People don’t like to be rushed into decisions. They want to have time to think. Unfortunately, this can also give them time to forget. A business card is the solution.
By handing out your business card, you’re providing prospective clients with an easy way of getting in touch with you. You’re also making it easy for them to refer you to their friends and acquaintances – all they have to do is pass along your card.
For these reasons and more, it’s important to have business cards on hand at all times. It’s also critical that your business cards look professional and contain the right information.
What elements should your business card include?
Your business card needs some basic information, including:
- Your name
- Your company name (if applicable)
- Your job title
- Your phone number
- Your email address
If you have a professional social media presence, you should include this, too. The same goes for a professional website. You do not need to include a physical address unless it’s a place where clients regularly come to do business.
In addition to the essentials, you may want to include a short tagline that shows off how you can help clients or a list of your specialties. Keep it brief, though. You want your business card to look clean, not cluttered. Some people prefer to use only one side of the business card, which leaves a blank side for notes, but you can use both sides if you want to include a little more information.
Some people include their photo. After all, many people remember faces better than names. Not everyone likes this style, however. It takes up space, which is very limited, and the quality has to be excellent.
What should you avoid?
Although creativity can be good, it can also backfire. Business cards that come in unusual shapes and sizes, for example, won’t fit into some people business card holders.
You also want to be careful when it comes to fonts and colors. Don’t pick a tiny font that your clients struggle to read! Also beware of busy designs, dark backgrounds and low-contrast fonts – anything that makes it hard to read will increases the chances of your card ending up in the trash.
When it comes to contact information, make sure yours looks professional. This means you need a professional email address, not a Gmail or Yahoo address.
Where can you get business cards designed and printed cost-effectively?
You have multiple options for designing and printing your business cards.
- MOO has templates and other design options for business cards.
- At Office Depot, you can use templates or upload your own design to make your business cards.
- Vistaprint provides designs and various options so you can get exactly the right look.
Many carriers allow you to create branded business cards as well. Once you are contracted, log in to the carrier’s agent portal and look for a business card option.