Designing The Stand-out Business Card

Designing the stand-out business card is as much a marketing activity as advertising or calling on customers. The business card is often the first introduction someone has to a company and it needs to make a good first impression. Think about the times someone handed you a cheap looking card with uneven cuts and blurred graphics. The first reaction is the company is “sloppy” about its work.

That is the power of a simple business card. That means effective design of the card is critical if you want the business card to send the right message. It seems like a lot to ask of such a small card, but handing someone a business card has become standard and accepted practice. You don’t want to undo the impact of the other marketing materials by using a business card that is poorly designed.

Making a Statement with the Business Card

Business cards don’t have to be boring. In fact, through design they should be interesting mini-advertisements for you company. That doesn’t mean you want to condense a billboard on a card. What it means is the features on the card should be carefully chosen to maintain the company image while creating a positive and energetic statement.

The statement you want to make is basically one of difference. You want to show you are different from your competitors. You want to show your company stands out in the crowd. What could be more representative and symbolic than a business card which stands out in a pile of competitor’s cards?

There are many ways to make your business card distinctive.

* Maintain a professional image
* Portray a high quality image
* Include the well designed logo
* Use colours that maintain the company theme
* Use an unusual layout
* Use colour as a highlighting feature
* Add a memorable few-word message on the back of the card
* Use flat or raised ink

In addition, make sure the card has all necessary useful information. It’s amazing how many business cards don’t have the fax number or are missing email information.

Identity on a Card

The business card serves many purposes. It is a primary means used to share contact information. It is a lasting reminder you can give customers after a meeting. It creates “feelings” about your business through design, layout and colour choice.

One of the things you want to avoid is overloading the business card with too many colours, words and pictures. There should be some white space on the card. Cards that have wild colours and are difficult to read will not be referenced by the recipient.

All of your branding materials should be consistent and professional. This includes anything which contains the company logo and colours. The logo on the business card, along with your name and contact information, is often the first branding material the customer sees. Handing your business card to someone is just the first step in customer relations and marketing.

By: Sean Michael Downs

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