How to Design Your Own Business Cards
John Oberhauser
It is not hard to design your own business cards. In fact, can be fun if you follow the right tips. Below, we'll review some of the best ways to present yourself through cards. Although business cards are often overlooked, they can be very effective in growing your business.
When creating a card, you need to first decide who it is for and what your message will be. Putting all the information you can possibly fit onto your card may be your first impulse, but this may not be the best idea.
A card is another advertising outlet, so think carefully about your message and your audience. In most cases, people use cards to provide contact information. However, there are other possible circumstances, too. You may want to include contact information for the overall business. If you run an online business, you may want to include just a company name, phone number, email address, and URL. Simple and to the point usually works to your advantage.
By printing your own cards, you give yourself the option of making small batches for particular projects. In general, business cards will at least include your name and the name of the company. Here are a few other items that deserve some consideration when designing your cards.
Address - Most business cards include this, but it isn't always useful to put your address on your cards. If you do not use a physical address for your company, you can use this space for other information. You can list contact information such as telephone number, fax number, cell phone number, voice mail, and an email address. If you do not want to use a particular contact route, just leave it out.
Web Sites - You should include this if your company has a site, especially if it is an e-commerce business. You can also use URLs to reduce the amount of information on your card, sending your clients to your site instead.
Job Title - This is an optional element, but is a good idea for identifying different roles in a company or making your company appear large.
Logo - A strong logo will create a strong business image and encourage brand loyalty. Not every logo will look good on a business card, however. You can try using your logo as a background or bleeding it off the edge of the card. You might also decide to omit the logo and just use the company colors.
Tagline - This is especially useful when your company name does not clearly convey what your business does. A good tagline will remind clients of your company and what you do.
Having decided what information to put on your card, choose a stock. When choosing a card design with graphic elements, remember that this means you have less space for information.
You can purchase pre-printed cards in a variety of styles and colors, and you can find just about any style imaginable, from corporate to whimsical. You should pick images that will call your business to mind. Decide what personality you want to convey with your card, whether easy going and fun or formal and elegant. Try to stick with simple text that is easy to read.
Always keep in mind that business cards, while small, are a powerful business tool. Create the best cards possible and use them strategically.
|
