Ten Things I’ve Learned About Business Cards

The debate on business cards relativity in this age of digital technology still goes on. For those of you that found a value in them, here’s a great, and humorous list of do’s and don’ts.

 

1. There are standardized sizes for a reason, and you should make sure your business card isn’t a weird size that will get lost or won’t fit anywhere. A business card should fit in a rolodex. Unless it is themost impressive business card ever designed.
2. Less is more. People are web-savvy, so keep it simple. Website address. Name. Company Name. Phone (maybe). Email (maybe). Do you need much more?
3. Use pictures if it relates to what you do (i.e. photographer/artist, etc.). Otherwise, be cautious about how much graphical information you include. Don’t make people work to figure out who you are.
4. Use good paper stock. Quality matters.
5. Use all the same design principles that you would apply to a website or a poster…don’t be cheesy.
6. Show your design to somebody before printing. Make sure they are honest with you. Does it look simple and clean? Can they quickly figure out who you are?
7. Don’t use a watermark or raised lettering or colour unless you have a reason. If you can afford it, hire a professional or risk…this.
8. Rounded edges, subtle design choices, innovation..these can all work. I don’t like all of these examples, but I do like how simple but effective many of these cards are.
9. When you are out networking, you might give out a ton of cards and never hear from anybody. It’s better to take cards, and in fact I feel like the main reason to have a business card is so that you can get somebody else’s card and follow up with them. I’ve also noticed a certain cache in people selectively giving out cards, or saying that they don’t have any cards on them. Or maybe they just say that to me (boo hoo!).
10. At the end of the day, a business card is just how you stay in touch with somebody, so don’t sweat it too much.

 

Click here to see the full article in forbes: http://www.forbes.com/sites/goodmenproject/2012/07/31/ten-things-ive-learned-about-business-cards/