Did you know that the printing industry in the United States alone has more than $78 billion worth of demand every year? The industry has to employ more than 349,000 people at any given time to help people print business cards and other items.
One of the best reasons this market is so huge is that people appreciate how effective a great business card can be. One of the worst reasons this market is so huge it that many people take multiple tries to create a card because they do not know how to design a business card in an effective way.
Learning through trial and error is effective, but it also costs a lot of money and time. It is better to stand on the shoulders of giants and create a great business card on the first try.
So how can you design a business card that works? Read on to learn all about the most important design principles to help you create a great business card on your first try!
Find Business Cards That Inspire You
When many people try to design a business card, their mind goes blank. It helps to stimulate the mind with many different ideas.
Look up many different examples of business cards. Identify the ones you think might be similar to what you would like. However, you should also identify any cards that help you think outside of the box.
Just because a card does not look like what you would like does not mean that it cannot help you come up with ideas.
Consider Many Different Business Card Designs
Once you have your inspiration, you can start generating possible business card designs. Many people make the mistake of only designing one or two cards. Then they spend all of their time and effort choosing between those two cards.
However, it does not really matter how effective you are at choosing between just two options. The very best you can do is pick the better card out of those choices.
If your two options did not include a great business card, then even the most effective selection process will not help very much. Instead, you need to create many possible business card designs.
That does not mean that you need to finish every design in every detail. You can create many different ideas in various stages of completion. Then, you can take the ideas that you consider most promising and share them with other people for feedback.
Ask For Feedback On Your Business Design
Business cards are a tool. Some people choose business cards on the basis of how they appeal to their personal sensibilities. However, that is what a piece of art is for.
When it comes to business card design, you want something that appeals to people in general, not to you in particular. Get plenty of feedback from many different people about your business card designs.
Ask them to share why they do or don't like certain cards. However, don't push them for too many details if they seem hesitant. It can be difficult for people to articulate their aesthetic sensibilities.
You should especially get feedback from people who come from your typical customer base. Their opinion about your business card matters more than the opinions of other people.
Design a Business Card With Simplicity
As you design your business card, emphasize simplicity. Don't think about every piece of information that might be useful to include on it. Instead, think about which pieces of information are absolutely essential.
You may also include items that are not essential, but you should do so with great care. In the vast majority of cases, less is more.
The more information you put on your business card, the less likely people are to feel like reading through it. The less information there is on your card, the more each individual piece of information gets attention.
Improve Business Branding With Quality Printing
Your business card can represent your company. That is what branding is all about. When people think about your company, you want them to associate it with positive ideas.
That is just one reason it is important to invest in quality printing for your cards. That way, people will be more likely to see your company in a positive light.
Develop an Appropriate Business Logo
If you don't have a business logo yet, this is a great time to create one. Your business cards have the potential to reach many people. If those people also see your logo, they will be primed to notice your business on future occasions.
Use Sophisticated Finishing
Many people make the mistake of choosing a flashy finish for their first business card. However, this is a classic sign of amateur design.
In most cases, drawing less attention to your card will make it seem more sophisticated. Instead, pick an understated design choice like a matte finish.
Coordinate Your Branding Tools
Make sure to match the design of your business card with your other branding tools. That will help people associate each of your various branding tools with each other. This will strengthen the coherence of the ideas you express with your brand.
Double-Check Your Design
Before you send off your design for printing, look it over and look it over again. Even a single mistake can be costly. When you are positive that there are no typos or other mistakes in your design, you are ready to order printing!
Understand How to Design a Business Card
The more that you know about how to design a business card, the more likely you are to end up with a result that satisfies you. We hope learning about important design principles for business cards has been helpful for you. Many people fail to make the most of business cards because they do not generate effective designs.
To learn more about how to make the most of business cards and other tools you can print, feel free to get in touch with us at any time!
