Rumors of the standard business card’s demise have been greatly exaggerated. That’s because some things about business are and will remain timeless. Want proof? Check out these statistics.
- 27.4 million business cards are printed daily in the U.S. alone
- 10 billion are printed annually
What’s more, a company can increase its sales by 2.5% for every 2,000 business cards that are passed out to potential customers. What makes yours a keeper?
Content and Concept
The card you hand out is an extension of your marketing. Does it use your logo, brand colors, and font? Make sure to use both sides of your business card. Smart companies often use the backside to make an evergreen offer.
More On Fonts
Typography is a design component. It can set the tone and overall feel for the way your company is perceived. But even more important than that is the fact that it’s READABLE. Don’t use crazy fonts or microscopic sizes.
Colors
We live mostly in a digital world, where the RGB (Red/Green/Blue) profile of colors is the palette we use. If you design a business card using RGB, be prepared for business cards back from the printer that don’t quite match what’s on your screen.
Printing is done using a 4-color process. Presses use a combination of cyan, magenta, yellow, and black inks to create colors. If you know how, switch to the CMYK mode when you are designing your business card. You can also ask your printer for help.
Definitely make use of color. Prospects will keep a business card printed in color 10 times longer than a standard white one.
To Bleed or Not to Bleed
This has nothing to do with business card mortality rates. A “bleed” is a printing term. It means that the image size of your business card will be printed larger than the finished size, and then cropped to the exact size.
Besides the aesthetics of just looking nicer, bleeds prevent any printing inconsistencies from being obvious if your design uses the space up to any of the edges.
Touchy Feely
Finish of your business card can play a part in the overall presentation. Most printers offer three types:
- Laid
- Linen
- Smooth
Go with a smooth finish if you’re using a photographic image on your card. The laid and linen textures can have unfortunate effects with graphics.
Think In Reverse
Make a bold statement by inverting the text on your business card. Use white on any dark color to make your design stand out.
Keep Them Safe
The best place for business cards is a holder or plastic protector. Hanging out in your wallet or purse can lead to frayed edges. Need help keeping your business cards clean and ready for action? We’ve got plenty of suggestions.
