We’ve almost completed the first quarter of the 21^st century and, the world has already transformed into a virtual lifestyle. With the rapid progression of digital technology, everything today is handled online.

From making bill payments, shopping, bookings, ordering food, etc. In fact, due to the current global pandemic of COVID-19, even the crucial business meetings have gone onto the digital platforms.

Here’s our take on how businesses can plan recovery amidst the COVID-19 pandemic

So, that would certainly make you curious and ask, “Then, why are we still discussing business card design?”

Well, the simple answer to this is, traditional (or offline) marketing is still very much prevalent in our commercial society. 

And, business cards being one of the most influential tools for traditional and print marketing, it is essential that we understand everything around them that makes them effective.

It is important to understand that, even in this digital age, a business card is worth more than just a piece of paper that carries your business name and address.

It carries a perception about your business and your brand, and if not designed well, can tarnish your brand’s image.

Therefore, creating an effective business card design for your firm is very important.

Now, you may ask, “what’s there to discuss designing a custom business card? There’s no secret to it!”

Well, BREAKING NEWS!

There are a few aspects of designing your own business card that business owners often overlook. So, while not so secretive, there are a few things that can actually make your business card worth keeping (and not been thrown away in the trash bin)

What are these things? Let’s find out in this article.

Business card design secrets

Customize your contact information

Let’s begin with the most basic thing that a business card is meant for; your business contact information.

Now, usually, the information shared over a business card is the office address, email address, and phone number.

But, that’s just what every other business card would have. What makes your business card unique?

Customize your business card by making use of the space on both sides.

Apart from the basic contact info, you can use map location, social media profile, and even a QR code on your business card design.

Be selective with your social media presence

As mentioned in the last point, you can always use your social media profile links when creating custom business card design for your firm.

However, it is important to understand that you should use only those social media profiles on your business card which are relevant.

So, let’s say you run a local merchandise business and your target market is largely young adults.

Now, this target audience would largely be available on platforms such as Instagram and Facebook. So, providing your LinkedIn or Reddit or Twitter profile on your business card may not be helpful.

Also, make sure that you are using your business profiles for social media and not your personal profile. It doesn’t matter if you are an individual entrepreneur who’s just started their operations.

You need to create a separate business profile which then you can use on your business card.

Pick the right printing material

A very important aspect of business card design is its printing.

You don’t want to hand over rugged and crumbled business cards to your potential customers, who’d eventually end up throwing it in the trash can.

The material that you use for printing business cards must be solid in structure, should feel light in hand, and must adjust easily in the pocket or wallet. 

Remember that your business card needs to ensure that it stays with your customers for as long as possible. And if the handling of it is a task for them, they won’t keep it for long.

Be expressive with your branding

A standard business card size is about 8.9 x 5.1cm.

While that certainly doesn’t give you a huge space to start with, you can certainly be as creative as you like to create a unique business card design.

You can use the front side of your business card for only the logo of your brand and use all contact information on the flipside.

Additionally, you can work on the shape and finishing of your business card design to give it a fresh and attractive look.

You can even use special printing materials for your business cards such as transparent plastics, metals, wood, and even a slate.

Legibility is of utmost importance

There’s no point in creating a custom business card design if at the end of it all the customer is not even able to read or understand the information provided on it.

It is understood that you may want to provide as much information as possible on your business card but, that would only make it look cramped and unattractive.

As mentioned in one of the earlier points, a good alternative for this is using QR codes. That would not only leave you a lot of whitespace to provide legibility but, also will add a hint of technology to traditional marketing. 

Don’t be a blind follower

Arguably the most important thing to remember while designing a business card is to ensure originality.

The purpose of a business card is to create your brand’s own unique identity, and not to get lost in the stack of several other similarly designed cards.

So, sure, take references and inspirations but, don’t blindly follow what’s already out there just for the sake of “following the trend”.

Whether this is through your unique message, a well thought-out format, or a subtle die-cut, make your clients remember you.

Make it useful  

One of the best ways to ensure that your business card stays longer with your clients than any of your competitors is by making them more than just a piece of paper with information.

Be unique and creative with your business card by adding value to their functionality.

A good example of this can be a business card that acts as a holder for hair clips or turns into a miniature armchair for your phone.

To conclude….

So, these were some of the secrets which are really not so secretive and simply are overlooked by business owners when making custom business card designs.

It is, therefore, highly recommended to always go for on-demand graphic designs by outsourcing graphic design services to professionals.

If you are looking to create unique business card designs for your company, we can help you with that. Simply send us an email at support@graphicszoo.com and one of our design experts will get in touch immediately.