Social Cards are the new calling cards. The simple social card is a very effective way to add a very personal touch to the lives of social media networkers, whether for career opportunities or just socializing. The calling cards of yesterday have been re-purposed and are fast becoming the method of choice for handing out your linkedin or facebook address without having to write it on napkin, or worse, the back of somebody’s business card. So as the term “calling cards” slides into the sunset, Social Cards are leading the way for 21st century networking.

The following Time Magazine article sheds more light on this interesting twist for life on the web.

“In the 1800s, there was a certain logic–and a cool distance–to the formal calling card. Those who were part of, or sought a place among, the social élite would deliver a card with their name engraved on it to someone’s home to request a visit. But now that you can IM, e-mail or text pretty much anyone immediately, the Victorian practice seems laughably outmoded, right? Not so, according to a growing number of enthusiasts reviving the old-fashioned social-networking tool. “Is it technology fatigue? A colorful way of branding yourself?”

the article continues …

“For young job-hoppers, a calling card offers not only a sense of permanence but also a chance for self-expression. In June, Mitch Stripling, an emergency planner who recently moved to New York City, printed cards with cell-phone, e-mail and descriptor (“neo Victorian calling card thingy”) info for his 10-year college reunion in an effort to reconnect with people he knew he wouldn’t have a chance to speak with at length. “I wanted to get away from the whole status thing at reunions, so a business logo didn’t feel right,” says Stripling, whose card was a buzz-generating hit at Williams College. “Having my own little logo frees me up. It’s a way to be expressive of me outside of whatever job I happen to be doing at the time.”
Perhaps the biggest reason the cards have delighted jaded 21st century types is that they work. Says Stripling: “I can’t say for sure if it was the card or just the effects of a reunion, but I heard from around 30 people from school in the weeks after.” Some are even planning visits.”

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Order your calling cards right now

How many times have you been at some social networking function and wanted to hand somebody your card, but not your regular business card? Most of us have had this experience. Maybe there is a career move opportunity involved and you just want to give a card with simple contact information. Or maybe you find yourself in a personal social situation and want to give a card with minimal contact information. The old fashioned answer to this dilemma is to always carry a “calling card” or in today’s world of social media and social networking a better name might be a “social card”.

You social card might have your name and a single web presence link address to Linkedin or Facebook or the like. No cell phone number, no address, just a single point of contact information. A good resource for such a card can be found at SocialCards.

The following is an excerpt from a Los Angeles Times article:

“In the era of LinkedIn, Facebook, vCards and BlackBerrys, the idea of a calling card may seem quaint, and 12 months into a full-on recession it could seem like an exercise in snobbery. But it shouldn’t, says Peter Post, director of the Emily Post Institute and coauthor of “The Etiquette Advantage in Business.” “My instant reaction isn’t: ‘Oh, that’s pretentious,’ ” he said. “It’s: ‘Oh, that’s considerate.’ Someone is providing information to you in a way that makes it easy to take in and utilize — and in a way that’s memorable.”

The sour economy and mounting unemployment actually buttress the case for having a professional-looking, nonbusiness business card. But take note: Whether you’re negotiating a play group or suddenly find yourself unshackled from the font and corporate logo of the man, there’s no excuse for going all Comic Sans typeface in periwinkle ink on the front, with a glossy clown photo on the back — unless you make balloon animals for a living.

At least, that’s what the experts tell us. We polled etiquette gurus, printers and a few card-carrying card carriers for some general guidelines on condensing your personality onto a few square inches of card stock.”

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Click here to order your SocialCards

This week, i am trying to come up with a brand new business card. There are a lot of Web companies, giving you enormous quantities of BC. The shapes, colours and images are incredible…but somehow, my perspective was to hire some designer to do it.

This scene from American Psycho is a great tribute to Business Cards.

We must realize that, this is your first advertising element. and we must give a great impression at the first time – you have to give a strong mark on these impression. My card has the concept and colour of the header on this website. The great thing is that everybody gives a comment after they receive my Card. Everybody wants to take it. It’s fun and you get to be remembered for a long time. The guy with an innovative card!!! Think about it, i show you a few examples.

(This is for my Personal Trainer’s Friends!!)

While searching for some ideas, i cam across Ivan’s collection. Incredible! You cannot imagine the great examples, you can get. Ivan Raszl’s collection of awesome Business Cards is simply fantastic.

http://creativebits.org/cool_business_card_designs

http://creativebits.org/cool_business_card_designs_part_2

Business Cards Flikr

 (all my Lawyer friends…)

tavola biglietti YOC

Originally uploaded by annatorc.

Chi ha detto che i bigliettini da visita sono una grigia abitudine del nostro tempo, un’etichetta noiosa e impersonale?

Sul sito Year of Creativity : un’esercizio creativo che stimola a reinventarsi ogni giorno. Senza prendersi troppo sul serio.

Hai mi sentito il desiderio di evadere dal tuo mestiere, da un ruolo, da uno stereotipo, dalla ripetitività del quotidiano?

Se dessimo spazio ai molti che ognuno ha dentro, certamente la vita di tutti i giorni sarebbe molto più creativa. Perchè anche un piccolo, gioso, surreale cambiamento può farci vedere le cose in maniera diversa.

“Be the change you want to see in the world”, questo il pensiero che sta alla base dell’iniziativa sul sito: un creatore di biglietti da visita personalizzati, un moltiplicatore di identità fantastiche, uno stimolatore di possibilità…

Puoi sceglierne uno tra 366 biglietti da visita divertenti, personalizzarlo con il tuo nome, stamparlo GRATUITAMENTE e DECIDERE OGNI GIORNO COME PRESENTARTI… E se ti ricorda qualcuno, mandaglielo con il suo nome!

E’ tempo di reinventarsi