Why I’m Ditching My Digital Business Card
by T.J. Winick
As a consultant who prides myself on staying current with trends, I was intrigued with digital business cards. It made sense, especially in a world where QR codes and contactless everything became the norm. I figured it would be faster, sleeker, and more environmentally friendly than carrying a stack of cardstock rectangles in my wallet.
But after a year of using one, I’m going back to traditional business cards—and here’s why.
It wasn’t the tech. The app worked fine. The QR code scanned without issue. But the moment it came time to hand off my information, something felt...off. I’d just finished an enjoyable conversation, and then I’d pull out my phone (or have them pull out theirs) and suddenly, the dynamic shifted. What was a fluid, professional exchange now felt oddly intimate.
There’s something strangely personal about asking someone to unlock their phone, navigate to their camera, and scan a code. Even stranger? Watching them add me, a person they met two minutes ago, to their contacts. I started noticing the hesitation. The quiet, awkward pause as they opened their phone and I stood there, waiting.
For many of us, our phones are not just communication devices; they’re our calendars, our texts, our family photos, our group chats. Inviting someone into that space felt like a breach of a subtle but important boundary.
The traditional business card, on the other hand, has never pretended to be anything more than what it is: a quick, low-pressure exchange of information. No eye contact breaks. No awkward phone fumbling. Just a smile and a card passed from one hand to another.
I’ve also come to realize there’s value in the tangibility of a card. It’s a physical reminder of a conversation, a follow-up nudge that sits on someone’s desk or in a coat pocket. Digital cards? They disappear into an endless scroll of contacts, often forgotten as quickly as they were added.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not anti-tech. I still have a LinkedIn QR code in my phone, and if someone wants to connect that way, I’m happy to. But I no longer initiate that exchange. Instead, I’m carrying printed cards again. It feels more natural. And frankly, more aligned with how I want to build relationships: person to person, not phone to phone.