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How to make your own Virtual Business Card

I. What are vCards?

Virtual Business cards --vCards -- were developed by the Internet Mail Consortium for personal data interchange.

The vCard is a file format standard for personal data interchange, specifically electronic business cards.

vCards are often attached to e-mail messages, but can be exchanged online as well.

They may contain name and address information, phone numbers, URLs, logos, photographs, and even audio clips.

The vCard standard is built into most email programs such as Outlook and Thunderbird and allows you to send and receive business card like details.

II.Why do it?

Using a vCard with your email falls under the category of being easy to do business with because you're organized and in-the-know.

When you send along your vCard, the recipient has the option to click on the card icon and automatically add your contact information to his or her address book.

In most common email software programs, you'll know if someone sends you a vcard when there's a small business card-like graphic somewhere on the letter.

The red circle below indicates what it looks like in Outlook Express. To add the information to your address book, just click the icon.

III. Want to try it?

To create your own vCard to attach to outgoing e-mail messages, you'll first need to add your own information as a new contact in your address book.

This step is similar across most e-mail software programs. When adding yourself to your own address book, make certain you fill out the data fields completely . Click "OK" or "Save" when you're finished.

Now you need to attach your vCard to your outgoing messages.

Attaching a vCard in Outlook Express When Using Windows XP:

1. Click on "Tools" on your Outlook Express menu bar and select "Options" from the drop-down menu. The Options window will open. Click on the "Compose" tab.
   
2. Under the "Business Cards" section, click on the checkbox next to "Mail." Click on the downward pointing arrow next to the "Mail" field and select your vCard. If you leave "Mail" checked, your vCard will be added to each outgoing e-mail. If not, you can select it from the Insert menu on each of your outgoing e-mail messages before sending them.
   
3. Compose and send your message.

Attaching a vCard in Entourage When Using Macintosh OSX:

1. Click on the Address Book icon on your Entourage button bar and click on the contact card you want to send as a vCard.
   
2. Click on the Entourage Contact menu and drop down to "Forward as vCard." A new e-mail message will be created with the vCard information that you have selected attached to it.
   
3. Compose and send your message.

Attaching a vCard in Mail.app When Using Macintosh OSX:

1. Create a new message by clicking on the "New" button on the Mail.app button bar.
   
2. Click on the "Address" button on the Mail.app button bar. The "Addresses" window will appear. Click on the entry's name in the "Name" column and drag it to the body of the message.
   
3. Compose and send your message.

Attaching a vCard in Mozilla's Thunderbird 1.0 Using Windows XP and Macintosh OS X:

1. Click on the Thunderbird "Tools" menu and drop down to "Account Settings." The "Account Settings" window will open. Click on your account name and look for the checkbox next to "Attach my vCard to messages" and click on it.
   
2. Click on the "Edit Card..." button. Check your contact information and click "OK."
   
3. If you leave the box next to "Attach my vCard to messages" checked, your vCard will attach to each outgoing e-mail for that account. If you uncheck it, you can add it manually as needed.
   
4. Create a new e-mail message by clicking on the "Write" button. If you left the checkbox unchecked in step #3 above, click on the small arrow next to the "Attach" button on the message button bar and select "Personal Card (vCard)" from the drop-down menu.
   
5. Compose and send your message.

Attaching a vCard in Netscape 7 When Using Windows XP and Macintosh OS X:

1. Click on the Netscape Messenger "Edit" menu and drop down to "Mail & Newsgroups Account Settings." The "Mail & Newsgroups Account Settings" window will open.
   
2. Look for the checkbox next to "Attach my vCard to messages" and click on it. Click on the "Edit Card" button. Check your contact information and click "OK."
   
3. If you leave the box next to "Attach my vCard to messages" checked, your vCard will attach to each outgoing e-mail message for that account. If you uncheck it, you can add the vCard manually as needed.
   
4. Create a new e-mail message by clicking on the "Compose" button. If you left the checkbox in step #3 above unchecked, click on the arrow on the "Attach" button of the message button bar and select "Personal Card (vCard)" from the drop-down menu.
   
5. Compose and send your message.

vCards also work with CRM software such as ACT and Goldmine.

Fainting Goat
info@fgoat.com

608-223-9728

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