The Essential Business Card... Small but Mighty

“You want your card to be attention-getting, pleasing, informative, and memorable — so people will look at it, comment on it, pass it around, and keep it handy.”                        -- Ivan Misner

Your business card.  When you started your own business, it was probably the first thing you had printed. Or when you joined your company, your business cards may have been waiting for you on your first day of employment. You may even have saved a business card from your very first job – that’s how powerful it is to see your name in print.

Why We Have Business Cards

It is generally agreed that a business card performs the following basic functions:

• to introduce you and your company to potential customers, suppliers, or colleagues; and
• to provide all the relevant information by which someone can contact you.

In addition, a business card can serve as an advertising function – a mini billboard that describes your competitive edge or gives reasons why someone should consider doing business with you.

Other reasons why someone would accept your business card were identified by Dr. Lynella Grant in her publication The Business Card Book. According to Dr. Grant, someone is likely to keep your business card for a personal or social reason; in order to give your card to someone else (a sort of third-party business referral); to update your contact information from a previously-accepted business card; or because your business card is “likeable, unusual, or useful.”

What You Should Have on Your Business Card

Keeping in mind the function of providing all relevant contact information, your business card should contain: the name of the business; your name and title; all relevant phone numbers (office, direct, fax, cell); business address (mailing and physical); e-mail address; and company web address. 

Other things that may be included on your business card (space permitting) are: the company’s tag line or other definition of the type of business (this is particularly important if the business name does not convey the nature of the business); personal academic designations or business accreditations; and additional languages you speak (if important to conducting business).

Business Card Real Estate

With the addition of multiple phone numbers, e-mail addresses, and company web addresses, it is becoming harder to fit all the complete contact information on a standard 2 x 3 ½ inch business card. For reasons of common practice and economy, most business cards are printed on only one side. This is, in our opinion, a great waste of available business card “real estate.”

If in order to fit everything on one side of the card you find you must reduce the point size of the contact information below 6 points, do consider printing on the back. Because so few businesses print on the reverse of a business card, your card will automatically stand out if your cards are two-sided.

If all your contact information fits comfortably on the front of the card, then consider back printing for advertising or to make your card, in the words of Dr. Grant, “likeable, unusual, or useful.” Some things besides contact information that fit nicely on the back of a business card are:

·     your company’s mission statement

·     a series of lines for writing notes

·     your company’s advertising message or tag line

·     useful information related to your company’s line of business

·     listing of your company’s products and services

·     testimonials from satisfied customers

·     coupon or special offer

·     date and time of next appointment

·     map or directions to your location

Enhancements to Standard Business Cards

An eye-catching business card may cause people to save it even if they haven’t identified a need for your product or service. To enhance a standard 2 x 3 ½ inch, flat business card, consider some of the following:

• Change the stock. For a standard business card, we recommend using a stock thick enough so it won’t feel flimsy when cut down to business card size. Standard cover weights for business cards are 65# and 80# basis weight, but this doesn’t necessarily imply anything about stock thickness. Ask to see examples of 100# cover or even double or triple ply stock. Alternately, you might consider printing on a specialty paper such as wood grain.
• Change the shape.A folded business card gives extra surfaces on which to display a photograph, eye-catching graphics, contact information, or valuable content. Although this makes the business card thicker after folding, it will still fit inside a standard business card holder. Or change the card’s orientation from horizontal (landscape) to vertical (portrait). Do be aware that a vertical orientation means that your card will be turned 90 degrees when placed inside a standard business card holder.
• Foiling, embossing, or die cutting.Adding foil or embossing not only enhances the richness of your card, it adds a tactile sensation that many people find pleasing. Because these processes add to the cost of business cards, it can convey a sense of success and prosperity to your business.

Business Card Design Basics

Basic business card design begins with common sense. The card must be legible and logically organized. This means controlling the amount of information on the card so the type is large enough to easily read and grouping similar contact information. For instance, the business information (name, office phone and fax, and address) is a logical grouping. So is the individual information (person’s name and title, direct line, and cell phone).

Another design decision is what information to feature prominently. Decide whether to emphasis the name of the business or the name of the individual, then create the emphasis with type size or weight. Other information that can be prominently displayed includes the individual’s telephone number and e-mail address.

A traditional business card design places the contact information in the lower half of the card, either flush left, flush right, or centered. If more than one telephone number is given, it is customary to emphasize the preferred number by placing it first or by making it a different point size or weight.

Another possibility is to adapt the Ogilvy display ad layout formula to your business card. Advertising legend David Ogilvy, founder of Ogilvy & Mather advertising agency, developed an ad layout formula so successful that it became known as the Ogilvy. The formula adheres to the order in which researchers tell us readers typically look at ads: visual (photo or graphic), caption, headline, copy, and signature (your name and contact information).

To adapt the Ogilvy to your business card, place the visual (your logo) at the top or upper left of the card followed by the headline (business or individual’s name). Place the signature (contact information) in the lower right of the card.

Business Card Appearance

Crucial to the success of your business card is its appearance. A card that is poorly designed, contains information that has been handwritten, has perforated rather than clean-cut edges, or is soiled or worn-looking conveys a negative impression of the person offering the card. To make the best impression, let us print and cut your card with our professional-grade equipment.

The Final Word

No matter what decisions you make regarding your business card design and printing, we urge you to use them! If your supply of business cards is older than one year, then get busy passing them out. Think of business cards as an advertising expense, not an office supply. Compare the cost of buying 500 or 1000 per year to the cost of other marketing methods. In this context, we’re sure you’ll agree that business cards represent a real bargain.

The bottom line is that this amazing tool is your most cost-efficient promotional device. A simple yet professionally designed and printed business card can be one of your best investments.