How 2 Create a Fantastic Business Card

A business card represents the next step in making your small business a reality.

For many potential customers, it’s also the first contact they’ll have with your brand—so, make sure it’s a positive one. A thoughtfully designed business card does more than just carry your contact information.

It will make you look professional, build trust for customers and set your small business apart from others. But before you start giving out business cards to everyone you meet, stop and ask yourself: What makes a good business card? How can you make it stand out, and ultimately bring in more business? The answer: By carefully considering the information you include, and how you present it.

Here, we’ve put together 5 essential tips on how to design a business card that best represents you and your business!

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Here’s how to design a business card: Find a template that reflects your brand’s personality. Find the right typeface. Settle on size and shape. Organise your information. Think dual-purpose. Maximise your logo. Leave some white space. Add something special. Include a call to action. Proofread.

In today’s digital age of networking and communication, you might think the paper business card is a lingering relic of an ancient era. While it’s true that we don’t use them functionally the same way we used to, they still serve as ambassadors for you and your business, and they’re an extension of your professional identity. We spoke to Dave Weinberger, vice president and engagement director at brand agency CBX in New York City, to learn why business cards are still important and get some tips on how to go about designing a business card that is effective and memorable.

1. Simplicity is key — avoid the tricks and gimmicks.

“You want a business card to be pretty easy to use. Like most designs, simple is better — don’t over-design things,” says Weinberger. Keep your card clean and uncluttered by being thoughtful about what information you include, as well as how you include it. “You don’t need to do tricky things with your phone number and address, because that’s obnoxious and people need to access that information,” he says. The same applies to font colour; he recommends sticking with simple colours like black or dark/medium grey.

2. Treat your business card as a marketing tool, and use it in a deliberate, purposeful way.

Sure, we all know that the direct purpose of business cards is contact information, like your name, job title, and email address. But nowadays, when it’s super simple and fast to connect with someone on LinkedIn, “the information almost becomes the least important part of a business card,” says Weinberger. “It’s kind of an antiquated aspect.” So instead, you should treat your business card like a marketing tool and first figure out: What’s the purpose of using this, and how can I achieve these goals?

3. Use the back of the card as extra advertising space.

In order to maximize your business card to its fullest potential, try using the back for supplemental branding or messaging. Weinberger says he’s seen companies put photos, brand statements, and logos on the back, which can help make your card more memorable. “If you have a card that you want to use as part of your first impression, it certainly costs more to print 2-sided, but it could be worth the effort,” he says.

4. Enlist professional help.

This seems like an obvious tip, but don’t overlook the importance of using professional designers, printers, and photography. Because a business card is part of your first impression, you don’t want to present something that’s confusing, poorly designed, or unprofessional. The card should reflect well on your business and also quickly convey who you are and what you value. Graphic designers can easily create creative cards that are innovative yet professional, and printers can provide the proper paper stock and ink that are well worth the money. If you’re looking for beautifully designed, ready-to-customize business cards, you can also check our Business Card Templates lightbox.

5. Avoid putting temporary messaging on the card.

Putting ad slogans, campaign taglines, and coupons on your business card might seem like a good idea because it’s additional brand messaging, but Weinberger cautions against it. “We generally say: You don’t want things that aren’t evergreen on your business card. You want it to be a permanent statement because someone’s going to keep it for a long time,” he says. Stick to evergreen items like basic contact information and logos.