After stumbling upon this video (which is amazing that someone had the time to get this good at throwing business cards), I began to wonder if business cards were even relevant in today’s world. Are they a token identity tool that is easily dismissed? Are they just a way to win a free lunch for your entire office?

I often empty my pockets in the evening, find a business card or two from whatever salesman I came across that day, and throw them away. If I needed something, why wouldn’t I look through my Yahoo contacts, my v-cards or my iPhone “Bump” contacts? With all of today’s technology, what purpose does a business card serve?

A business card should be a seed for a relationship. The best way to give a business card is in person. Afterwards, it is a tangible cue for a person to remember you and what you are offering. The seed then grows into a phone call, which could lead to great things down the road. The trick is you must give people a reason to keep your business card. This rolls into the importance of a thoughtful and well executed design.

A good business card not only contains all of your contact information, but it should represent what you do and how you do it. Some instance require the content to be fun, some need a little more structure and some need almost nothing at all. The end result should be appealing, memorable and hard to throw away. When I sit down to design a business card, I aim to make something that people will keep, no matter if they are looking for that product or service now. One day they might and will know who to call.

Despite all of the technological methods of keeping up with contacts, nothing beats personal communication to form trust in a relationship. Well designed business cards plant the seeds of personal interaction and hopefully grow into successful results. And it’s good to know that with enough practice, they can be used for protection as well.