The Business Card’s Travels
It was raining again. He had no appointments today, so he started to think about the chamber event next week. He was going to be honored for his volunteer service, which mean that he would be meeting many people. He considered it a wise idea that he goes over how that day would flow in his mind. How would he present himself? What were his best networking opportunities? He looked down at the business card that he had been flipping over in his hand. It was the one that he has been using for some time.
He thought about what the card said. He had been producing a good deal of material for Active Rain of late. He had his own blog on another site. In fact, he had written articles for his local chamber’s site, but the card said nothing of those writings. Wouldn’t his customers like his articles? They would make him more of an authority in their eyes. His new acquaintances would be impressed if they checked them out. Did the card have the best information to reach him? He had a new website, which had an e-mail that was not listed on the card. Looking at the card, he saw that the website’s theme did not match with this card. He studied his photograph on the card, and he saw that his features blended into the background. His card was not right.
He spent awhile redesigning his card that day, and he had the new ones made in time for the chamber event. He was happy to be here. Most of the people did not know that he was going to be honored, and he wanted to surprise them. They would think: oh, I met him before the luncheon! He stopped to chat with several people in the room. He met an inspector, and they discussed real estate for a bit. He gave him his card. He was a commercial Realtor, and the inspector dealt with residential projects, but he knew that you could never tell where that next lead might come from. In the end, he felt he had a good day.
The inspector placed the card in his holder on that day. He went about his business for the next week. The card was snugly in his pocket all of that time. One day the inspector is at a doctor’s office for a check-up, and the physician strikes up the standard what do you do for a living conversation. His ears perk up when the inspector mentions his profession, and he mentions that he wants to get into commercial real estate. The inspector hands him his card, but he remembers the card from the Realtor, so he pulls it out as well. The doctor thanks him, and puts them into his own pocket.
That weekend the doctor goes to a meeting at the Rich Club. They are listening to a host of television show give tips on flipping homes. After the speech, he mixes and mingles with his friends, and they talk about their plans. Someone mentions that they need a Realtor for a project that he has in mind, so the doctor brings out the card. He takes down the information first, but he hands it over to his colleague. The man brings it home, and the next day he gives the Realtor a call. They discuss their plans, and see if they could work with each other, and they decide to meet. He leaves the card on his desk at home. Some weeks go by, and his wife comes back from a get together with her friends, where her closest friend mentioned that she and her husband are considering real estate as an investment. At home, the wife is at the desk working on paying her bills, when she sees the card. She looks up the links, and she is quite impressed, so she e-mails the links to her friend.
What does your card say about you? Will it travel so well?
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