Over the past week, I have been to 3 networking events. At these various events, I have accumulated many business cards.
What happens to those business cards on the next day, week or month? Are you putting them to action, or are you letting them pile up?
I have been guilty in the past of letting them pile up into an unsightly mess on the desk. If I was in need of finding a particular service, it would take me a long time to find it. Now in the world of 2.0, there are other ways to reach out and connect.
One of the first things to do with a business card is see if they are already engaged in social media. If not, this is an excellent opportunity to “be the expert” and introduce them. LinkedIn is a good start.
When I signed up for a Facebook account, I was surprised that I more business contacts than personal ones. Even though I have a Facebook account, I don’t know if others will feel comfortable networking through there even though I did manage to figure out how to keep professional and personal separate
I also was at a networking event several months ago and the person insisted that I contact them via Twitter.
Of course, there is good old Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software such as scanners and the like, ‘ye old Rolodex and lastly business cards in a box.
No matter how you decide how to process your business cards, the most important thing is that you do take action.
nextSTEPH 
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