Social Media Explained

Branding is critical for your business, knowing who you are as a company or individual, what your voice is, and who your audience is can make the difference between success and failure. So it should come as no surprise that your business card is an extension of your brand and you should put some thought in to them. Not only the design, but also the content, paper used, layout etc. can all make a statement (and hopefully it is the one you want). Here are a few tips on designing and creating the ideal business card.

1. Cardstock: This is the most critical part of a business card. The first thing someone notices about a card, isn’t what is on it, but how it feels. The heavier the weight of the paper, the more impressive. If it looks like you printed it at home, people probably won’t take you as seriously (sorry). I met a branding expert last week, and when he handed me his card, I was shocked at the thickness of the paper! I was also instantly impressed that rather than using flashy logos, or a creative design, he made a statement with the quality of the paper.

2. Writability (yes, I made that word up): I always write on a person’s business card, I like to make a note of where I met them, or what I am going to send them after our meeting. I am always annoyed when I get a card that I can’t write on because it is glossy, there is too much text, etc. Make sure your cards are matte, have large area for writing and for Heaven’s sake, don’t make the dang thing black!

3. Double Sided: There is no hard and fast rule on this one. If I had two businesses I would probably print one card with something on either side. However, I wouldn’t include redundant information. For example, on one side I might put my name and expertise along with the appropriate contact information, on the other side I would just put my name and the other area of expertise but forgo the email address and phone number. This still allows for ample space for writing.

4. Logo: Unless you are Nike, they just don’t mean a whole lot! So don’t waste space with them. If you love your logo make it small and don’t waste too much space on it.

5. Font: Make it readable – enough said.

6. Content: Put information in order of importance. For examples: Name, Title/Business Name, Phone number, email address, etc. don’t waste space with physical address unless you have an office and you want people coming by. Be sure to include your social media assets as well such as your Twitter handle, Facebook Page, or LinkedIn account.

7. Design: Above all, keep this simple and straightforward. Here is an example of my business card (designed by my sister). The info is out of date, but you get the idea.

So take the money and invest in a nice business card, itis your first and potentially last impression.