Business Card Design Tips

1/11/2013 12:12 PM EST

The business card is the first point of contact for many clients coming across a new business or service, and so it is imperative that they make a good impression. A card with a sloppy format will instantly scream disorganisation and unreliability, while a card littered with mistakes will make the contact in question seem uneducated or inadequate at their role. If the person distributing the card didn’t think too much about the design of their card, then it’s likely that the prospective client will disregard it in the same manner. This checklist can help anyone crafting a new business card to ensure that their only means of contact with a client will leave a lasting impression in the best way possible.

1. Font

This seems a fairly obviously consideration to make; professional, appropriate fonts should be used on a business card at all times, with no garish novelty fonts or special characters. But there are also some other tips that can hone the look of a business card; switching between fonts which are similar but not quite the same, such as Tahoma and Verdana, can create a look which is messy and uncoordinated without being overtly so. The card will seem slightly ‘off’ to the recipient. The rule of thumb generally states that sans-serif fonts like Arial are used for headers to make the lines clear and readable, while serif fonts such as Times New Roman are used for body text. Sticking to these two, or similar fonts in the same pattern, will ensure a smooth and coherent business card.

1. Whitespace

If the business card in question has too much going on, the recipient will not know which the most important part is, and which they should read first. It is not appropriate to have full price lists or business details on a business card; those creating them should use whitespace to highlight the most relevant points on the card, which should be their name, their job title and their main method of contact. These three features are the entire reason for business cards; anything else is just filler and should be avoided or played down.

1. Colour

Using subtle colour in a coherent scheme can really give a card a vibrant edge, but psychologists have established that different colours can be interpreted differently by people. Red, for example, is interpreted as a highly emotive colour, associated with impulsiveness and danger, but also with love and energy. Yellow is traditionally associated with cowardice, but also summons thoughts of intelligence and caution. Peace and sincerity will be conveyed by using blue on a business card, so it is recommended that those designing their own business cards thoroughly establish what message they want their personal card to convey.

To find out more about CardsMadeEasy and its business card printing services for any size of business, visit http://www.cardsmadeeasy.com or call 0845 166 4478.