A business card is a tiny paper signature, a branding if you like.  Your business card will dictate the five second long impression the person you are handing it to will make of you, and it will also influence their decision as they are flicking through business cards later on. In order to make sure you are making the most out of your business card – here are some handy hints and tips to help you make the most out of the opportunity:

1. The paper quality

There is nothing worse than a business card that looks as though it has been printed on paper at home and cut out.  Asides from making a very bad impression (an impression that you have no marketing budget whatsoever!) cards that are printed on bad paper quality reflect a bad business quality in general. The common saying “the devil is in the detail” is essential when it comes to choosing paper quality for your cards. This doesn’t mean that you have to go for the most expensive, high quality, stock paper for your cards, it just means that you should definitely not opt for the cheapest, thinnest cards on the market: it will look very bad and you will feel embarrassed to hand them out.

2. The colors

Colors are an expensive option when it comes to printing business cards, which is why, if you are thinking of colors – make sure they are relevant and simple. You do not want a business card that looks like graffiti sitting in a target client’s office, waiting to be thrown in the dustbin. No matter how creative or impressively quirky you believe your business card design to be on your computer screen, nothing says “amateur” like an overdone, brightly colored business card. Keep it simple, and keep it relevant if you want your business card to have a business impact. 

3. The shape and size

The shape of your card is another detail that can cost and so it is important to know why you are choosing a particular shape, rather than choosing a shape simply because “you like it”. As a general rule, any shape outside of the traditional rectangular (with the exception of rounded corners), is a massive waste of time unless you are throwing some kind of themed or novel even which requires it. Larger than average business cards will not fit into wallets, cards that are too small will be lost, and cards that are funny shapes and sizes such as circles or stars will be mistaken for wrapping and discarded. If you want your business card to stand out, change the edges of the card rather than the entire shape. 

4. Your branding

Your branding is very important when it comes to business cards, and so it is important that you may as much attention as possible to any fonts, letter sizes, logos and images that you place on the card. Choose a font that matches your corporate one, and include logos on your business card if you want them to have a good impact. 

Ben writes about design and currently works for a a3 poster printing company.