UPDATE (02/09/2012): We’re extending the signup deadline by popular request. Lots of people are sesigning & ordering new business cards for the exchange. What a great idea! For now, it looks like we’ll start collecting cards from everyone in April. A hard deadline will be set soon. Check back for more updates.
What’s a Business Card Exchange?
Back in 2010, around this time of the year actually, I participated in a really cool event called a “Business Card Exchange”. It was hosted by one of my designer friends, Meredith Marsh, and I have wanted to host my own exchange ever since.
Well, as you might imagine, it is an organized exchange of business cards. One person decides to host the exchange and then a number of individuals all send a predetermined quantity of their own business cards into the host. Once all of the participants have mailed their cards in, the host then divides all of the cards into evenly divided stacks of cards. Each stack of cards consists of one copy of every card that was sent in. So, if 30 people participate, all 30 people get 30 unique cards in the mail! Fun, eh?
Why would I do this?
Well, there’s lots of different reasons, however my own favorite is inspiration. Business cards are very personal and often times, very creative. It can be hard to find really creative cards in small communities, where there aren’t that many designers or agencies. Also, business cards differ greatly based on the region, state, country they come from. I learned this in the last Business Card Exchange I participated in. The cards varied in color, size, paper stock, printing technique and content.
See a sampling of what I received last time I did this.
Who can participate?
Anyone who has a creative business card! You don’t have to be a designer to have an awesome card. If you’re business card is a plain old, white business card with nothing special about it…get a new card! If you’re card has a certain quality, personality or even spunk to it…share it!
What do I have to do?
It’s super easy!
- Fill out the form below.
- After a couple weeks I’ll email everyone to let them know how many participants we have, so they know how many cards to send. I’ll also give out my mailing address at that point.
- I’ll receive the cards from everyone, sort them and mail your stack of various cards out!
- You receive your very own stack of creative business cards from all over the world!
Space is limited! Don’t miss out! Note: Tentative deadline to have cards mailed in is March 17, 2012. This may change based on participants. We have several people ordering new cards for this exchange!
