8 Tips for Creating an Effective Business Card

Business cards are a business staple.

These affordable and portable cards allow you to share information with prospective clients and business owners to make a good impression and expand your customer base. According to Statistic Brain Research Institute, 72% of people judge a company based on the quality of its business card. Make your business card a great one with the help of these eight tips. 

1. Make your business card legible

It can be easy to get so caught up in the design you forget the most critical part: legibility. 

If a business card can’t be read, it is useless. This means staying far away from color combinations that may be hard to read. For example, white on yellow is usually a big no-no. 

Furthermore, avoid fancy or funky fonts. They may look cool, but it’s not worth frustrating your clients. Opt for standard-sized fonts and account for those with failing eyesight. 

If you feel the need to reduce your font to fit everything in, you’re trying to include too much information. 

2. Less is more on your business card

You may be tempted to include as much information as possible on your cards, but don’t.

Only include the essential information to avoid information overload, leaving room for the essentials. 

• Name
• Company name
• Position
• Telephone number
• Email address
• Social media

By including only the most important information, you’ll be able to have adequate white space. 

3. Leave room for business card blank space

White, blank space allows the recipient to jot down notes on the card.

Don’t risk angering prospective clients by not providing them with adequate blank space to do so. It’ll also enable you to write down specific information for clients, making the experience more tailored. 

Plenty of blank space also has a design element to it. The white space causes the information already on the card to stand out. 

Because of the utilization of blank space, it is discouraged to go for the black, glossy cards because standard black and blue ink won’t show up very well on black and a glossy finish is hard to write on. 

Avoiding black, glossy cards isn’t the only guideline to follow. 

4. Logistical guidelines for business cards

Business cards are diverse, but a few guidelines hold for all. 

For the best print resolution, aim for around 300 dots per inch (dpi). This ensures your business card comes out clear and easy to read. 

Keep the text at least 5 mm from the edge. Even the most professional printers aren’t going to reach the very edge of the card. This is why it’s important to have a bleed area. This way, nothing gets accidentally cut off. If you really want a design to extend to the outer edges of the card, opt for designs that naturally extend beyond the card. Then you can cut the white space off. 

Avoid using a straight border around the entire card. Straight borders show misalignment if the card isn’t perfectly cut. 

Standard sizes are standard for a reason. You may be tempted to change the size of your business card in order to stand out. However, if it doesn’t easily fit into a pocket, wallet, and organizer, then you’re probably doing yourself more harm than good. 

The card has two sides. Most people prefer to have the design on one side and information on the other. 

With two sides and lots of information, it can be easy to accidentally miss something. 

5. Proofread. Proofread. Proofread. 

Proofread extensively before having your business cards printed. 

Our brains are excellent at automatically correcting words on the fly. Perhaps you remember the internet phenomenon where words were purposely misspelled: the first and last letters were kept the same, but the middle letters were jumbled. 

For example: It deosn’t mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoetnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be at the rghit pclae. The rset can be a toatl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit a porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe.

Initially mistakenly attributed to research at Cambridge University, the study was eventually traced back to Dr. Graham Ralinson. This phenomenon shows the power of the human brain at automatically fixing mistakes and why it can be so hard to catch simple typos. 

In order to avoid this, let your business card design sit for a couple of days before coming back to it. Ask others to look it over. The more eyes, the better. 

You don’t want your mistake to be what the recipients of your business card remember. However, you do want them to remember your business card. 

6. Get creative with your business card 

Including a second use for your business card can make it memorable. 

For example, making a business card that can turn into a phone holder, acts as a seed packet, can open bottles, or can turn into an origami figure will ensure customers will be more likely to keep your card and remember you. 

It may also make the recipient more likely to follow your call to action.

7. Include a call to action on your business card

If space allows, consider including a call to action on your business card. 

This could be in the form of a discount, direction to a website, or tips. Including a call to action can make your business card a more effective marketing tool. It provides something tangible for the recipient to do. 

8. Hire a professional printer 

Your business card reflects your business. Make it a positive reflection by hiring a professional printer. 

We’re here to offer you advice, designs, and quality business cards to join the 10 billion business cards printed in the U.S. every year.