How to Design a Business Card – 9 Tips for a Professional Look

These days, business cards are more than just business cards. They’re brand ambassadors! On the surface business cards offer an easy way for customers to take your business card with them to place orders, make appointments, etc. But business cards can be much more than that if you want them to be!

Here are 9 Tips for a Professional Look:

1. Use high-quality paper for business cards

If your business card is flimsy or cheap-looking, it will create a negative impression of the quality of your business and products/services. Business cards are seen up close by potential customers; they should look like something you’d be proud to have in your hand.

2. Use one dominant image on all sides of business cards

This echoes the “stick with what works” principle mentioned earlier — but it’s worth mentioning again here because business cards are so small images really need to work hard! Don’t include several disparate images on business cards, as they’ll compete with each other — and will give your business a scattered look.

3. Use a large area for the business card’s main image

The business card should have an image that fills up most of its front side. The business logo or company name is the next largest visual element on business cards, followed by contact information (which can be small in comparison to the image).

4. Put text on the back side of business cards in one location only

If you put text on both sides of business cards (or worse, all three sides), your customers will flip the card over again and again trying to find where you’ve hidden key pieces of information about services/products offered. Not good! Keep text on business cards limited to one side (the back, if you’re putting text on the front and the back) and make sure business card users can easily find what they need.

5. Use business card images that carry meaning

If appropriate for your business, include an image within business cards that carries special significance to your business or products/services provided. For example, restaurants could place pictures of signature dishes, retailers could place product photos on business cards; fashion designers could design business cards with clothing patterns; real estate agents might use aerial shots of houses for sale; consultants might create business cards with abstract concepts like circles or triangles, etc. The possibilities are endless!

6. Create different versions of business card designs

Customers often ask business owners, “What business cards do you have?” This is usually because business cards look the same each time they’re handed out! Create business card designs that are different from your previous business card offerings. Even business cards for the same client should be designed differently if possible; otherwise they could seem like a re-run rather than a new business venture.

7. Use business card design templates

You don’t have to create business cards from scratch. There are many useful business card templates available online that can help you quickly and easily whip up a good-looking business card in just minutes! Templates allow you to save money by avoiding expensive custom design work, while providing professional-looking results.

8. Optimize business cards for use with QR code technology

QR codes (or Quick Response Codes) are two-dimensional barcodes that can be read by smartphones and other mobile devices. Businesses can use QR codes to link business cards to their business website, company Facebook page, company Yelp business page, etc. Make sure the business card design you choose serves as a good surface for a QR code scan; otherwise your potential business customers could miss out on your valuable business information!

9. Be careful with basic black and white business cards

Generally speaking, its best not to bother with plain old all-black or all-white business cards — unless simplicity really speaks to your brand and/or products/services provided. One exception: basic or white business cards can work well for business services that don’t require imagery (e.g., business cards for attorneys).

10. Keep business card printing costs in mind?

Before finalizing business cards designs, determine whether you’ll be using online business card printing services or whether you’ll go through a local printer/printing service to get business cards printed. Online business card printing is often far less expensive than working with local printers, but it can take longer to get your business cards printed and delivered to your doorsteps!

Conclusion:

Those were the 10 Do’s and Don’ts of Business Cards Design based on our experience. And we’re not done yet – there are still 7 more tips that will give your business cards an edge over others! Discover them all in our next article!