Your business card is an important tool to market your business. It provides potential and current clients with all your pertinent contact information in one location and allows you to keep your brand in front of them. It sticks with them. Most potential clients will hold onto your card, even if it’s just long enough to input your information into their computer’s address book.

A well designed and executed business card can make a lasting impression. However, many businesses struggle to come up with an ascetically pleasing and informative business card. They tend to do one of three things:

1. Provide too much contact information, giving their potential customers every avenue under the sun in which to contact them,

2. Provide too little contact information, and don’t give their potential customers a method of contact that they are personally comfortable with, or

3. Include a design that does not represent their company. A pre-made design may save you money in the short term, but when you clients see other companies with the same design, it only creates confusion and fails to keep your brand in front of them.

When looking at getting business cards made up for your business, I recommend:

1. Pay a professional to design your card. It may be a little costly upfront, but it is a great investment long-term. Not only will your card be unique, it will also connect closely to your brand and allow you the freedom to include your graphic logo and slogan.

2. Include only pertinent information. You don’t have much space on a business card to convey your message and include your contact information. It’s a business card, not a small ad. Ask yourself which of the following information your clients need to know from your card:

- Your Name
- Title
- Mailing Address
- Email Address
- Phone/Fax Number
- Web site
- Facebook Page
- Twitter Profile
- Business slogan
- Appointment line (if a service-type business)
- Secondary branding images

3. Choose a quality printer. The old adage rings true when it comes to printers: You get what you pay for. Choose a quality printer like Moo.com. They should offer quality products in a wide range of styles and provide excellent customer service. You may pay more than a regular printer, but the product quality pays off when your card stands up to your customer’s pocket.

4. Be creative! Your business card may be the first and only connection a potential client has with your business. Make it memorable. Black text on an all white card with a clipart picture might not be the best design. Make sure your card aligns with your branding guidelines, but don’t be afraid to try something different. There are numerous business card variations, such as plastic or metal cards, cards that form a shape, cards that have a unique shape, along with many others.

Your business card is an important tool in your marketing and branding arsenal. Plan to spend some time and money to develop a quality card, and your potential customers will know you value quality and will hold onto your information.

To see our latest business card project used in our featured image, click here.