Don’t Throw Away Your Business Cards—Leveraging QR Code In Networking

Benjamin Claeys is CEO of QR TIGER, MENU TIGER, and GiftLips. He also hosts Stay QRious, a podcast about QR code best practices.

In the era of ubiquitous smartphones and omnichannel social media presence, business cards, once viewed as an essential tool of successful networking, have begun to seem like quaint relics of a bygone era. Are they still important signalers of professional identity, or have they, like so many things, become redundant in the digital age?

I would contend that—before tossing all their business cards into the recycling bin—company leaders and other professionals should consider that these palm-sized professional signifiers on bright cardstock do still have value and purpose, even in a rapidly changing technological landscape. To explain this, it helps first to look at the current state of networking.

What Networking Really Means

At its heart, networking is still about making meaningful connections—showcasing who you are and what you bring to the table. This ties into the essence of a business card. For example, if you work for a prestigious company, attending an event with a business card bearing your name and company logo can be a point of pride. I remember when I worked as an architect for OMA, designing incredible buildings worldwide; it felt like an achievement to have a business card with my name on it.

Business cards still serve a role in establishing one’s identity and status before a conversation even begins. They provide context about who you are and what position you hold. Before someone even takes the effort to save your number or check out your website, they can quickly assess whether they want to connect with you.

Business cards still have a creative design element; they’re not just about displaying a name, but about branding as well. However, they are limited in space, which is why QR codes can be especially valuable. They allow for extended information storage beyond what a traditional card can hold—effectively, a digital bridge, extending the information available on a business card. Instead of having a physical card sitting on a desk, the QR code lets people instantly store contact details, social media links, websites and more, right on their phone.

Combining QR codes with business cards elevates both to the next level, making for powerful tools to facilitate modern professional connections.

A Business Card By Any Other Name

Over time, we’ve seen the evolution of digital contact-sharing methods like vCards, which are structured formats for storing contact information. These have evolved alongside smartphones, enabling users to store much more than just a name and number—social media, office details and more. A vCard follows an internationally agreed format, making it more structured than something like a Linktree, which is more flexible but less standardized.

The relevance of vCards has grown with the rise of smartphones since people need a way to store and manage contact information digitally. QR codes and vCards complement each other; QR codes provide an easy way to transfer vCard data instantly.

That said, many companies—especially large organizations with hundreds or thousands of employees—still issue “old-school” business cards. Many of them rely on business cards as part of their HR and branding efforts. Within our particular industry space, we see that the three biggest uses for QR codes are URLs, vCards and business-related applications, including business cards.

Even in today’s digital world, business cards still carry meaning. They are a tangible representation of achievement and association with a brand. When employees change positions, their business cards are updated accordingly, reinforcing their evolving roles within the company.

Using QR Codes Effectively

One reason business cards remain so effective is that, when they’re QR-equipped, they offer an implicit invitation to scan the code.

Other QR usages may be less obvious. In a live presentation, QR codes can be extremely useful for gaining quick feedback collection through polls, offering connection to additional resources, providing payment information or promoting upcoming events. However, just placing a QR code on a slide without context or instruction isn’t enough. If I, as a presenter, don’t prompt the audience to scan it, most people simply won’t.

We live in an era of constant information overload, where passive consumption has become the norm. If a presenter doesn’t make the effort to engage the audience, only a few people, if any, will take the initiative to scan a code on their own. I’ve seen presentations where a QR code appears on the final slide with no mention at all. That’s a missed opportunity to encourage interaction. A QR code alone doesn’t communicate anything; it’s just a pattern of black and white squares. Even if it has a logo or a colorful design, it still requires context. That’s why a strong call to action is essential.

If you add a simple, compelling prompt like “Scan to win” or “Join our community now,” engagement will increase. Creativity matters; even on business cards, a cleverly worded call to action makes a QR code more likely to be used. A good marketer understands this and takes the extra step to ensure their QR code is not just seen but actually scanned.

Sparking A Moment Of Connection

Companies today need to be present across multiple channels. It’s not enough to rely on just one platform anymore; people interact in various ways, and brands need to be accessible wherever their audience is.

Business cards still hold value because they solidify personal connections. It’s not just about getting someone’s contact information; you can find that online. Even though digital contact-sharing exists, companies still invest in business cards because they serve as an effective, tangible reminder of a brand and its representatives. QR codes on business cards create an excellent opportunity to build a digital bridge, adding a modern, tech-savvy element to traditional networking while extending and enhancing the information business cards can convey.

But the real power lies in the interaction itself. When someone hands you a business card, it marks a moment of engagement. Later, when you see that card again, it triggers a memory of where and how you met that person. They are physical representations of intangible connection, that elusive personal touch that renders networking meaningful, productive and lasting.

Forbes Technology Council is an invitation-only community for world-class CIOs, CTOs and technology executives. Do I qualify?