Oh yes, you have truly moved up the business-card value chain; instead of using plain black type on white background, you now have colour ones. Or perhaps you've gone for the deluxe look with the relief type that bumps against your fingers.
You know, of course, that none of this makes any difference at all. The miniscule percentage of card recipients who actually need your number will write it down, then do what everyone else does - throw it out immediately, or place it carefully in a drawer to be thrown out in the year 2003. There is no way to make people cherish your card among all the rest, no genuine way to distinguish yours from the herd. Until now. Your new CD-ROM business card is the same size and shape as a normal one, and, sure enough, it has your name and numbers on the front. But even though it is the wrong shape, this card can be placed into the CD-ROM drive of any computer, and will automatically make a presentation all about you. It can store up to 30 Mb of information - enough for a small video, lots of photos, your very own theme song, and a link to your web page.
The CD-ROM business card is available from Marc Wilson, tel: (0404) 40925, price negotiable depending on volume.
smaccarthaigh@irish-times.ie
