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Prehistoric, not extinct:  Business cards 101
Patricia Johnson


The pre-cut rolodex business card punch out was hovering mid-air as the question was being asked, “Do people use these anymore?” Well not sure about the rolodex, but business cards, even in today’s technology savvy business and educational settings, there is something that pre-exist email that we just cannot do without today. The business card. This is an important tool for not only networking, but growth, production, and marketing. The census is still out on the rolodex card, but here is what you should consider when updating your information on your business cards.

The Social Network Connection

You don’t want to make the mistake of using your professional email address with your personal social network profile pages such as Twitter and Facebook. You should keep your personal and professional email addresses separate for those that want to cross-reference your cyber-credentials.

Cell phone vs. Landline

Cell phones are used more and more to conduct business virtually. So, do you put your personal cell phone number on your business card? I would have to say, “No.” You want to keep calls coming into a professional line where the calls can be processed by a live person (i.e. project assistant) or where voicemails can be left and calls returned promptly. Some electronic portals will not process business with end-users whose preferred number cannot be automatically and instantaneously verified with a land line (according to Warren Evans The Future © 2009).

Domesticating International Business

As technology bring the ends of world closer together, we are forging ahead to do more and more business internationally with clients from every part of the globe. Today’s business cards should reflect a culture that embraces the new opportunities to work with more businesses internationally. One should know what international climate their type of business work more closely with and provide translation of business card information on the reverse side into that primary language. For example, more and more in the educational setting of K-12 we are seeing English as a second language or ESL.  If you work with this group, you should have your card information translated into Spanish on the reverse side to facilitate communication and your willingness to work across cultural and language differences.



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Patricia Johnson currently works as the program support specialist in the Department of Psychology at Gallaudet University, the world’s leader in liberal education and career development for Deaf and hard of hearing students.