A sign that things are going back to normal is that in-person networking events are resuming.  It’s been over two years since we’ve been in a room with relative strangers, chatting about our businesses.  One thing we did notice a change in, and that is a lack of business cards being passed around.  So how do you connect with people if business cards are out of favour?

LinkedIn

If you have the LinkedIn app on your phone then you can easily connect with other members by using your own unique QR code.  So, before you head out to the next networking event, make sure you download the most current version of the LinkedIn mobile app.

To find your QR code:

• Open the app
• Tap the QR code in the search bar which is located at the top of the screen
• Locate the My Code tab and find your QR code
• You can either share the code via message, email etc or save it to photos

If you want to connect with someone else, you will need to either receive their QR code as detailed above, or:

• Open the LinkedIn app
• Tap the QR code in the search bar
• Tap the scan tab
• Hold your phone over the QR code of the LinkedIn member you’d like to connect with

Instagram

Another way to connect is to follow your new connections on Instagram.  Although many of us use Instagram for personal use, you may want to set up a business account for your business connections.  Make sure your account is up-to-date and that you can access it via your phone!  You can then follow up with your new connections in your own time.  The Undercover Recruiter has some other ideas of how to use Instagram as a networking tool.

Facebook Groups

The networking event that we attended was organised by a Facebook group that we are part of.  Providing you remember the names of the people you spoke to, it should be a lot easier to search either in the comments of any networking posts or in the search bar at the top of the group page.  You can probably also connect with the organiser to see if they can help too.

Digital Business Cards

According to Hi Hello, digital business cards will be used at networking events in 2022.  HiHello is a digital business card app which can be used to create free online business cards and allow you to swap details with others.  Once you’ve created the cards, you can share them via QR code, link, email or text message.

There are many digital business card apps out there, here are 9 more!

Design Your Own Business Cards

If you still like to stay traditional and hand out business cards, then why not take matters into your own hands and design your own.  We’ve been using Canva for our graphic design for a while and they have a dedicated section on designing your own business card.

So there you have it, 5 ways to swap details at networking events!  Get out there and let us know how you get on.  Twitter: @RedDeskVirtual   Instagram: @reddeskvirtual  Facebook: @RedDeskVirtual