Professional Business Card Design
Your business card — it's usually the first thing people see when they meet you, and the most important element of your visual identity. Your business card gives you a chance to position yourself, to represent who you are and what you do on a small piece of paper.
There’s only one chance to give a good first impression to your potential clients. A business card is a good and effective tool to identify and express your company with clients. However, if your business card is plain and dull or unprofessional, it can damage your company’s image.
Your card should demonstrate that you have good taste, but most business cards are terrible. They are the place where bad design thrives. Some common things to avoid in business card design include:
- Don't Print Your Own - just because your office supply store makes those little perforated sheets of paper doesn't mean you should use them
- Respect Margin Space - don't print type too close to the edges.
- Don't Scream - avoid large, bold all-cap type for the address and contact info
A Business cards is only seven square inches, making it a challenge to design cards that make a positive impact. There are no rules for creative business card design. Custom shapes & die cuts, spot UV, unusual paper, etc. are all possible factors. The crucial part is always an eye-catching design combined with good taste, whether it’s graphical, typographical or just simple great ideas.
Business Card Design Tips
- Logo - used consistently, logos on business cards and other marketing materials help to establish a company's identity.
- Company Name - usually the most prominent element of a business card unless it is an organization with a highly recognizable logo.
- Tagline - if the business name is somewhat ambiguous, a tagline or brief description can be useful.
- Name of Individual - the name of the individual is usually only secondary in prominence to the name of the business on a business card.
- Physical Address - some companies, such as contractors, will either not include their address on their company business card or use a P.O. box instead. I personally am suspicious of any company who doesn't list their address on their business card. Maybe they don't want to be found after the bill is paid?
- Phone Number(s) - multiple numbers are typically listed in order of voice, fax, cell. You can omit or rearrange any numbers that are not the preferred method of phone contact for the individual. Don't forget the area code and extensions, if required. If using parentheses for the area code, a professional typographer will ALWAYS include a space after the end parenthesis.
- Website & Email Addresses - if you have one, use it. A company without a website or email address in this age appears small and unprofessional.
- Job Title - not a required element, even an entrepreneur or sole proprietor might include "President" or "CEO" or some other title to give the appearance of a larger organization.
- List of Services or Products - a long list will usually clutter up a standard size business card, but when using two-sided or folded business cards a bullet list of services offered or main product lines could enhance the usefulness of the business card.
Graphic Connection is a freelance graphic design studio based in Lee's Summit, Missouri. We make creative ideas "come to life" in print and on the world wide web.
The first step in the business card design process is to discuss your company's products & services and the clients you are trying to attract. Once I have a feel for who you are and what you do, we can begin looking for ways to communicate your message visually.
As a freelance graphic designer with "on hands" experience in a commercial printing facility, I offer many advantages which can save your company both time and money when it comes to printing your business cards or other graphic design project.
To see some of sample business card designs in my portfolio click here.
For a price quote on a business card or any other design project click here.
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