In an era where people are getting bombarded by more digital messages than ever before, all of which can be easily and quickly deleted or muted, we can’t underestimate the power of something like a business card – a tangible object that can act as a physical reminder of you and your business.

A business card is not only an effective prompt to get people to contact you — passing a physical object that feels, smells and looks a certain way has a psychological sticking power that an e-mail, or digital message does not. This is because more senses are engaged during the transmission, so there’s more chance of making an impression.

A great-looking business card can create a great first impression of your company or brand, and set a positive expectation for working with you. They can offer a glimpse into the quality of your product or service and the professionalism with which you approach your business.

You have the option of sending your own design for us to print or allowing our experienced team to design the cards for you. Our staff will be happy to listen to your needs and go through all the options with you.

Things to remember if creating your own design:

If you are creating your own design, remember to make sure your design software is set up for this kind of work. Remember to:

– Keep all your key copy at least 5mm from the trim edge
– Work at 300dpi for best image reproduction
– Ensure you maintain a suitable minimum size for your typography to maintain legibility
– Design in CMYK unless you’re working exclusively with spot colours

Deciding what information needs to be on your business card isn’t always straight-forward. The main rule to keep in mind is that it should strike the appropriate balance between making an impression and ensuring the information is clear.

Name and Job Title

Put the name you would like people to call you – if you go by Dave, put Dave – business cards are a way of introducing yourself to people and asking them to get in contact. There’s nothing wrong with being friendly and personable, and using the name you actually go by avoids awkward reintroductions.

Make sure your job title accurately describes what you do so a prospect isn’t confused about your role and what you can offer. Your business must clearly explain who you are and what you do – put a simple understandable job title on the card. Use the title that describes your main function.

Contact information

Contact information should be clearly presented and several ways of getting in contact should be provided – a number, email address and website URL is the minimum – a geographical address is convention. If you have a direct line then provide this number, likewise do not provide a general email address for your company, provide your own.

If you have a useful, active social media account then consider providing this on the card.

Logo

A logo helps brand consistency and can help inform the design of your business card. It should be included somewhere if possible.

Design Tips

– Don’t make it too cluttered, white space is incredibly important in designing a business card – so decide what information you actually want to provide on the card and how you can set it out clearly.
– Play on the limited space, if you can approach the size and shape of the business card as an opportunity rather than a hindrance, your design will be all the better for it. Don’t design for a larger canvas and then try and squeeze everything on to a 85×55mm business card.
– Get creative with finishes and materials, the small size of a business card can seem to limit options but the truth is there are so many ways you can be inventive with business cards.

We can help you think through the design so you can make the most out of what’s on offer. Or get inspired with our look at 5 great creative business card ideas.

Generally you want a paper that is around 350–400 gsm. Thicker cards tend to look higher quality and more professional — you don’t want your card to fall apart in a potential client’s hands or wallet! Duplexed and Triplexed paper is incredibly popular for business cards and gives a more substantial finish.