How to Design a Business Card That Doesn’t Suck
When contemporary business cards were first introduced to the society, they remained the same for decades. Almost every other business card was rectangular, had the brand name printed in the middle or top in bold and bright colors, a description in a smaller font below it focusing on the highlights of the business, and then finally the contact information at the bottom. There were many variants of this classic design, but essentially all looked the same. However, if you will take a glance at any of these designs today, you can tell with the
To design a business card that can work in today’s world and culture, take the following steps:
Start with the Basics
The first and most important thing that you need to get right is the foundation i.e. the shape of the card. If you want your card to work, then you must make it attractive by picking a unique shape. There are a plethora of unconventional business cards that you can check out on the Internet for inspiration. For instance, there are bakery business cards shaped into biscuits, minimalistic cards in the shape of tiny slips, or even circular business cards!
Here is why business cards based on non-traditional shapes don’t suck- when you hand over these cards to someone, you immediately grab their attention. They know instantly that you are not a follower in a crowd but rather a trendsetter. More importantly, it becomes really hard for them to forget you after the interaction.
Create a Unique Logo
Just like a unique business card shape, you need a unique logo too. After all, a logo is one of the key features that differentiates a business from a “brand”.
This is actually the best time to design a business logo as there are a number of advanced and user-friendly services on the Internet that allow you to create professional-quality logos in a matter of minutes, and you don’t even need to have some experience in graphics design.
All you have to do is pick a decent program or platform (preferably one that uses new technologies like artificial intelligence), share a few details about the kind of logo you want, and boom! The program creates a variety of beautiful designs for you! You can then use these designs directly or make a few minor changes if you want.
Creating a unique logo for your business card is also beneficial because you can use the designs for your website, newsletters, etc. for branding purposes.
Say No to “White”
The white background is as common to a business card as the aforementioned rectangular shape. So, it’s important that you drop this cliché as well and put on your thinking cap. After all, there is an abundance of colors to choose from. For instance, if you want your business card to express authority and class then you can choose a black background. Similarly, if you want to show the vibrant and creative side of your business, then you can select an abstract background with multiple colors. In fact, you are free to take it in any direction as long as it’s not white.
Offer Value
By incorporating a feature into your business card that makes it multipurpose (one purpose being offering contact information, of course), you can make it stand out and also ensure that it doesn’t get thrown away.
There are many clever ways you can make your business card useful. However, you want to pick the right idea that complements your brand. For instance, you can consider:
- Attaching a thumb drive to your business cards
- Creating a perforated business card that can be used as a cheese grater when in a pinch (check the image above)
- Creating a foldable business card that can hold a smartphone for a hands-free experience
The ideas are many, and it’s up to you which approach you take. However, always remember that creativity is one of the most important marketing tools for startups. So, don’t try to replicate others’ ideas and create something of your own, something original. That’s the key to surviving in the industry today.
Keep it Simple
Now, this point may seem like it’s contradicting the previous one, but pretty soon you will see that both points can work with each other. Read on.
Your company may have garnered numerous achievements and reached several milestones since its inception. However, you can’t put all these details on your business card as an attractive card is always simple and clutterfree.
To understand the true power of simplicity and its impact in design, you can also take a look at the one-page Elon Musk resume that was created by the online resume-writing firm Novorésumé.
Think about it, Elon Musk is easily one of the world’s most influential entrepreneurs and innovators whose career spans across two decades and covers a wide range of projects and roles. So, if someone can manage to put all of his achievements on a single page, you surely can summarize your business and its brand in a few words to put on a small piece of cardboard, right?
Bottom LineThis is the age of startups and globalization. The competition is higher than ever which is why you must do everything in your capacity to stand out. You can start by designing an attractive and memorable business card by using the information above. However, feel free to let your imagination run wild and do experiment with several designs before you pick the winner. Good luck!
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