Keigo – Handing out and receiving business cards

Receiving and handing out business-cards are important.

  • Bow lightly and receive the business card from superiors with both hands.
    Make sure that your fingers never hide the actual text of the card
  • Keigo_Meishi

  • On receiving it, make sure that you can read the card properly.Should you have problems in reading, you must ask, saying
    “Osorei irimasu ga, nan to o-yomi shitara yoroshi-I no de shoo ka
    (恐れ入りますが、何とお読みしたらよろしいのでしょうか。
    Could you kindly read it to me?.”
  • Never lower the card below your waist line and do not put it away immediately.
  • Keep it on the desk so that you can refer to the card anytime when needed.
  • When you receive several business cards,
    make sure that you place the card of the most senior person on top of the other cards.

Handing out your card

  • Keep your business cards in a proper card-holder.
    Do not put them in a wallet together with your rail pass or with your credit card.
  • A business-card-holder should be kept in the breast pocket inside your suit.
    Never produce the holder from the back pocket of your trousers.Make sure that you can produce your card easily.</li>
  • Visitors to a company should produce their business-cards first.
  • Never hand over your business card over the table/desk.You should stand up and move near the superior and hand it to him.Take out the card from the holder and make sure that it faces the superior.Keigo_meishi2
    Hold your card with both your hands if possible and hand it over to him after bowing lightly.On releasing the card, say the name of your company plus your name eg “Barclays no Smith desu.
  • If your superior(s) produce(s) their cards first, hold your card with your left hand, and receive his card.
    After you receive it, produce yours.
  • When a superior hands over his card at the same time as yours, you raise your left hand high
    and receive the card with your left hand, and give yours with your right hand.

What is Keigo?
How Keigo was born
Keigo – Non Linguistic elements.
Keigo – Linguistic elements.