Business cards are an effective marketing strategy and should not be underestimated.
Business cards vary greatly in terms of quality and effectiveness, so making sure that your business card reflects the quality of your brand is essential. Follow our dos and don’ts to business card design and we guarantee that your business card will help your business stand out from the rest.
Business card do’s
Do include your contact information. If an associate receives your business card, they should be able to find your name, company, phone number and your email address easily.
Do include your job title. Include your job title on the business card if possible, but focus on one main area. If your business card notes that you specialise in plumbing, car mechanics and web design, it is unlikely to inspire confidence that you’re an expert in any of those fields. If you have many areas of expertise, consider printing separate business cards for each one individually.
Do include a logo. You don’t have much space on a business card, so make sure that your company is instantly recognisable. The quickest way to achieve this will be to include your logo.
Do create your card to fit your brand. Your business card is a strong marketing tool, and should be given as much care and consideration as the rest of your brand. Business cards can be created in a huge range of shapes, colours and sizes, but if your brand is serious and sophisticated, multi-coloured business cards may not be inappropriate. However if you run a design business, your card could be used creatively to demonstrate your talent and originality.
Business card don’ts
Don’t print your business cards yourself. Others will view your home-made business cards as a reflection of your company, so printing your own business cards on low quality card with perforated edges may not convey the right message. Find a reputable printing firm that can print high quality business cards, as it is relatively inexpensive and can make a huge difference.
Don’t use unreadable fonts and colours. This may sound like an obvious point, but it is a surprisingly common mistake. Make sure that the font you use is big enough for others to read clearly and avoid using colours that are difficult to make out, for example, grey text on a white background.
Don’t waste your business card. For smaller businesses, it can be useful to use your business card as an extended form of advertising. Use the back of the card to state what your company does, or what sets it apart from the others.
Don’t re-use business cards when your details change. If any of your details change, make sure you have new business cards printed. Having details crossed out or appended on to your business card will look very unprofessional.
Your brand new business card
So whether you’re planning on designing a whole new business card or just making some tweaks to your current one, bear these tips in mind for a clear, well designed card that will speak volumes about the quality of your business.