Why Are Business Cards Important
Business cards are one of the most popular methods for increasing brand awareness and they're a cheap, effective way to market your business or the model professional. But not every card has this effect - especially as bad design or text that is boring in nature can be worse than no card at all. This is why it's so important that you put time into designing an eye-catching product: if people aren't interested from their first glance then it’s more than likely it’ll be chucked in the trash.
The bottom line? Make sure each card explains why you are special, why your business is the only option in that market. Follow our simple steps in ensuring how to make your business cards jump out of the pack.
Material design
When handed a business card, it’s not actually the words or design that first speaks to the potential customer or client. It’s the way it feels. The vast majority of business cards are printed on the same cheap paper, making them instantly forgotten. But this isn’t the only way.
Business cards are far more likely to be kept in the wallet pouch if made a little different. Making your cards out of cotton can really give the wow factor and signal the professionalism and care your company gives before any further information is known.
(Purpose Printery’s recycled business cards go the extra mile for your business and the planet.)
They can also transmit the ethos of your business. For instance, Purpose Printery’s cotton business cards are made from 100% recycled t-shirts. What better way to signal the eco-friendly nature of your business than when even your recycled business cards are saving the planet?
For that extra classy look, you can also choose the matte option, which is a popular way to tell customers you put a little extra effort into design. Purpose Printery can also add a transparent UV spot which is the best way for focal points, like logo or title really stand out.
For other options on finding the best business card material for your business, you can see the whole range of what Purpose Printery offers here.
Simple Sophistication
Now that you’ve chosen the best material for your business card, the next step is to make sure the design matches the quality of the material. The best advice is to keep it simple. Fancy fonts can look good on the computer screen, but on a 3” card customers are only going to squint. That doesn’t mean you have to go dull, (we know Times New Roman and Arial aren’t cool). How to make your business card stand out? We suggest Roboto and Spartan as options to keep things simple but modern and fresh.
The perfect font can mean nothing if it is impossible to read. A font that’s too small will just leave people scratching their heads. Likewise, the ‘minimal’ look of grey text on a white background won’t be such a good idea once confused customers chuck the card right in the trash. Use high contrast colors as readability is key.
Having your company logo at the forefront of your business card can be the best design tactic. People are more likely to remember logos than a bunch of text, no matter how witty it is. Customers won’t forget a great logo and as you hand out business cards, brand recognition will only go up.
We all make mistakes, and leaving out something like your Instagram handle, or business address from your business card is so frustrating, especially when you’ve just clicked ‘confirm print’ on a big batch of cards. Two wrongs don’t make a right and the last thing you should do is edit these cards with a biro. It reeks of poor business management and cutting corners.
The back of the card should be kept as a purely visual aid for customers. If you have a surfing business, an awesome shot of a pro riding a wave can have more impact than yet more text. If an artistic shot isn’t your thing, you can never go wrong with the company logo taking up the back of the card.
Ramble Gone
The perfect material, check. The ultimate design, done. Now, all we need to create the perfect business card is the right text. It’s a common mishap to try and shove as much info on as possible. After all, what’s the harm in having a witty motto, all the services you offer, and a cheesy pun? Unfortunately, this can make the card look messy and a bit bewildering. Above all, all the important bits will get lost in the clutter. We think there are only a few things every business card should list: Company name, Website, Phone number, Email address, and your job title if it is a personal card.
You can add social media accounts, and even a QR Code, but we suggest adding these only if it doesn’t ruin the design. If it’s a place customers can visit in person, like a store, a physical address is also really handy.
A Royal Flush
And there we have it. Pretty simple, right? By following these three simple steps anyone can have the perfect business card, whether you’re a professional wanting to stand out from the crowd, or a business that wants to show off to new customers. Choose a quality and exclusive material, keep the design consistent and clean, and selecting only essential text will ensure success when handing out your new business card.
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