Business cards have been around for a VERY long time - but can they be done differently?

Over the last year, much of my work has involved working with small businesses to help give them the kinds of capabilities that are normally available to larger firms.

Innovating using available tech, or just providing a "did you know that you could...?" awareness prod in the right direction.

The latest addition to the "Fresh Ideas" box - business cards.

I'd been asked a number of times about the good old business card. "Could we do something better?"

With years of working on badge and pass systems for events - was ANY of that knowledge handy?

The objective - a SINGLE, NFC encoded, QR code printed, environmentally ethical card.

Bamboo was the obvious choice - a more sustainable, fast growing, lower water use material than traditional hardwoods

Then there was the text. There are some GREAT firms out there that will print stunning results on wooden cards - but, using large machines, inks and the like - we felt that all of that defeated the objective of using the sustainably sourced bamboo. Plus, I'm a fan of working out if it could be done "in house" here at Fine Thinking.

Cue low power diode laser etching. Just heat. Could I get the resolution from a cheaply available, low power laser to deliver something where the quality was good enough for the QR codes and brands?

The result? Low power laser (3.3w) etched, sustainably sourced bamboo business cards. Carry ONE instead of a box of traditional cards.

Just tap to someone's phone, and it can share your contact details, or open your Linkedin page, or take someone to your website. For those that don't have NFC capabilities on their phone? There's a QR code they can scan.

Take a box of business cards to an event? No, I just tap - and go.

We now have a low volume production capability here if anyone is interested. Low environmental impact, low cost and funky as heck to show off.