7 Rules for a Good Business Card Design
Despite digital communication, Business Card Design remain relevant in many face to face settings. You can still exchange cards at conferences in these industries and many other jobs.
You need to make yours memorable, as so many people still have them. Attractive business cards attract the attention of potential prospects who might otherwise have forgotten about them and help you network more effectively.
Here are some tips to ensure your business cards represent your brand and draw potential clients and business partners.
Make sure you include only what is most important
You want to make the business card memorable and entice recipients. You might be tempted to reduce font size and include testimonials or details about your previous jobs, but this will lead to overload of information that is not memorable. Be selective with the information that you include.
- Name
- Job title
- Email address
- Phone number
- Website address
- Three to four social media handles
You might also add a slogan, QR code, or an image to your website.
Use a legible font
While funky fonts are great, recipients should be able to see your business card clearly. You should ensure that the fonts used on your business cards are not too small, too fancy, and/or distorted.
Make your logo the main design element on your business card. Keep your text simple and direct.
White Space is Best
Some recipients use business cards to jot down words or phrases that they remember. This is possible because recipients can make more efficient use of white space.
White space can also be used to draw attention from a design standpoint to spaces that do not include text or logos.
Keep it on Brand
How do you want people see you and what is your business? Designers should ensure that your cards reflect their creative vision. You are a party planner? You can use bright colors. However, if you are a lawyer or financial adviser, you will want your design to be professional and elegant.
Make a call to Action
Even a basic business card can have valuable real estate to advertise a special deal or call to actions. Write a message that gives a discount, directs readers to your website (a QR code is handy here), or offers a useful tip that is relevant to the reader.
Your card will be instantly memorable if you include a call-to-action or other useful information. You can also generate more leads by making your card memorable.
Make use of a professional printer
If you don’t have commercial printing capabilities, DIY business cards can look cheap and second-rate. That is not what you want for your recipients.
While you might be able to save money and make updates more quickly if they are printed yourself, the impact of handing a handmade business card is not as great as one that has been professionally printed.
Select Finishing Options Carefully
There are many options, such as rounded corners or other cut, holes punched through and unusual shapes and sizes. You can also make a card into a mini-brochure, a paper airplane, or a desk box. You can really make your card standout with some of these options.
However, if your brand doesn’t value creativity, your business card may not be remembered. People who frequently use business cards as note-taking tools may find it difficult to accept a black glossy card. Your card may be easier to lose if it is smaller in size or a circular shape.
You should proofread your work several times
Before you submit your order make sure that your copy is free from typos. Next, ask a colleague or friend to go through it. You may be surprised at what they see. There’s nothing worse than getting your cards back from the printer to discover a misspelling–especially if you’ve already handed it out to professional contact.
Frequently Asked Question (FAQs).
Can I make my own business cards
You can certainly design your cards. Adobe Express online tools make it easy to create your own design from a template. Vistaprint and other card printers offer design tools.
However, professional printing often looks better than printing business cards on your own printer. Professional printing is usually affordable so it’s worth the cost.
What should a great business card include?
While less is often better, it’s important to include basic information such as your name, contact details and logo. You may also want to include a short description of your job or job title. You may also want to include a call-to-action and slogan, but not too much.
Additional Resource:
https://graphicriver.net/print-templates/business-cards
https://www.freelogoservices.com/business-card-maker
https://www.shopify.com/tools/business-card-maker
