Tried swapping business cards for QR codes at a Phoenix meetup

I went to a networking event in Scottsdale last week and instead of handing out paper cards, I just had a QR code on my phone that linked to my LinkedIn. Got 12 new connections in 15 minutes but three people said it felt too impersonal. Anybody else try ditching cards for a digital link at an Arizona event?

3 comments

3 Comments

vera_murphy19d ago

Well, goodness, all this fuss over a business card seems a bit much to me. I've seen folks get worked up over fonts before, but agonizing over paper versus a pixel feels like a lot of energy for something that's over in a handshake. At the end of the day, are we building real connections or just collecting contacts as fast as possible?

elliotadams19d ago

You make a fair point about the digital approach, but I actually see it the other way. I tried QR codes at a Tucson mixer last month and got way more engagement than paper cards ever gave me. People scanned mine, checked out my profile right there, and we had real conversations about what they saw instead of me handing them a card theyd lose before they got home. I think the impersonal part comes down to how you present it, not the tech itself.

ryan_ellis19d ago

You're totally right that it comes down to how you present it. I did something similar at a local meetup here with a simple link on my phone and people actually pulled theirs out to connect right there instead of just pocketing a card.