La tarjeta de visita reinventada: sostenible, de código abierto (y por menos de 5 euros)

Y, por supuesto, en los eventos profesionales, a menudo nos piden la tarjeta de visita. Pero seamos sinceros: todo buen networker sabe que dar tu tarjeta es sobre todo un gesto para limpiar tu conciencia, porque a menudo acaban olvidadas.​​

Conclusión: no tener tarjetas de visita tampoco era una solución.​

Fue entonces cuando decidimos que necesitábamos encontrar una alternativa, algo más duradero, más inteligente, que dejara una impresión duradera en la persona con la que hablábamos y, sobre todo, que reflejara nuestros valores. Una tarjeta de visita que no fuera un simple trozo de papel para repartir sin pensárselo dos veces, sino una herramienta moderna, evolutiva y memorable.​.

Así surgió la idea de las tarjetas de visita de madera con código QR. Se acabó el riesgo de que la información se quede obsoleta: el código QR enlaza directamente con una hoja de contactos en línea fácil de actualizar. No hay necesidad de imprimir cientos de ellas, porque no las das, las enseñas. Esta solución era mucho más coherente con nuestro compromiso con la tecnología digital responsable y el código abierto. digital responsable y de código abierto.

El concepto estaba claro, pero ahora había que llevarlo a la práctica. ¿Cómo combinar un diseño elegante, materiales sostenibles y tecnología accesible? Obviamente, no éramos los primeros en pensar en esto... pero las soluciones en línea existentes no nos convencían: a menudo eran propietarias, con suscripciones necesarias para modificar el formulario de contacto.​​

1. Muestras la tarjeta: en un acto o reunión, presentas tu tarjeta de visita de madera a la persona con la que hablas​
2. Tu interlocutor escanea el código QR: Utiliza la cámara de su teléfono para escanear el   QR Code en la tarjeta. 
3. Acceso instantáneo a tus datos de contacto: Al escanear el código QR, tu contacto abre tus datos de contacto directamente en su aplicación de gestión de contactos en su teléfono, con toda tu información actualizada. Tu nombre, tu empresa, tu número, tu correo electrónico... todo está ahí, listo para ser guardado.
4. Fácil de actualizar: Si alguna vez cambian sus datos, no necesita reimprimir nada. Actualice su ficha de contacto en línea y el código QR se mantendrá exactamente igual. Puede limitar la información en su tarjeta a lo estrictamente necesario (nombre, apellido, logo). Nosotros hemos elegido incluir nuestros datos de contacto porque frecuentamos lugares sin acceso a Internet, por lo que en el peor de los casos, nuestro contacto puede tomar una foto de nuestra tarjeta. ​​

It's easy, fast and efficient! No need for outdated physical cards, everything is always up to date and easily accessible.

The rest of our adventure explains how we met this challenge for less than 5€ in open source.

We simply designed our business cards with Canva. The free version is all you need. The tool is super-easy to use and perfect for minimalist design. In fact, for engraving, the file to send to the printer is very simple: no colors, just 2-3 gray variations for engraving depth, and play with fonts and their sizes.

We've chosen to put our logo on the front (in black and white) to leave enough space for the QR code on the back. This is important so that the QR code can be easily scanned (if it's too small, it won't work!).

Here's an example of a template to give you an idea of the desired result (for the QR code, I'll explain everything a little further):

The graphics were done! All that remained was to add the contact form and the QR code.

To make the card universally compatible, we've chosen a .vcf (vCard) format. This type of file is a simple text file that can be edited with Kwrite (Linux), Notepad (PC), or BBEdit (Mac) to store all the necessary information - name, number, email, company, and even a profile photo. It's a standardized format (readable by all phones and even computer contact management applications) whose specifications are available on Wikipedia, making it easy to create.

Add your photo

Adding a photo, however, required a bit more effort. It had to be converted to base64, a format that encodes images so that they can be included directly in the .vcf file (like email, but you don't even know it's there - it's automatic!). It may seem intimidating at first, but once you get the hang of it, it's almost mechanical. Use an online site like Base64-Image to convert your image to a long text file, which you then simply copy into your .vcf file.

To check that your file is working, simply open it on your phone (you can send it to yourself as an email attachment, airdrop it on your Mac, ...etc.) or on your computer (if you have a contact book software). If all your information is there and in the right fields, you're ready to go!

Once our .vcf file was ready, we decided to just host it in our drive on our server. But if you don't have your own server, any drive that generates a public share link will do (e.g. Google Drive, although we're not fans of that one!). This solution is accessible, reliable, and easy to manage in case of a file update.

To generate the QR code, we used a free online service with unlimited scans, such as QR Code Generator. This was crucial: a QR code that was limited in time or scans would have quickly made our cards obsolete, which would have been contrary to our goal.

Enter the URL provided by your drive that links directly to your contact form. Generate your QR code, then add it to your previously created business card design. 

To engrave our bamboo business cards, we turned to one of our Mind & Go customers, Cemeleon Impressions print shop in Cabestany, near Perpignan. This fits in perfectly with our approach: not only did we choose a local partner, but we also avoided having to send packages from one end of France to the other.

By working with a local company, we were able to guarantee a high quality of service and reduce the environmental impact of transportation. What's more, it was an opportunity to strengthen our relationship with one of our customers. Not to mention the value for money: only €2 per card!

And voilà, our cards were done! A beautiful combination of design, technical simplicity and practicality.

I had the opportunity to test my business card at the Agora d'Occitanie Coopération and it was not only durable, but it really opened up the conversation. It's a great way to attract attention and create an exchange with our contacts. After all, a business card shouldn't just give information, it should also stimulate interest and the desire to learn more. 

What else to dream for?