International Business Card Etiquette

Global business has facilitated the diffusion and assimilation of different business practices from cultures worldwide.  In particular, Asian cultures have influenced the world in how we give and receive business cards.  More than a simple trading of contact information, the ritual of business card exchanges is a formal ceremony and has become an international business protocol. 

 

In Asian cultures, your business card is seen as a representation of who you are.  It should therefore be presented in pristine condition, just as your physical appearance.  You wouldn’t dream of wearing a dirty or wrinkled suit to a business meeting; the same goes for a crinkled business card. 

 

When introducing yourself, your business cards should be presented using the right hand or both hands.  Giving out your business card using the left hand is an insult in Muslim and other countries, so avoid making this mistake and disrespecting a new acquaintance.  Presenting your business cards using both hands, however, is seen as the highest form of respect.    

 

You should receive a business card in the same manner in which it was presented to you.  For example, if your new acquaintance presents his or her card to you in both hands, you should accept it with both hands.  Take time to study the card.  This will not only help you to remember facts about the person, but it also shows interest and esteem. 

 

Often, you’ll want to take notes about a person (send a brochure, interested in a certain product etc.) but you should never write on the business card.  The Japanese see this as the equivalent of writing on a person’s face!  Instead of committing such a gaffe, jot down reminders on a separate note pad. 

 

After a meeting, store your collected business cards in a carrying case; rubber bands and paper clips will damage the cards and show disrespect.  After you have stowed a business card in an appropriate case or holder, place it in a pocket on your upper body, not in your back pocket!  Think of the impolite message you would be sending by sitting on a person’s business card!  Most importantly, do not lose your contact’s business card!  This would be a major insult, and possibly the end of a professional relationship.

 

By following these guidelines, you will be confident in your knowledge of professional protocol and at ease when meeting new contacts from all over the world.

 

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