Business card design should be taken seriously because it is a direct reflection of the company.
If a business card is unprofessional then one might get the impression that the company is unprofessional as well.
What Should Be Included on a Business Card?
There are often questions on what types of contact information should be included. No one wants to have a card that doesn’t include enough information, but few rarely think about including too much information.
The best method is to include contact information that is relevant to the business. A home based business may not need to include an address unless there is a specific reason for it. Likewise, if a business never uses faxes then there is no reason to include that information.
Social media profiles are starting to show up on business cards as well. If that is relevant to the business (i.e., a social media consultant), then that may be necessary. However if it’s not relevant then there is no reason to clutter up the card promoting a service that is not tied to the business. There is only so much space on a business card so it should be reserved for the most important information.
The basic information that should be included is a name, business name, a succinct description of the services, and a phone number. Additionally an email address and website should be included. But that does not mean that every website a company or individual has should be on one business card, instead consider listing one main website and linking to the other sites from it.
Business Card Email Addresses
Any email addresses or websites included on a business card should use the company’s domain. Not only is it more professional to use a company-sponsored domain as the email address, but also it’s just plain smart. There is no reason to promote AOL.com or Hotmail.com when the company’s domain can be promoted. The same holds true for a website. The company’s website should be on it’s own domain, not a subdomain of another site like blogspot.com.
Have White Space on the Business Card
Clutter does not add to a business card, it takes away from it. In order to have a professional business card there should be some white space. It’s better for the eyes and it is a basic design principle. A business card is not a brochure so one must be very selective with the information that is chosen to be included.
Use the Front and Back of the Card
Sometimes a basic business card doesn’t include enough information on what the company’s purpose is. The business name may be ambiguous or the tag line could be obscure. This is where using the front and back of the card comes in. By making use of this space a solo professional can highlight their talents and specialties without cluttering up the front of the card. Additionally, business owners can use the back as a marketing tool by including a coupon that does not expire or other information that would make the recipient want to hang onto it.
Use a Professional Business Card Printer
It is easy for a small business owner to be tempted to print their own business cards because the materials are readily available. Most offices have business card software and a color printer, so all that’s missing is the business card paper, which is often very inexpensive.
However though it may be inexpensive financially, not using a professional printer can cost in terms of business credibility. No matter what claims are made on the printing paper, homemade business cards have a different feel to them. There are often perforations and the paper isn’t as sturdy. This can taint someone’s opinion of a business. Professionally printed business cards are relatively inexpensive so while a business owner may be able to design their own business card, they should always send it to a professional printer.
Business cards are a small thing but they can be very powerful. Following these business card tips will put anyone on the right path to making the most of their business card.
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