Business Card Design

The very thought of business card design is daunting for some people.  What paper?  What colors?  Should there be a logo on it, or a photo?  Where does the phone number go?  Should you use a title?  It can be overwhelming.

Yet you know it's important to design a business card that makes a positive first, and lasting, impression on a customer or prospect.

That's why a savvy businessperson creates business cards that contain more than just contact details, or designs more than one style of business card. Let's face it, how many times are you INVITED to market to someone?

Unfortunately, business cards are only seven inches square, making it tough to design cards that make a positive impact.

That's where these 7 Business Card Design Strategies come in, to make sure prospects Remember, Keep, Notice, Read, Believe, Desire and Act on your card's offer.

Business Card Design Strategy #1: 
Your business card should encourage your prospect or client to remember you favorably.

This is the first and greatest business card Strategy of them all.  Your business card exists solely for the purpose of making YOU and your business look good… no, not merely good… better than all of your competitors.

Your business card is NOT merely a way to give someone your address or phone number!  It’s the most portable, versatile, affordable and readily accepted marketing medium you have.  Treat it that way, and I guarantee you’ll attract more business.

Business Card Design Strategy #2: 
Your business card should be one that a prospect or client wants to keep.

You don’t get business from your business card unless the person you give it to keeps it, at least long enough for them to place an order or obtain an estimate. 

But a business card is nothing more than scrap paper, worth only the cardstock it’s printed on, unless you add value to it somehow.

And the easiest way to add value — which ensures that your card is kept until it’s needed — is to add useful information to it.

Does your company offer a free Weather Hotline?  Put that phone number on your card.

Would your prospects find it handy to have a list of emergency phone numbers with them, or a place to list clothing sizes for family members, or the schedule of the hometown football team?  Those can all be added to your card.

Business Card Design Strategy #3:
Your business card should be different enough from your competitors' cards to be noticeable.

Have you ever been in a situation where you and your competitors are vying for your prospect’s attention at the same time?  Maybe you’re at a tradeshow along with every other builder in the county.  Maybe your cards are on display at the local Chamber of Commerce, or on a local bulletin board.

Never forget that the business card people actually notice is the one that’s at least slightly different from the others.  If every other attorney’s card is printed on ivory card stock, printing yours on light grey paper is an easy and affordable way to ensure that yours are noticed. 

Using a full-color background is a great technique, especially if your card is going to be tacked on a bulletin board with a bunch of generic-looking black-on-white cards.

Business Card Design Strategy #4:
Your business card should be easy to read.

According to printers, the biggest mistake they see in business card design is overcrowding the card.  Your font needs to be big enough for the “over-40” crowd to read, your text needs to be carefully chosen so that only the most important information is transferred to your card, and your card must be logically formatted so that critical information is easy to locate.

In the U.S., since people read from left to right and top to bottom, the last information they will see - and remember - will be on the bottom right of your business card.

Business Card Design Strategy #5:
Your business card should foster believability and trust.

People don’t buy your product or service unless they somehow come to believe that you’re the best person to deliver it to them. 

Make sure your card doesn’t convince people otherwise!  A card that’s dirty or dog-eared or that has misspellings or strikeouts on it leads people to believe you’re not serious about your business and not attentive to detail.  So make sure your card looks crisp, clean and professional.

You can even go beyond that and deliberately add credibility-building (belief-building) testimonials, certifications or award mentions to your business card.

Business Card Design Strategy #6:
Your business card should illustrate benefits to using your product or service, not just features.

When you think of your business card as a mini-billboard - which is a great image to keep in mind - it becomes entirely appropriate to use some of the slogans, taglines, and marketing terminology that you’d normally reserve for other media.

Why NOT tell people who get your business card that you’re easy to locate, kid-friendly, flexible on financing or ranked #1 in customer service?  If you don't tell them, they may never know!

And in the same vein, a business card that’s functioning as a marketing tool can certainly include a call to action.  When you design your card, there are many ways to nudge people to give you a call, visit your website, or stop by your store.

For example, you could offer a monthly special on your website, and put a specific URL for that offer on your business card.  One realtor I know includes the address to sign up for her email list of “hot new properties” on her business card.

Get it out!  Get it circulating!  Make your business card work as hard as YOU do.