Tips For Making Business Cards
Even in the Internet age with smart phones and tablet computers, business cards are still important when interacting with potential customers and other businesses. You might be surprised how many individuals still reference business cards when making decisions about who to hire for a job or calling around for price quotes. Given the limited space available on a 2" x 3.5" piece of paper, a clean design with concise information is incredibly important to be both descriptive and memorable. The following are some tips to keep in mind for making business cards which stand out from the crowd.
A Clean Design
Business cards by their very nature have a limited amount of space to convey a lot of information. Keeping the font simple and the layout consistent with industry design standards is crucial when trying to make a good impression. It's best to avoid garish colors or other tacky flourishes such as oddly shaped cards which have protrusions out the side or are three-dimensional. If it can't fit inside a wallet or billfold then it shouldn't be selected as a design option.
Most business cards have the option of either gloss or matte ink being used and in reality either one is appropriate. If you have a corporate logo it's important to include this in the design to increase brand awareness and memorability for future reference. If you're in a sales type business such as a realtor, lawyer or broker it can be beneficial to include your picture next to your contact information to create a personal connection after-the-fact. Try to avoid putting too much information in a small space like using bullet point lists or anything over a single sentence of descriptive text.
Your Information
Information is broken down into two main categories which are personal and business. Personal information consists of name, title and direct contact information like a phone number, fax number and e-mail address. Business information is related to a corporate address, primary office number and a corporate e-mail address for general inquiries. Most business cards have both types of information as it provides more opportunities to contact you especially if your personal information may have changed due to promotion or relocation within the organization.
If it is a small business of which you are the sole proprietor or a partner, you might want to include the company slogan and a single sentence describing the organization or your role there within. Larger organizations tend to have layers upon layers of bureaucracy and ever inflated titles which makes them less relevant to anyone other than a corporate equal. Small businesses benefit greatly from a catchy slogan, especially ones which describe what the business does, and a relevant title for individual.
Summary
A business card is an important tool which not only establishes a personal connection with the individual receiving your offering but also provides information after the fact. Even when the information is entered into a smartphone or computer contact list, a business card will refresh a potential clients or business partners memory putting name to face. As such, think about the types of business cards you've received over the years and what did and did not impress you about their design and information. Try tailoring your business card to be representative of you as a person and a worker in the bigger picture of the corporate world.
