3 Golden Rules of Business Card Design & Printing
Posted on: 4 December 2015
All business people should know that a business card is an essential piece of networking kit that you simply cannot afford not to have. But business cards are not one-size-fits-all, and if designed poorly, your business card could actually be doing you more harm than good. Here are a few things that you need to take into consideration when having a business card designed and printed.
Include a portrait photo.
On a small rectangular piece of card, you have very little space to make an impression, and the best way of making sure that people remember you from your business card is by including a portrait photo of your face on the business card itself. This is a strategy that is overlooked because it can be deemed too "personal" and thus unprofessional, but succeeding in the business world is all about making personal connections.
Having your face on business cards can be particular useful at networking events such as trade fairs when you often just have a moment to make an impression. Potential clients will have met people like you all day, but you can stand out from the pack if those potential clients remember your face. If you are worried about a photo overwhelming your business card with too many colours, a gray scale photo is definitely better than no photo at all. Also, make sure the photo is high resolution. Lo-res can be fine for digital, but for printed cards, the resolution needs to be higher to avoid that fuzzy, pixilated look.
Use two fonts & two colours.
Combining two fonts and two colours is the golden graphic design rule for any business card. Anything more than this will be confusing to the eye, and therefore, totally unengaging. When you pick two fonts, try to stick with something that matches your established logo or brand. Also when persusing fonts, try to pick something that is easy to read on a small card. Fancy fonts that have embellishments, swirls or other accents might do well for titles, but for contact information, it's good to stick with a simple font that is easy to decipher so they can actually contact you.
Choose a matte finish.
It's true that glossy looking business cards can stand out from the crowd, but there are a couple of reasons why a matte finish is always better. First of all, that high gloss only looks slick when the cards have just been printed—they will soon attract smudges and grease and handing over a business card with fingerprints all over it to a potential business partner isn't a hot look. Secondly, it's easier to write on matte cards and the recipient might want to write a note about you on your business card, and you should give them this option.
Follow these golden rules of business card design and printing and you'll have business cards that stand out for all the right reasons. Talk to graphic design companies for more insight if you're still stuck on the design.
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