Did Realtors have it right all along?

We have four branding projects on our plate right now, which we love. I am the designer on the team and branding has always held a special place in my heart. It’s THE most coveted design project, not only for me, but for many artists. We just love that stuff! The business side of me has been wondering though, about the future of branding. I have been asking myself:

1. What does the social media effect play on your business card?
2. The authenticty people have come to know and expect, i.e. especially your picture, hasn’t been transfered to the business card yet; will it?
3. How many places do people really want to connect with each other?
4. Are phone and e-mail really the most important top ways to reach someone?
5. What are people doing with these business cards once they receive one?

I don’t have the answers just yet, but for one of these projects I proposed adding some social media contacts on the card and they got kicked off. Hum. So much for that.

Then I started thinking about the photo factor. In the online world, if your avatar isn’t yourself, it’s a bit frowned upon. I know I don’t really trust someone new if their avatar isn’t a photo of them. In fact, I had a guy find me on a social networking site, and he seemed like he had a great profile and business, but his image was such a scary, super human photo that I didn’t even respond to him. I was thinking, not a chance!

I had to immediately giggle because I have also thought of the real estate industry and how many Reatlors have always felt the larger the photo the better the business card gets. Are we moving to that? Was this industry just really far ahead of the curve and the rest of us are trying to decide how and if we want to catch up? What kind of reaction do you have to this right now just thinking about your mug shot front and center on your business card? Good feelings? No way? I’m insane?

I think this next year will really unfold a new demand for what’s taking up that precious real estate on our 3.5 X 2 pieces of paper that people pass along in the real world. What’s your prediction?