I'm declaring October Give Developers a Business Card Month.

As I travel around the world attending events, and supporting developer programs, there is inevitably a draw for a device, t-shirt or some other great swag.  Three out of four developers don't have a business card to put into the draw, so we find some paper to write their name and contact information. When asked why they don't have cards we hear (often embarrassingly given): "they" don't give us any, or "they" don't think we need any.

Business cards or name cards date back over four centuries as a way to identify oneself as a 'somebody' and to exchange contact information and to provide a first impression.   In this century, it is not only a way to introduce a person, but also provides a way to market a company.  It's also a way to make parents proud of kids who are doing well!

So why aren't most developers given cards?  To me it shows  those companies don't believe developers are important.  They are also ignoring an important part of their team that could be promoting their company, not being embarrassed by it.  They must be cheap too (Staples offers 250 full color cards for only $10, truly an inexpensive way to show appreciation to your team, and market your company).

So I hope you will join WIP, who has been advocating for the importance of developers in the mobile ecosystem for seven years - in promoting Give Developers a Business Card month, and encourage companies to show how important our developers are to their team and our ecosystem. Tweet #Cards4Devs, like our Facebook, follow along on our blog, and help spread the word!