The way you design and print your business cards can be the difference between a customer and an empty slot in their wallet.
[dropcap]B[/dropcap]usiness cards do more than hold your contact information; they proclaim who you are as a professional. Making the right choices in font, colors, content, branding, and even the texture of the cardstock, can help you stand out and create positive associations in the mind of your audience.
Include Your Brand Promise
Every business, be it a multinational conglomerate or a sole proprietor working from a small studio, needs a brand promise. In a brand-heavy world, being able to communicate why you do business and what value you offer sets you apart. A business card’s purpose is to convey your brand promise instantly and visually.
Not only does this branding differentiate you from the competition, it tells your audience what you have to offer – low prices, custom options, fast turnaround time, 20 years of industry experience, etc. Business cards are a way to market yourself in a very personal, tangible way.
Don’t Tell Them Everything
A common business card mistake is using too much information. Cluttered cards look poorly designed – a block of text without white space does not draw people in. Utilize your space wisely and limit your information to:
- Company name
- Phone number
- Email address
- Brand promise
- Website and social media page indicators
Your business card should pique interest and provide just enough information to send a potential customer looking for more information. Usually, you will not convert people with business cards, but good business cards can point them to the places where they will become customers.
Use Basic Design Principles
Stay away from unreadable fonts, clutter, and bad color combinations (e.g., yellow text on white background, pink and bright green, etc.). If you have a website, use that as a reference. Consistency unifies your online and offline presence and tells your audience that you know what you are doing.
If you are not a visual person, or you are overwhelmed by the idea of design, find a business card printer in Arkansas with graphic designers on staff. These professionals can help you convey your brand in every minute detail, and ensure that your message remains consistent.
Use the Back of the Card
Avoid cluttering the front of your business card by putting your brand promise or personal quote on the back. Make your message clear with stylized font and quotation marks and present your card backside up, to make a powerful first impression and create top-of-mind awareness.
Keep Your Audience in Mind
Your business card should resonate with the people for whom you want to work. For example, if your target audience are large accounting firms, using slang and playful fonts is probably not wise. Likewise, if you work for a children’s boutique, conservative corporate designs may not make sense.
Put yourself in your audience’s shoes. How are you uniquely qualified to help the person or company achieve their goals? How can you convey that visually? A good business card printer will have a portfolio displaying a wide array of branding styles to help with inspiration if you are struggling with a design concept.
Choose the Right Paper
Once you settle on a design, it is time to pick a medium for your business cards. This final step is just as important as the preceding ones. Do not use poor paper to cut costs. A flimsy, easy-to-tear business card presents a sloppy image, and can easily become lost or folded and thrown away.
There are endless variations to choose from, including wood and metallic textures. However, unless you work in an industry that lends itself to the more eccentric mediums, heavy cardstock (16 pt. thickness and above) feels solid and professional.
Choose high-quality paper and thoughtful finishing touches that make you proud to hand out your business cards. People respond to pride in workmanship.
If you want professional, attention-grabbing business cards, contact Arkansas Graphics at 501-263-2649 for all of your graphics, marketing, and printing needs. We can create custom solutions for your business’s branding.
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