By giving someone your business card, you are making them work in order to keep in touch with you.
Handing over your business card
The most professional gesture in business
When you think about it
Is basically asking this perfectly nice person
With whom you’ve just had a presumably meaningful conversation
To email you
Call you
Check out your website
Remember your name
What you do
And
Bare minimum
Hang onto your card!
Which is why
It is oh so satisfying
When
Invariably
They drop that bad boy like 3rd period French.
But here’s the thing:
If you’re wrapping up a conversation that feels worthy of a:
Hey, let’s keep in touch!
It means you both clearly see the value
In at least the potential
Of speaking again.
Which makes it perfectly reasonable
And kind
For YOU
To do a little work for THEM
By simply asking:
Would you mind if I signed you up for my email list as a way to keep in touch?
I’m here,
Kevin
P.S. I have tried this at the end of both networking calls and sales calls just in the past 3 days. Responses so far have ranged from: “Of course!” and “Absolutely!” To my personal favorite, “I’m already on your list.”