Imagine yourself at a business networking event, you’ve met someone worth connecting with and you’ve just run out of business cards or you forget them at home so you’re scrabbling for a pen and paper meanwhile creating an awkward scene. Or imagine this, you have their business card but it got lost or accidentally washed in the laundry. Now what? You’ve lost a potential business lead.
The business card was once a great networking tool. A simple square card held all your pertinent information and made you easily accessible. However nowadays with the multiple networking events, it’s hard to know how many cards you might need to carry or if they’ll get lost.
So what’s the solution to the business card dilemma? Bump. Bump is a smart phone app that allows you to link your social networks and contact info. Think of it as a virtual business card. How does it work? Both users must have the app installed on their phone; once the app is launched, the users “bump” their phones, and their info is exchanged. Another cool feature is that you’ll instantly follow each other on your social networks and the contact info will be uploaded into your phone books.
Since its launch, Bump has seen some great success in the app stores. It has been downloaded 30 million times and the founders have banked $20 million. Chances are if you run into a smart phone user at a networking event, they have heard of Bump and you can both exchange info comfortably without the hassle of a business card. Does that mean you shouldn’t carry business cards? No. Business cards are a great backup tool because there is a chance that you might find someone that doesn’t have Bump, the app doesn’t launch, or there’s poor cell service where you’re at. In those instances, a Plan B like a business card is always a good idea.
Do you use Bump and what do you think of it?
