Branding is one of the most important parts of building a strong business. You want your customers and potential customers to recognize your brand instantly. How do you do that? By using the same logo, color scheme, and style for various methods of marketing - your website, social media accounts, pamphlets, and of course your business cards.
What Does a Business Card Do?
Your business card is usually the first piece of branding your client will see, which means making a great first impression with your business card is paramount. Business cards provide a great opportunity for you to solidify your branding and create brand awareness and brand identity without spending a ton of money in the process.
Your business card needs to be more than simply slapping your name and contact info on a piece of paper. It has to be customized with the right brand message so that customers will remember you, your brand, and what you offer.
Here are five creative ways to significantly improve your business card.
1. Size Really Matters
To create the perfect business card, first you need to start with the size. A standard business card measures 3.5” x 2”, but nowadays there are various sizes and shapes to choose from. Aside from the standard rectangle, most print shops offer circular business card designs as well as mini business cards. Choose the size and shape that works best for your brand.
Before you decide to use a standard business card, a mini business card, or a circular version, you need to consider a number of factors. For example:
- How easy it will be for you to issue the cards?
- Is it possible to have all the information you need on the card based on its size and shape?
- Does the shape of the card convey your brand message and enhance your brand identity?
Although a unique shape can be easily remembered by customers, it may not really serve the long term branding goals that you have. Besides, the last thing you want as a business is to be remembered only for the shape of your business card. The rule of thumb is to ensure that the size and the shape will allow you to effectively communicate your brand message without creating bulky cards.
2. Design
Although there are many design ideas you can explore for your business card, it all comes down to simplicity. Keep it simple and you won’t have any problems. Your business card does not need to be graphically superior nor does it need to be full of colorful and well-designed word art. Although the look is vital, what really matters is the message. If you can only include your logo on the card, that’s fine.
Pro tip: Don’t add borders on the card unless you have graphic design experience and understand what bleed is and how it works or you may end up with uneven edges or even a part of your design cut off.
3. Information on the Business Card
It’s important to remember that you don’t have a lot of space on your business card so the information needs to be very short and to the point. Do not go all out with your mission statement or your company vision. The essential information you need on your card is:
- Your logo/business name
- Your contact information
- Your phone number
- Your email address
- Your physical address
- Your website address
Be sure to include your brand slogan of three to four words if there’s still space. The key is to ensure that clients take just a few seconds to read what’s on the card. In addition to this, keeping the information short ensures the business card is readable. You must also use fonts that are simple enough to read.
4. The Back of Your Business Card Should Remain Blank
No doubt a business card allows you to talk directly to a client who’s interested in what you have to offer. For many people, there’s always that temptation to overload the client with information in order to close the sale. This might just backfire. The back of your business card needs to be blank. The information on the front is enough. In addition to this, a blank back is ideal because it allows the client to write down a few notes in the future including appointment dates, payment information and methods, etc.
5. The Cards Must Be Printed Professionally
The impression your business card leaves on a client will determine whether they will contact you or not. As a business, you need to professionally print your cards. Even though this might cost more than DIY business cards, it will indeed be worth it. After all, you are trying to build a brand and branding is also about the image. A professional business card portrays an image of professionalism and this is a huge part of your branding.
There you go! These are five simple ways you can use to turn your business card into an effective branding tool for your business.
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