in your company that you might not have been considered for before (this is especially true in large companies). Also remember that "Senior Executive" does not have to be a CEO, it can be your boss's boss or even your boss. As long as you are tactful, this kind of PR (Public Relations) can only help your career.
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Article Author: Kevin Augustine

I specialize in making the life of the everyday business professional easier. For free tutorials on common Microsoft Office applications such as Microsoft Word and Excel, career management advice, office life advice, funny office stories, and professional …

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