A business card is the first impression anyone will get of your work. It will invite them to visit your company and contact you further down line. This simple tool will make a memorable and meaningful imprint of your brand, which is why you need to choose your texture, design and text wisely.
If you fall short in any of these areas, you could miss job opportunities and chances to make vital connections with industry professionals.
So, to make sure your card doesn’t wind up in the bin, keep reading: here’s how to create the perfect business card.
1. Understand the Purpose of Your Card
Depending on your job, you’ll have a different purpose for your business card. For example, if you’re a freelancer, you will use your card to secure new jobs; if you work for a startup company, on the other hand, you will likely use it to drive customers to your business. In other words, it’s important that you figure out how you want your card to be used before you begin thinking about its design or what information to include.
2. Consider Your Audience
Before you create your card, you should think about who you are creating it for; this will help you determine what information you should include. If you’re a lawyer, for example, your card will need to be simple in design and will require direct contact information for your clients to get in touch with you.
3. Include the Right Information
It’s pretty obvious that your card should have your name in a big, bold font so your contacts can put a face to a name, but what other information needs to be crammed onto a pocket-sized card?
Your business’s name is an obvious choice – if you’re a freelancer, though, you can skip this step as you won’t necessarily have a physical business. Your job title should be listed underneath this – and not next to it.
You should also include your email address, your physical address (if you have a brick-and-mortar location) and your telephone number. You might also want to consider details about exactly it is that you do – this can be a great way to make people remember who you are.
4. Keep Your Branding Consistent
If you have a business logo, keep your branding consistent and make sure you add your logo to your business cards, too. If you don’t have one, though, consider incorporating an example of your work on the card. For example, some photographers use their best shot on the back of their card.
Also, why not add a tagline? It will help anyone holding your card to identify your brand and recognise who you are. For example, if you’re a beauty therapist, your tagline could be something along the lines of: ‘Enhancing your natural beauty’.
5. Connect with an Online Community
Most support can be found online, which is why you should consider adding a business website to your card – this can help people learn more about your company. But rather than simply adding a link to your homepage, why not create an informative page that welcomes your new clients? You could even create a video that explains all aspects of your business.
And don’t forget about your social accounts – you don’t have to include all of them on your business card, but it’s good to link at least the one you use the most. Let’s say you’re a makeup artist: you could link your Instagram account which is essentially a portfolio of your work.
6. Consider Using a QR Code
A QR code is a nice add-on (if you have the space for it). People can easily scan it, and your contact details will automatically save on their device. That way, if they happen to toss your card in the bin (which, let’s face it, happens 9 times out of 10), your information will already be stored on their phone.
7. Create a Unique Design
Whether you hire a graphic designer to create your business card or you do it yourself, it’s important to think carefully about your card’s style, shape and layout. The standard rectangular shape is the norm for professional business cards but, in recent years, creative entrepreneurs have moved away from this and created an entirely different shape. For example, if you’re a dog walker, your business card could take the style and shape of a dog bone.
Once you know how the layout will look, the next step is to choose the correct font size and style. You’ll want to choose a font that best represents your personality; make sure it’s sized at 8pts or above to ensure its readability. After all, you don’t want your new contacts squinting to find your number.
The colour you select is just as important – many businesses opt for a plain white background so that the text is easy to read and prominent. But if you have specific branding colours, do keep the theme running through to your business cards.
8. Pay Attention to the Finishing Touches
Depending on your budget, you can spruce your cards up with laser cutting or embossed finishing that will draw attention to the letters you’ve enhanced. It’s important to consider different cut and finishes before your cards go to print.
A glossy finish is more prominent but it’s also impossible to write on. So, if you attend many networking events, it’s probably best to go for a matte finish so people can easily jot down a few notes on your card.
As with finishing, there are many options of paper weight you can opt for. In order to keep within a smaller budget and create an easy-to-use card, it’s probably wise to go for a medium quality – something that doesn’t look flimsy but that can also fit into a business card holder or wallet.
And although the standard business card size is 3.5 x 2 inches, it isn’t essential. It’s vital that you think about how your card will be used. As mentioned above, you’ll need something that will easily fit into a wallet or purse.
9. Decide on Your Printing
Unless you’re a computer whizz with excellent cutting skills, it’s probably best that you leave the printing to the professionals. You can either pay for an overall package with design and print or make your template yourself and send it to your local printers. Make sure you review their portfolio of previous work before you commit to placing an order for hundreds of business cards, though!
10. Start Networking and Sharing
Once you have your business card in hand, it’ll be time to put it to good use and start sharing it with like-minded professionals. Go out and test the waters at an upcoming networking event to see what reaction you get!
Creating a business card shouldn’t break the bank or be overly difficult. It just needs to be well designed and show what your brand is all about.
Do you have any other tips for creating the perfect business card? If so, join the conversation below and let us know!