Everyone in business has a business card, right? After your domain name its probably the first marketing tool you bought when you started your business. However, as you probably know from the ones you’ve been given by other people at networking meetings, they are often fast-tracked to the bin when we get home or back to the office. That’s a shame – we’ve spent money on them after all – so what can we do to make our next business card as effective as possible and not instant bin fodder?
1. Get them in matt finish
Why? I hear you ask. Well the answer is a simple one and not what you might be thinking. The most successful networker this blog writer knows ALWAYS writes something on his card before he passes it to a potential client or referral partner. It’s often just ‘thank you’ with his name, but it’s a nice gesture and it not only makes people remember him, it encourages people to keep the card. Why matt though? Well if you’ve ever tried to write in biro on a gloss card you’ll know!
2. Make sure they show your branding
Start with your logo, then use that to create consistent designs across all your marketing materials. Unless you have a background in design, don’t try and save a few quid by doing it yourself or using a cheap online site. You’ll only regret it later. Find a good professional graphic design company, tell them about your business, your goals, your vision and values, and pay them that little bit extra to do what they do best. Then you can use their designs to promote what you do best.
3. Use both sides
Blank space on one side of a business card is a missed opportunity. For the pennies extra it costs you to have both sides printed it’s a no-brainer. You could have some of your services on there, your mission statement, or a product image. If you need to book appointments (solicitor, hairdresser for example) you can utilise the back as an appointment card.
4. Don’t overdo it
Keep the card simple(ish) by not adding too much text. Tell people what they need to know – your name, telephone, email address – show your logo and tagline, but making it too busy can mean it’s difficult to read and possibly off putting for the recipient. The same goes for colours too. Think of how you want to be perceived by others.
5. Make it memorable
This is where design skills come in again. There are so many design & print options available now, making your card stand out has never been easier. We’ve seen cards in the shape of pigs, bottles, and cars, cards with cut-outs, pop-ups, and a myriad of textures. As mentioned before, don’t go overboard. It’s great to be different, but you don’t want to be tacky. Think of your target market too – if you’re an eco-friendly business you may want to go with a card made from recycled materials.
If you need business cards, we can help – whether it’s for a new business, an existing business, or a re-brand. We are Absolute Creative, an innovative, award winning design agency based in Hertfordshire. We work with businesses like yours everywhere in the UK, creating business cards that make our clients stand out from the crowd. We can do a whole lot more than that of course, so why not call us today on 01707 386 107, or email hello@absolutecreative.co.uk and let’s discuss your new and improved business card design.