As a businessman you should never underestimate the importance of your business card. It is often a potential client or customers introduction to both you and your business and remember – first impressions count.

If your business card is flimsy, poorly designed, uninformative or just plain boring then that is what your potential client will think of you. If, on the other hand, it is dynamic, eye-catching, informative and memorable then you have made your first step in bagging new business. Either way, you will stick in the mind and leave a good impression.

So…what makes a great business card – and what makes a bad one?

Design & Layout

First of all decide what information you want to have on the card and organise it properly. By that I mean if you decide to have your information in the bottom left corner, then make sure it is all there and ordered properly:

– Name
– Position
– Phone Number
– Email Address
– Website

It should be big enough to read yet small enough to leave room for more dynamic elements to liven up your card and make it memorable. This will start with your company logo, which should always be the most prominent aspect of your business card.

Whether or not it fills the majority of the card or leaves white space will depend on your type of business but it should always be prominent. If your business is a creative type of business, then have fun with your card, get a graphic designer to add eye-catching elements. If it is a more functional one, then your logo and details with plenty of white space would suit, if done properly.

Don’t forget a business card can be printed on both sides. Again, don’t overdo it, but extending your design to both sides can really leave an impression. You could also consider adding your Unique Selling Points to the back of your card, or a bulleted list of your services.

While your business card should always be the standard size so it fits in wallets and business card holders (typically 3.5″ by 2″), that doesn’t mean you can’t make it that little bit different. Again, this works better for creative businesses, but a cut out or slightly different shape can help to ensure your card stands out from the rest.

Just think about the impression you want people to have of your company and what you think of your company too and try to get that across in the design of your business card.

And now some definite DO NOTS!

DO NOT use poor quality card or other materials to print your card on. The higher quality the better.

DO NOT use a font size that is too small to read. The whole point of your card is to be informative.

DO NOT forget to include your USP. “All Work Guaranteed”, “24 Hour Service” – whatever it is, make sure you include at least one compelling line about your business.

DO NOT experiment with different sized cards – I told you why above!

DO NOT put too much information on the card. If it looks cluttered, no-one will read it. Contact information, USP, logo – keep it simple and you’re on to a winner.

Finally…

DO NOT leave your business cards in drawer in your desk! Carry them everywhere and hand them out at every appropriate opportunity. Hand out more than one and ask people to pass them on, in fact.

Getting your business card printed doesn’t have to be expensive, there are plenty of printing companies offering cheap business cards online, just make sure you follow the above Dos and Don’ts in the process and you will get a card that stands out.

Author Bio: Ian Grainger is writing on behalf of Edge Print, printers of cheap business cards.

Category: Business Management
Keywords: business cards, cheap business cards, business card design