During a trip to New York City this weekend, I learned that Jaime could not be more right about the value of the traditional promotional business card magnet. I was in the Big Apple visiting my college roommate, Amanda, and on my first night in town we ran into a group of girls that we were friends with in school but with whom we had since lost touch completely. Now, Manhattan holds the title of the largest city in the United States (based on population) and if I had to guess, I’d say the city is home to the most bars and restaurants too. With such an assortment of options, what are the odds of randomly encountering old friends at a restaurant? The chances are a lot smaller than one would think, when taking the company’s effective use of promotional products into account.
Consider this scenario: Amanda was excited for my visit and, since our love of food has always been something over which we bond, she was looking for a fun, new restaurant to try. She narrowed down the various locales (she picked the slightly edgy Meatpacking District), but still seemed overwhelmed by the number of choices. After reading restaurant reviews online and coming up empty-handed, she needed a break and walked into the kitchen for a refreshing glass of water. And it was there, on the freezer, that she discovered the answer. Amanda’s roommate had enjoyed the fine fare of a French restaurant in Meatpacking District the previous month and had subsequently brought home the restaurant’s promotional business card magnet. As a personal recommendation from another foodie speaks highly about a restaurant, we decided to try to the French café.
The cuisine was delightful and so was the atmosphere, especially because we spotted our 
former friends as soon we walked into the quaint little restaurant. After the hugging and giggling subsided, I asked them how they picked the place. Their reply: “a business card magnet, of course!”