Bookmark Collector

I find it interesting that I found two different people blogging about using business cards as bookmarks on the same day.

Dan Schawbel has a marketing blog where he discusses having a “personal brand”. He sees the business card bookmark as another way of making sure that marketing materials are always on hand.

Patrick Rhone has a more personal blog where he looks at productivity. He argues that using a business card as a bookmark is an efficient way of always having a bookmark handy and increases that odds of retrieving a lost book.

I must confess that I’ve used my business card as a bookmark more often than seems reasonable considering my hobby. I hadn’t really thought about it being an advertisement for myself, nor as a substitute for a bookplate. Both of these arguments give the practice a veneer of intent and provide a sense of respectability. That’s quite an improvement over my usual feelings of embarrassment at the “Bookmark Collector” not having a bookmark handy.