The New Way to Network!

COVID-19 has taken a toll on everyone over the last couple of years, and it has affected our networking skills. People are so used to talking and interacting with others in person that it felt strange communicating online. However, as the pandemic has calmed down and precautions are being taken, people are craving in-person interactions and networking more than ever. But what will networking in 2022 even look like?

Before the pandemic a vast amount of business cards were being printed around the world. One estimate put it at 27 million per day, or more than seven billion each year. But Covid-19 has made many of us more nervous about spreading germs. Even as we return to workplaces, or get back to networking face-to-face, will the habit, or for some - the ritual - of handing over a paper business card become a thing of the past?

As people are working from home, it has created a lot of new technology in order for people to continue to network, such as contactless networking digital cards. These are incredibly effective for networking and passing contact information straight to your phone contact list. Individuals have used QR code that has all of their contact information so a person can just scan it with their phone and it has everything you need to know. We have also seen NFC (near-field communication) technology which is a small round tag that you stick to the back of your mobile phone to beam your details to another person's phone. It is very similar to a QR code where you just scan the tag and it shows you the person’s contact information.

These are great for networking at events or replacing the old age "Business Card". These cards are incredible for events and super cost effective. Now instead of throwing a physical card into your wallet just to lose it or create clutter, you can now share your contact information in-person "germ free" or even through online zoom. Just tap and go!