The Importance of Digitizing Business Cards

Business cards are still a vital part of networking, but managing them efficiently can be a challenge. By digitizing them, you not only save space but also ensure that contact information is readily available. Scanning business cards helps preserve these valuable contacts and allows you to integrate them into your digital workflow, enhancing accessibility and organization.

Tools Needed to Scan Business Cards

The primary tool you need is a smartphone with a camera and a scanning app. Many smartphones come with built-in apps that can perform scanning tasks. For a more specialized approach, Evernote offers a feature that allows you to scan documents, including business cards, directly into your account. This functionality turns your device into a powerful scanning tool, ensuring that all information is captured accurately.

Steps to Scan and Save Business Cards

1. Open Evernote: Launch the Evernote app on your smartphone.
2. Select the Camera Option: Tap the camera icon to capture a new image.
3. Position the Card: Place the business card in a well-lit area and ensure it fits within the frame displayed on your screen.
4. Capture the Image: Press the capture button to take a picture of the business card. Evernote automatically recognizes the card and extracts relevant details like name, company, and contact number.
5. Save the Information: Review the details and add any additional notes before saving them into your contact list or designated folder within Evernote.

Tips for Better Quality Scans

• Good Lighting: Always scan in a well-lit environment to ensure clarity.
• Flat Surface: Place cards on a flat surface to prevent distortion.
• Steady Hands: Keep your hands steady to avoid blurring the image.
• Manual Adjustments: After scanning, manually input any details that might not have been captured correctly.

Organizing Scanned Business Cards in Evernote

Once you have scanned your business cards, organizing them ensures that you can quickly locate contact information when needed. Here are some ways to manage your contacts effectively in Evernote:

• Create Notebooks: Categorize contacts by creating specific notebooks such as 'Networking', 'Clients', or 'Suppliers'.
• Tag Contacts: Use tags like 'Client', 'Follow-up', or 'Conference' to further organize and filter contacts.
• Searchable Text: Evernote’s OCR technology makes the text on scanned cards searchable, allowing you to find contacts easily.

Integrating with Your Contact Management System

If you use a contact management system (CMS), you can export contacts from Evernote to your CMS. Evernote supports exporting notes to formats that are compatible with other systems. Maintaining an updated digital contact list means all your important information is synchronized and accessible from multiple platforms, reducing the risk of losing contact information over time.

Leveraging Evernote for scanning and saving business cards provides a robust solution to keeping your contacts organized and accessible, supporting your networking efforts and professional relationships.