The Calling Card

In the day of technology, I say bring back the "calling card," -- but then again, I am an advocate for cursive, and bringing back letter writing, and especially love letters. What is a "Calling Card?" 

And no, - - it is not a plastic debit looking card with pre-paid funds to pay for phone services. 


If there is such a thing as "living past lives," I've often thought I must have lived in the Victorian-era. I love the ornate, the old Victorian and formal decor - from delicate tea cups to heavily decorated armoires, it's a look that attracts me. However, the state of dress does not appeal to me. Okay, so the bustle and the hoop skirts might hide the thighs, but wearing the rib cage-cinching corset makes me wince in pain just looking at it. 


During the era of the Victorians, etiquette required that anyone paying a social call provided a calling card. The calling card, or "visitor's card," was exactly like the business card, but without the business. Typically it would be used upon arriving at the home of a friend or an acquaintance. The caller would hand their card to the "servant" answering the door. The card would then be placed on a silver tray and brought to the master or mistress of the house, so the visitor could be received. If they were not home, the card would be left for their reference. Calling cards can be as simple as a monogram, or as elaborate with a border of flowers, - - or nothing other than your name and contact information. 



From Seaborn Press 
From Victorian Trading Company
So, I am not advocating that you need to go through all of the formalities of the butler and the silver tray, but the calling card makes a nice presentation and gives the receiver a nice reminder of who you are. Former internet wine entrepreneur and social media guru Gary Vaynerchuk advocates to eliminate business cards altogether. He claims that when upon meeting someone and wanting their personal info, that you just put all of the person's data into your phone - networking. Well, that works for Vaynerchuk since he gets at least 100,000 cards annually, but not all of us make it our job to be in the networking arena. Most of us just want to be remembered. 

Personalizing a calling card is a way to be remembered. 



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