About a year ago Bret Koontz shared an idea with me he had devised for connecting pastors and church planters with people in the community in more of a 2.0 sort of way. Immediately I was intrigued, especially considering my introverted nature when it comes to stepping up to strike up conversation with a stranger.
Our culture has quickly shifted to what I’d call the “facebook-friending” culture (perhaps soon to be replaced by the “twitter-following” culture) where people perform Google searches and Facebook friend requests in an attempt to check you out before really wanting to pursue some sort of deeper friendship/relationship. The utilization of technology into “interviewing” potential friends/relationships is a good way to speed up getting to know someone and dive deeper into a relationship. (I’m continually amazed at how much more connected I feel to people and how much more I know about a person because of their Facebook status updates and Twitter updates.) So, enter a church-planter or pastor who is new to an area and looking to strike up conversations and develop relationships in our highly networked 2.0 society.
Bret’s idea was to create a physical connect that blends both 1.0 in-person conversation with 2.0 web networking, therefore the advent of the ‘personal network card.’ A business card that has nothing to do with business, but rather everything to do with who you are as a person and ways to connect with you online. You can hand them out to people you meet, or simply leave them in places you frequent, hand them to a barista or waiter in restaurants and coffee shops you frequent, the possibilities are endless… and the potential for new relationships is great!
Now don’t get the idea that this is a business card, because it isn’t… it looks different and functions differently. I recently designed my first one, had them printed up at VistaPrint and they arrived today:
On the front of the card is a design of sorts and different adjectives to describe who I am by my interests (mac enthusiast, coffee junkie, teacher, photography, runner, baseball fanatic, etc.) Then at the bottom is my name and 3 online ways that people can check me out and connect with me: aaronmonts.com | twitter.com/aaronmonts | and my gmail address. The back is simply my name along with the same design from the front.
As connecting with people becomes more and more of an online sport, I hope this will give me an edge and the ability to meet and network with people that once before couldn’t have been possible.
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So I’m sitting in the office today thinking of ways to connect with people and guess what…I ran across the first card I designed. Obviously, there is something very cool (not to mention spiritual) about your blog and my reconnection with my card. Still on to something? Maybe. By the way, I really like the design of the card and will post mine on my site. Who knows, maybe it will generate an interesting movement. Thanks for the shout-out. We continue to pray for you, Tracy, and the Forsythes. Much love, bro.
Also, I’m totally digging the blog redesign!
http://www.moo.com would be a great pairing for this, monts!
particularly the minicards
http://www.moo.com/products/minicards.php
I just dont get the whole facebook myspace thing. Email me or text me. I dont have time to log into another web site, get by 200 ads then post something. I have email/phone on me wherever I go. PS – nice new look buddy, really like the site.
Cubs Fan?
You really put that on the card? You have issues…..
This is really good stuff Aaron. I’m curious to hear how people respond when you actually give them the card. Do you have a stump speech that goes along with it to help people understand what it is and that it’s not just a business card?
Good question David… I hadn’t thought about a stump speech… but so far, no. I do wonder if a stump speech might come across as too prepared and in turn negate what just happened conversation wise… almost as if the past few moments were nothing more than set-up for some sort of sales pitch. I figure the best thing is to simply let the conversation be conversation and at the end give them the card and say, ‘look me up online sometime,’ and let the card speak for itself. Most people at least look at the card when you hand it to them, so as long as it looks different and is appealing, it should (hopefully) communicate that this isn’t business. Then the 2.0 content you put on there communicates the rest of that.
And Jeff, of course I put Cubs fan on the card. It’s not like i’m a Sox fan–something to truly be ashamed of. ; )
http://churchcrunch.com/2009/01/11/do-bloggers-need-business-cards-contest/