A business card isn’t just a piece of paper or a punch line from an old joke. It’s your company’s calling card, and it speaks volumes about how you do business. When you hand out your business card, people will judge you based on its design, professionalism, and readability, so make sure that it represents you well! The following 10 tips will help you ensure that the cards you order are good enough to gain new clients and impress the ones you already have.
1) Don’t forget to check your spelling
This is a great rule to live by, whether you’re printing business cards or not. We have a tendency to think of our spell-checker as infallible, but it isn’t—so don’t let it lull you into a false sense of security. Proofread your card and print another if need be. (And always keep some good ol’ #2 pencils around.) If you want to take things up a notch, ask someone else to proofread your work too. It can be hard to catch all of your own mistakes.
2) Size Matters
Like it or not, people judge you by your business card. If you hand them a crumpled piece of paper that feels like it was torn out of an elementary school notebook, they’re going to think poorly of you. Make sure your cards are printed on professional-looking stock with raised lettering and rounded corners—and make sure they fit in a standard business card holder or wallet. It’s worth spending some extra cash on quality printing; cheap business cards make you look cheap. You can also get creative with unique designs and fonts (like an infographic or photo) but only if you have something interesting to say about your company. That said, keep it simple!
3) Use color effectively
While color can help you stand out from a crowd, it should be used appropriately. When picking a color scheme, stick to two main colors at most and make sure they contrast well so that important information is easily readable. If you are printing only your name and contact information on your business card, black ink on white paper will always look sharp and crisp, even when holding up against other cards with wilder designs.
4) Pick an interesting font
It is one of your first impressions, so make it good. Just because Helvetica was a great choice in 1957 does not mean it’s still relevant today. The same goes for you; don’t use an old-fashioned font if you want to be taken seriously by potential customers. You can also choose from many different styles and colors to add some pizzazz to your business card printing london. Make sure that whatever you pick matches your brand and will stand out on a table full of other cards at an event or trade show.
5) Get the right paper stock
The look and feel of your business card is determined by paper stock. Look at different options to determine which one best represents your brand. For example, if you have a sophisticated aesthetic, consider an elegant paper stock with subtle textures. If you have a fun and funky vibe, choose a bright color with unique patterns or images. Think about how your business card will be used as well—if it’s going to be handed out often, stick with thicker cards that can stand up to wear and tear.
6) Leave room for more information
Leaving room on your business card gives you a blank canvas to showcase other important information, such as your Twitter handle, phone number or website. Don’t be afraid to leave extra space—it could come in handy someday. This makes it easier when you want to display more info about yourself without having to go back and re-order new cards. Plus, who doesn’t love a nicely designed card? It’s a small thing that can make a big difference. So get creative! There are no rules here. You don’t have to print just one side of your card with text and stick an image on the back; try something unique instead. Try printing service in london both sides of your card with different images, or even split up some of that space between multiple images.
7) Include your website address
The first thing people will see on your business card is your company name, so make sure it’s spelled correctly and accompanied by a clear, professional address. If you have multiple addresses—for instance, if you’re a national or international business—then include them all, along with a simple way to contact you (i.e., phone number or email). The more ways potential customers can reach you, the better. Make sure your website is also listed prominently on your cards; as we mentioned above, even if they don’t click through immediately, they may save it for later. Finally, think about including social media information in some form—even just Twitter handles are enough to get started.
It doesn’t matter how good of a job you do on designing a new business card. If there’s no call-to-action – then nothing happens next!
8) Include your phone number
There are plenty of examples of people with brilliant ideas that never got off the ground because they didn’t include their phone number on their business card. If someone wants to contact you, it’s a good idea to make it easy. Include your phone number, email address and/or website URL on your business card so that people can reach you easily if they want to learn more about your services or get in touch with you regarding an upcoming project. Don’t worry about looking unprofessional; these days, many successful entrepreneurs have at least one social media account and a personal website as well as their professional site. You don’t need to be shy!
9) Consider full bleed printing
Full bleed printing is exactly what it sounds like: printing that goes all the way to edge of a page. It’s popular on cards because it allows more flexibility when choosing background colors, but there are other ways to get creative with full-bleed prints. Try tucking photos or graphics into half-bleed boxes, frame a photo in negative space around card text, or go minimalist and choose just one color that’s strong enough to carry your design without any additional decoration. No matter how you use it, full-bleed printing will help your business card stand out from others.
