BUSINESS CARD DESIGN TIPS: HOW TO MAKE YOUR CARD PROFESSIONAL

Business Card Design tips to create that perfect card! From formatting to finishing, the basics to getting started with creating your card!

Your business is booming and things are looking up after so much hard work at getting started. On the go, you’re having small conversations with people about your life and eventually, the topic of business will come up. Chances are, you’ve been asked about your services and for a piece of paper with your name on it so the interested patrons can remember for later. You reach into your briefcase to find a pen, but there isn’t one. You scrounge the coffee shop you’re at for a piece of paper, but can’t seem to find anything besides the receipt you were just given.

You don’t want to be that person who has to write your email address and website on a Starbucks coffee cup.

You want to be the person who has a flawless business card design, who gets comments on the texture, the cardstock, and of course, the marvelous design of the font your company’s name will be in. A business card is not just a piece of paper, it’s your ticket to being remembered in a drawer full of other business cards.

So how can you can make yourself stand out on a business card? The below business card design tips are tailored to make your business and your personal message stand out against the crowd.

THE BASICS

Starting with the basics, you want to make sure that your business card is formatted to include bleed. This means that the printer will have plenty of space to cut your business card without any text or images being cut off. There is nothing worse than your own company name not being included on the whole card. How is that going to look when a potential client types your name into a search engine and you don’t pop up?

Designing your business card in CMYK optimizes your chances of your business card really standing out. This enables the printer to print your business card to its full colour potential with vibrancy and accuracy. Colours will show up how they should regardless of which printer it is printed on, and you are likely to not have any issues with the colour being far from what you imagined it.

THE PRESENTATION – Who are You?

Your company is why you’re creating this business card in the first place, so it should receive special attention. You want the name of your business to be readable, to stand out, but it shouldn’t be so big that it’s the only thing on your card.

Make sure that you’re leaving enough space to write any type of service that you’re wanting to highlight underneath as well as your contact information. No one should have to squint to see an email address, so keep that in mind before you load your business card with so much text that there isn’t room for much else. Keep it simple and classy with the intention that people are going to skim your card for the contact information first.

FINISHING

SPOT UV

This is a clear coat finishing that is placed on top of the business card when all of the printing and any lamination on the card has been completed. It provides a nice shine to your card and in the right light, can really stand out in a pile of cards. This can be applied to the whole card or just certain areas of the card as well (text, images, small spots on your card).

EMBOSSED:

This is a raised finishing that can really emphasize who you are. This is most commonly applied to the text on your card, but can also be used for images as well. Just think, if you’re a contractor, how cool would it be to have your excavator raised on the card to really emphasize the service that you offer?

FOIL STAMPED:

Gold or silver is most common for foil stamped business cards. You can use foil stamp on the lettering of your company to offer a professional impression or even your logo can be foil stamped at the top of your card. Just be careful not to use foil stamping on thin layers of lines or text, as this can easily rub off in pockets, wallets and can be generally hard to see.

FOLDED:

These can be excellent business cards if you’re really wanting to highlight all of your services or, if you run multiple related companies and want your name contacted to both of them. Just be careful not to jam pack too much information in them that it might be better off in a brochure than a business card. A recommended finishing for folded business cards are Spot UV printed on a nice thick cardstock so it can stand up on someone’s desk.

DIE CUT:

The standard business card is printed at 2.5” x 3” in a rectangular shape so it can fit next to a credit card in a wallet. But how cool would it be if it can be printed into a shape or have the edges rounded for a smoother appeal? A mattress company may have their business card shaped like clouds to promote that they sell comfortable beds or a handyman might have this contact information in the shape of a hammer. The options can be endless when it comes to die cutting, just be sure that if you do choose this path that the shape that you’re wanting makes sense in relation to how you want to be represented.

In conclusion, there are many ways to design that perfect business card. You can hire a professional or work from guided templates. Before you print, be sure to download your file to a print ready PDF formatted to the proper size, the bleed amount required by your print shop and crop marks for accurate cutting.

Next time you talk about your business at a coffee shop, you don’t have to look for a pen and paper, you’ll have a brilliantly designed card that represents you instead of your Chai Tea Latte.

YOUR LOCAL NANAIMO, ONE-STOP MARKETING SHOP.

GRAPHIC DESIGN. DIGITAL & OFFSET PRINT. WEB. DIE-CUTTING. SIGNS

Call us 250 591 0175 or Email info@eliteimage.ca

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