Why You Should Carry Other People's Business Cards With You

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Anyone in business understands the prudence of carrying business cards with them wherever they go. You never know who you will meet when you are out, and whenever you meet people, you never truly know who that person is or who that person might know. With a healthy stack of business cards in your pocket or pocketbook, you are always ready to pass the card along to someone who might become a future client or customer. But while just about every businessman and businesswoman understands the how and the why of carrying around their own business cards, few of them ever consider the wisdom of carrying around someone else's business cards as well. Carrying others' business cards can be very prudent indeed, and here are just a couple reasons why.

As a businessperson, you understand that any conversations with strangers are golden. Each opportunity for conversation with a stranger might be the opportunity that will open brand new doors for you. But oftentimes, people will be turned off if they think you are starting a conversation with them strictly because you wish to sell them some sort of product or service. Naturally, people are protective of their money; they don't want to talk to you if they think you're trying to get some of their money in your pocket! But if you are equipped with others' business cards, you have a full arsenal of safe conversation starters. Say you overhear someone in a restaurant talking about how they need a plumber. If you have your favorite plumber's card ready in your stack of others' business cards, you can enter into their conversation. "Pardon me, but I heard you mention your need for a plumber; here, take this card - this guy has worked on our house before, and he has been great!" In this way, you have opened conversation without trying to sell them something of your own. Eventually, the conversation is sure to circle back around to you, and to what you do.

Also, people are inclined to remember someone who helped them out without any promise of something in return. Whenever the conversation does come back to you, you are sure to give away one or two of your own business cards. And you will have yourself a new customer the next time something arises in this person's life that you might be able to help with.

Even though the practice of carrying others' business cards might seem insignificant, it might just be the "small step" that brings you your next big thing.