Tag: personal business cards

Steps to Follow when You Order the Best Business Cards

Would you like to order the best business cards but don’t know where to start? Here are a few easy steps that you can follow:

1. Know what information to include in the business card.

Whether it’s your first time to design a business card or if you simply want to update your existing one, it pays to do your research and learn which information to include. Business cards are a representation of your work as a professional or your company if you’re an employee. For entrepreneurs, it is important to include your company name and logo – as well as your name and position. If you’re an employee, the company logo and your job position should be included.

Also consider including your website URL, telephone or mobile number, office address, and email address. You don’t have to include everything, however. If you are running a purely online business, for example, there is no need for you to include an office address. You can also include cool features like a QR code which, when scanned, will lead customers to your website.

2. Come up with a design.

Next, come up with a design that suits your brand’s image. If you are printing out personal business cards and you’re in real estate, for example, you might want to include your photo or a collage of the properties you recently sold. If you are selling handmade jewelry, make sure that the design of the card is as creative as your line of products. Those in the legal industry may opt for a more formal design. The gist is that you should use a design that complements your brand and industry.

3. Decide on the paper stock, size, and finish.

Next, choose the size of the business card. The standard is 3.5” x 2”, but you can go with square business cards or European size which is a bit larger than the standard US size. In terms of paper stock, the thicker the paper, the better. When it comes to finish, you can choose from linen, suede, cotton, silk, brown kraft, metallic ink, foil stamped, spot UV – the possibilities are endless. You also have the option to go with a non-landscape orientation or rounded edges to make your card stand out.

4. Look for a reliable printing company.

Finally, when you order business cards, make sure to look for a reliable printing company with extensive experience in the field. There are digital and offset printing service providers out there. Digital printing is good for small batches but if you’re ordering in bulk and you want more professional-looking results, offset is the way to go. These make use of huge printing presses and can produce hundreds to thousands of copies almost instantaneously once the design is set. Also check on the turnaround time, costs, minimum order, and quality of customer service offered.

By following these steps, you can order the best business cards to represent your brand with.

Dos & Don’ts when Creating the Content for Personal Business Cards

 

If you think that you should include all your contact information for business card printing, think again. Unlike postcards, rack cards, flyers, and brochures, you have very limited space on the surface of a 3.5” x 2” business card. If you will include everything – even what’s unnecessary for your business, the card will look overcrowded and off-putting. Here, we have put together a list of some dos and don’ts when creating the content for personal business cards.

Do:

• Know what you are representing. If you are an employee of an IT company, for example, make sure to include the business name, official logo, and your job position. If you are a real estate agent working independently, highlight your name and profession – one example is Joe W. Brown, Real Estate Agent. If you’re a freelance interior or graphic designer, your name and profession should be highlighted as well.

• Make sure that the design reflects your brand’s image. Designers should have a creative business card, while lawyers may opt for a more formal design. When creating the overall look of your business card, pay attention to even the smallest details because of the very small space that you have. Coordinate the design with the font, colors, logo, material, paper stock, and finish.

Don’t:

• Include all your contact information. When deciding on the content of your personal business cards, you might think that it’s okay to include all your contact information – but you will end up overcrowding the card. If you’re running an online store, there is no need for you to include an office address or telephone number. If you’re an employee, do not include your personal mobile number and you may want to indicate the hours when you are available for calls.

• Skip your digital information. Lastly, do not skip your digital information. Business cards may be an old school print promotional material, but you can still modernize it by including your social media account information – especially if your audience is on the younger age range. Include your website, email address, Facebook and Twitter names, Instagram handle, etc. You can even include a QR code which users can scan so that they can be lead to your website.

With these tips in mind, you can come up with a concise, up-to-date, and accurate content for your business card without overcrowding the limited space that you have.