One of the side effects of consistent networking is business cards.
They will take over your purse, your car, and your office if you don’t proactively prevent it. If you’re in a business where you network regularly or exchange a lot business cards, you could benefit from a business card reader app or business card scanner. Then you can file those cards away or even give right back to the owner for them to hand out to some other networker. I use the CamCard app which is still free. I can have close to 1,100 business cards with me at all times and I can access them in just a few clicks.
Here’s how it works:
First, go to the App Store and download the CamCard app on your smart phone and set up an online account. All you do is open the app on your smartphone take a picture of the front of a business card. It reads the information so it becomes searchable. You can take a photo of the back if it has information. Some cards are harder to read so you may need to correct errors either on your phone or login to your CamCard account on your PC, laptop, or tablet.
Click manage, then set it up to auto save to your contacts and it saves it to your phone and online contacts if you set that up. Add it to a group you create to categorize it. Then go to whatever online contacts you use and categorize it there and add notes so you remember where and when you met the contact. You can also add notes in the CamCard app on your phone. The notes do not sync. If you really want to use networking to your best advantage, connect with your contact on whatever social media sites you each use for networking. Then the next time you meet that contact you might remember their name, especially if you meet for a 1-2-1. It also makes it much easier to refer that contact.
If you share a business card with someone who also has the CamCard app, they can add the business card to their app with a few clicks. If available, you can also call their phone, get a map to their location, email, website, or text (if it’s labeled mobile) right from the app….with one click.
So, this is one of my top apps for staying organized. I have no business card clutter and I have access to all those business cards at my fingertips so I can refer anyone easily. Watch my vlog walking you through CamCard and contact me if you need help with any other organizing or time management projects. Thank you, and have an organized day.
CamCard is just one of many card readers available today. What are some other apps you have found useful for managing business cards?
Lynn is a professional organizer, speaker, and author of the book “2 Minutes or Less.” As a former realtor, she teaches that people can achieve organized homes and lives through intentional acts that take very little time. Her methods minimize the clutter and help people to stop putting off the easiest tasks.
