Nine Tips For Designing Your Own Business Cards

Even in this digital age, business cards are still an essential necessity for any business, from a freelance designer to a full-service design agency. Business cards hold a lot of information in a little space, telling prospective clients who you are, what you do, and how to reach you, all on a 3.5 by 2 inch space. Many people choose to make their own business card design, but without the proper knowledge about basics - such as bleed area and cut line - or artistic attributes - like white space and use of color - you could be making a big mistake on that little space. Here are nine tips for designing your own business cards the right, and most effective, way.

One: Use a Template

Make sure you start your design with an easy-to-use template, such as the business card template available. This ensures that you start out with the right size, the correct cut lines, and the proper bleed area. Confused? No problem.

The cut line is the absolute end of the paper where the printing machine will cut. It is the extreme end of the design, so you do not need to create anything larger in your art program than the cut line. The bleed area is the space that might get cut, but it might not. Due to the inexact process of cutting, the area around the outside of the card should be created without any essential information or design elements. This is called the bleed area and is usually only 0.00625 inches around the perimeter of the card.

Two: Keep It Simple

Sometimes a simple design will be more effective than a complex one. Some people take designing into their own hands without proper knowledge of design elements. They may cram graphics, colors, and text into that tiny rectangle without realizing that it detracts from the overall effectiveness of the card. Sometimes less is more.

Aim for elegance, simplicity, and minimalistic for a stunning, bold impression. Consider high contrast colors, such as black and white or navy and gold. Select a solid frame and a classy typeface for an impactful business card design.

Three: Have Fun

A fun business card design can often grab the attention of potential clients. Consider novelty cards to make your contact information stand out. Designs such as playing cards, sports tickets, or postcards will be regarded as unique and quirky.

Merge your contact information into the design, so that the card appears to be an authentic ticket to the movies, but playing times are really your phone number and what’s playing is your company name. Be creative and think outside the box to come up with some clever, fun design ideas for your business cards.

Four: Utilize Photography

Business cards do not typically have photos, except perhaps those traditional ones with a headshot of the business professional followed by black text of their name and contact information. But you can use photography in a unique and eye-catching way.

If you work in a visually impactful field, such as fashion, art, or photography, you can utilize images in novel ways. For instance, you could place an image inside of bold shapes to make a border or underscore, or you might place images with transparent backgrounds as the focal point of your card.

Images, when properly used, are an excellent way of showcasing your work while also providing your contact information to potential clients.

Five: Mix Bold Colors With Black & White

Mixing bold colors, such as neons, with black and white can create a stunning, memorable design. Consider setting the background to black or slate gray and using the white text with pops of colorful elements. The information will really stand out, and the colors will appear brighter against the dark backdrop.

Be sure not to overdo the color. Pick two or three matching colors - or go with a few contrasting hues. Too much color can overwhelm the eye and result in a busy-looking design.

Six: Utilize a Logo

While it makes sense to put your company logo on a business card, many individuals who freelance, don’t realize a logo’s importance. They are more memorable than names and are a visual reminder of what you are capable of doing. Logos are particularly important in creative fields, but are effective in all trades and fields.

If you don’t know what to do for a logo, consider using your initials in a simple, yet elegant typeface. Then add design elements, such as framing them with a geometric border. For a more intimate logo, integrate your signature into a design that is both unique and personal.

Seven: Hint at Your Profession

It can be hard to make your business card stand out in a sea of business cards. People trade contact information at trade shows and conferences, and one way to make yourself prominent is to visually represent your field.

Be creative and extend the concept to the whole card. For instance, if you’re a writer, use a handwriting typeface on a portrait facing card and design the background as a piece of notebook paper. If you’re an artist, turn the back of your card into a palette. If you’re an SEO specialist, design your card to resemble a search engine input field.

Designing your business cards to physically resemble what you do is a fun way to attract attention.

Eight: Be Confident

Now is not the time to be humble. When you are trying to win over potential clients and be distinct in a crowd of competitors, you should let your confidence shine. Represent yourself as a person who can get the job done and isn’t afraid to face challenges.

Consider turning your card into a true introduction to yourself by using the red and white design with “Hello, my name is…” followed by your name and contact information. Or use a non-nonsense typeface and list a few things that you specialize in to draw attention to your skills.

Nine: Consider the Card

Business cards offer a physical reminder of who you are and what you do. Take into account the physical characteristics of the card itself when designing a business card. For instance, should you choose a non-traditional size for your card? What type of paper should you use? Should it be matte or glossy? Business cards can even come in different shapes.

Consider all of the tactile possibilities before settling on a particular shape and style for your card. You want your card to stand out not only in how it appears, but how it feels in the hand of potential clients.

Also consider the purpose of the card. While a glossy card may give a luxurious feel, it may make it difficult to write on, inhibiting a new contact’s ability to make notes regarding your meeting.

Conclusion

A business card is like a tiny resume that provides not only your contact information, but a glimpse into your skills. When designing your own business cards, you should consider color, space, design elements, as well as texture of the card itself. Make your card stand out from others by creating it to be both unique and personal, but don’t forget to ensure that it is functional as well. If done right, your business card will win over prospective clients and win you that next job.