Anyone being asked whether business cards are dead will probably think it is a silly question.  They wil probably think of how often they go to an event or a meeting with outsiders and  swap business cards.

A few years back people thought v-cards and bluetooth would be the answer, but that's not the case. Others thought you should only need one business card and just use the camera on your phone to get the details.... That too didn't catch on. They just weren't as simple and practical as the business card.

So why wonder about the death of business cards? Well it came to light at a recent girl geek dinner that the girls weren't set for networking, they didn't have their business cards with them...

Now there is a use for business cards. But there are two things that are important. Firstly business cards should have a function. They should give enough information for someone to get hold of you in some way shape or form. This doesn't have to include a phone number. Secondly they should portray you in a way that is appropriate, so if you are in a professional setting then they should be professional. Casual then they can be more fun. However be careful that you don't end up giving out images that you wouldn't want to be a lasting memory of you!

One thing that I usually do with business cards is do a search for the person on the card and find them on LinkedIn. I then add them to my contacts and sync that with outlook so that my contact list is up to date.

What are your hints and tips for effective networking?

This article was written by Sarah Blow, a software engineer for a medical device manufacturer, perhaps better known as the founder of the Girl Geek Dinners.