A business card may be what makes the first impression on a potential customer. It can be more important than the salesperson’s appearance or the company website.
For small businesses, the best business card may also be the most successful marketing tool a small business can have, says Ivan R. Misner, author of It’s In The Cards: Getting the Biggest Impact From Your Smallest Ad.
The most basic function of the business card is to tell someone the name, location and services of the business. But the size, shape and design of a business card can be an attention getter that the small business owner will find advantageous.
Business Cards Size and Shape
The standard finished business card size is 3.5 inches by 2 inches. Business card holders, rolodexes and wallets are designed with that size in mind. While unusual shapes are eye-catching, they risk being lost if they don’t fit into a standard business card storage device.
One way of catching attention is to choose a different edge for the standard-sized business cards. Keeping the type of image the card should promote in mind, consider the way the card will feel in a customer’s hand.
For example, a business that provides creative or spa services may choose rounded or wavy edges for their business cards. But the same type of edge might not suit an accounting or legal business where clients would be reassured by crisp straight edges and corners.
Designs on Business Cards
Black ink on white or ivory coloured cardstock is the most basic of business card designs. This design suggests simplicity, utility and value.
Cards with pictures hold more visual interest for the client. For salespeople, having their photograph on the card helps potential clients recognize them again. A business logo adds colour to the card and helps customers identify with the brand.
Designs on business cards can also extend to the type of material a card is printed on. Business cards may be printed on any material that will hold ink. A cabinetmaker may want to use a non-standard wood business card, for example. Or, paper thin pieces of lightweight steel can be etched with company information and a simple logo.
Those are extreme (and expensive!) examples materials, but don’t forget that paper comes in many weights, finishes and colours. Business cards are printed on cardstock, a thicker and more durable form of paper.
Weight in pounds is the printers standard for referring to the thickness of cardstock and comes from the imperial weight of 500 sheets of paper, 20 inches by 26 inches. For business cards, cardstock weights of 65 pounds to 100 pounds are recommended, with 80 pound being the standard.
Common finishes for business cards are smooth, linen or laid. Smooth is the most common finish, while linen and laid finishes are used to convey the impression of wealth and luxury. Both linen and laid finishes are a type of embossing done as part of the papermaking process. Linen finishes are cloth-like, while laid finishes are meant to simulate hand made paper by thin translucent horizontal lines on the paper surface.
When using just two ink colours on a business card, the impression is clear and crisp. Business cards in full colour (or four-colour) are used to reproduce photographs or colourful artwork.
Business Cards as Small Business Advertising
A small business can stay top of mind if a customer handles their business card frequently. If the card also provides useful information, then there is a better chance of a customer keeping it handy.
A single fold business card could open up to display a list of services or products, or a special events calendar. A tri-fold business card becomes a mini-brochure that has four more faces than a plain business card, but still folds up to a standard business card size. Business cards can also be used to advertise a website, a hotline phone number, or even act as a coupon for a discount on the customer’s next purchase.
The best business card will tell customers not only the basics of name and location, but will also represent the company brand and keep the customer’s interest. Business cards can be several small business solutions all in one small package.
Marianne Lepa - Marianne Lepa is a communications professional with extensive experience in technology and publishing. She is the founder of Arts News ...
