Hit 200 business cards at a single networking event and my hand still hurts

I went to that Tech Square meetup last Thursday and somehow handed out over 200 cards in like 2 hours. There were probably 300 people crammed into that rooftop space and everyone wanted to swap. My wrist is still sore but I got like 15 solid follow-ups out of it. Anybody else ever count how many they give away at one of these things?

4 comments

4 Comments

wadejenkins6d ago

Used to think networking was just swapping paper and nothing ever came of it. Saw this guy at a fintech mixer last fall who tracked his card drops and had a 10% conversion rate to actual coffee meetings. Changed my whole view on the numbers game after that. 200 is wild though, my hand cramps up after like 80 and I start writing illegible notes on the backs of them.

ben_fisher5d ago

Wait, are we actually keeping score on these things now? I always just handed them out like candy and hoped for the best. A few years back I tried a little test where I wrote the date and a keyword on the back of every card I gave out at a conference. Found one in my jacket pocket six months later and had zero memory of who the guy was or what we talked about. Now I just use a voice memo on my phone after a good conversation and ditch the card notes altogether. Less handwriting, fewer cramps, same result.

the_robin6d ago

Bro 200 cards and your hand's basically doing a trust fall at the end there. Guess you gotta pre-write those notes like a mad lib. Or just accept half your contacts will get "meeting, nice coffee guy" scribbled on them.

grantc805d ago

10% conversion rate?" That's insane. Would've bet it was closer to 2%.