Bemusing business of business cards
By Myra Sidharta
JAKARTA (JP): The man made a deep bow while presenting his name card to me with both hands. An unconventional way of introducing oneself, but for a person who has difficulty hearing and remembering foreign names, it is a good solution.
A glance at the card enables you to see who the person is, where he comes from and what his job is. In short, it is the person's identity all on one little card. Presenting a business card on introduction is very popular among Asians, particularly Japanese and Chinese, to make it easier for people to know who they are.
They used to be called "visiting cards" and would announce a person's arrival in an office or house. The host could then prepare, either with delight or annoyance, for the guest.
Visiting cards were simple then, with just the name and position printed on them. Only aristocrats usually had their coats of arms emblazoned as well.
Later, before greeting and birthday cards became fashionable, a few initials were added: p.f. (pour feliciter) and p.r. pour remercier, the French for, respectively, congratulations and thanks. These cards were also sent to friends and relatives for Christmas or birthdays.
Nowadays, almost everybody who wants to be respected in this world carries business cards, partly to make it easy for people to write down one's address or telephone number. But the most important reason to have business cards remains to tell who and what you are. That is why experts in graphic design earn lots of money today in designing logos for business cards.
In Asian countries, where some languages use different characters from the Western alphabet, we find cards with printing on both sides, allowing people to use them at home or abroad.
Some people are proud to represent their businesses or establishments, especially multinational corporations known around the world, such as Toyota, IBM, AT&T, etc. They are proud to have secured a coveted job at the firm, and want to show it with their business cards.
Individual business cards vary with the personality of the owners. One person has a small gray-colored card, about three quarters of the size of a normal card. However, his name, address and phone number were printed in such big letters that the whole card is almost covered.
It initially seems this person wants to give the impression of being modest, but is in fact a very talented and capable person. His card is in striking contrast to the card one woman has been handing out. Its orange color and unusual font of dancing letters tells that she is a very extroverted person who screams for attention.
What to do with all the cards? Some people just leave them in their pockets until it is time to send the clothes to the laundry. By that time they have to decide whether they want to keep them or throw them away.
Some people do not care about organizing them, they just put them away. When they need an address, they just call a friend who is more organized. This friend may be keeping them neatly in appropriate boxes in alphabetical order. He may have separate boxes for business relations, personal friends and other categories. Others have transferred the names to their pocket organizers or personal computer.
There are better uses for business cards. Gary Richards is a little English boy who wants to be included in the Guinness Books of Records for having the largest number of business cards. Gary has terminal cancer so this is his only way to get his name in the record book.
If you have a card to spare and want to help Gary achieve his goal, put it in an envelope and send it to 38 Shellby Road, Carsalton, Surrey, GUI ILD, England. Gary and his family will be grateful, and it is a positive way for us all to use our extra business cards cluttering up the attack.