Estimated Reading Time: 4 minutes
Knowing what business card details to add and what to leave out helps create a card that’s both eye-catching and well-balanced. When designed correctly, your business card reminds people of the first time you met and encourages those who are interested in your products or services to get back in touch or visit your website for more information.
A business card is a tried-and-true marketing tool, whether you’re starting a side hustle or expanding your brick and mortar business. It’s often the first interaction a customer has with your brand, so beyond reflecting your business in a positive way, it should contain pertinent information. That’s why the first question that comes to mind is “what goes on a business card” when considering creating one.
Here, we’ll cover everything you need to know about what to put on a business card.
Your logo is a visual representation of what your company does and what you stand for. It should epitomize your business and is a keepsake for your customers to remember you by. When you have a logo, it makes your company feel like it’s credible, professional and trustworthy.
Your logo should be displayed proudly on the front of your business card. Use a high-quality image at 300dpi (dots per inch) to make sure the edges appear crisp when printed. Try not to add text too close to the logo or scale it too big -and remember to let it breathe with a little white space. If your logo looks cramped on your business card design, scale it down a bit and increase the white space around it.
While your logo is the key component of your brand identity, you should include your company name on your business cards, too. And give it plenty of space -your name is what people are most likely to remember, so it’s a critical business card detail. Generally speaking, the name of your business should be the largest piece of text on your card. You should make sure to spell out the full name of your business so people know what your business is all about right away. Think: Luna Salon instead of just Luna, or Complete Financial Solutions instead of CFS.
Do you have a tagline or slogan for your small business? Include it on your business card! If you don’t have an official tagline, create one by summarizing what you offer in a few words -this can be especially helpful if your name isn’t especially self-explanatory. For example, Stratton Design uses the tagline “Website design & hosting” on their business cards to clearly communicate what they specialize in. These few words are professional, honest and focus on their core service.
Create a personal connection to your business by adding your full name to your business card, along with your job title. Including your title serves as a great memory jogger, since not everyone’s good with names and some people are more likely to remember you for your area of expertise, it’s crucial business card information to include. You can also add a headshot if it feels relevant to your industry -a photo is a great way to show the person behind the business, especially if you work in a client-facing position. Photo business cards are ideal for professionals like realtors, photographers and caregivers.
The contact information on your business card should include your email address and phone number, these are key information for a business card -this is how most people will contact you. On your card, align your contact details left, right or center and choose a font that’s easy to read-and if you prefer one of these communication methods to the other, emphasize it with a larger size or prominent placement.
Make sure to include your website URL -you can drop the http://, as it’s not necessary and takes up space. Remember, it’s important that there’s consistency between the design of your business card and your website. When a potential customer visits your website after seeing the URL on your business card, the experience should be cohesive from font choice to color scheme. If you operate out of a brick and mortar location, adding your address is vital to increasing foot traffic. Operate your business completely virtually? You don’t need to include a mailing address if you’re not expecting any foot traffic -leave it out to save space.
Megan Morahan, a creative director at VistaPrint, says that when it comes to adding text to your business card, less is more. “It should be easily digestible for whoever is receiving it. The less info you put on there, the better.”
If you’re active on social media, include your social handles along with recognizable social media icons on your business card. Whether you’re an avid user of TikTok or prefer Instagram, this is a great way to tell customers where they can find you and attract new followers.
Running out of space on your business card? Consider adding a QR code so customers can quickly find additional information about your operating hours, special promotions or your small business story. This is something that can go on the back of your business card, since it’s extra information.
Ready to print your new business cards? Keep this info in mind.
Bleed line. The very edges of the document are called the bleed lines. To prevent an unwanted white border from showing at the edge of your document, be sure to extend any background colors or design elements all the way to the edge.
Safety line. The safety lines are borders that are inside the area where the cut will take place. Keep all necessary information, like names, addresses, phone numbers or logos within the safety line to ensure thatthey aren’t cut off.
Trim area. Because of the mechanical tolerances involved in printing, the actual cut can happen anywhere between the bleed line and the safety line. That’s why it’s important to keep your text and important images within the safety line and out of the trim area.
To ensure your card clearly communicates everything you want it to, ask someone to look at it before you commit to printing.
You could ask them the following:
If they answer “Yes!” to everything, you’re ready to print.
Want to let a professional tackle your business card design? Once you find a template you love, work with an expert from Vista’s Design Services team to get a completely custom look.
Reading time: 8 minutes
A business card represents the next step in making your small business dream a reality. For many potential customers, it’s also the first interaction they’ll have with your brand, so make sure it’s a positive one.
A thoughtfully designed business card does more than just carry your contact information. It will make you look professional, build trust for customers and set your small business apart from others.
But before you start giving out business cards to everyone you meet, ask yourself: What makes a good business card design? How can you make it stand out?
The answer? By carefully considering the information you include, and how you present it. Here, we’ve put together 10 essential tips on how to design a card that best represents you and your business. And we’ll tell you what to avoid when designing a business card.
For extra advice, we spoke to Tristan Le Breton, Creative Director at 99designs by Vista, a global platform that makes it easy for small businesses to work with professional designers to create logos, websites and more.
Ready to get started? Here’s how to design a business card:
What to avoid when designing a business card
Your business card says a lot about you and your small business, so be sure to choose a design that reflects your brand. For example, if you’re an interior designer who specializes in modern styling and loves clean lines, create a card that’s clean and simple. Or maybe you’re a dog walker with an outgoing personality—reflect the fun nature of your business with a colorful, less formal card.
Ask a friend what they think your business card design communicates to see if they are getting the right message about your brand’s personality. When in doubt, talk to a designer. Or take a look at Vistaprint’s Design Services.
If there’s a specific font you’ve been using on your website or other marketing materials, bring that onto your business card.
The font you choose should always represent your brand. For example, consider an elegant script if you’re an etiquette coach, or a typewriter-inspired font if you’re a writer. It must also be easy to read. All of your text should be at least 8pt, but more important information (like your name or business name) can be printed in a larger size, a different typeface or in bold.
Tristan’s recommendation?
“A good rule of thumb is to make the company name larger than a 12pt font, and never use any font sizes smaller than 8pt.”
The size and orientation of your business card affects text size and the amount of information you can include, and also makes a statement about your brand.
Are you a conventional, no-frills company or a bold non-conformist?
Most business cards are rectangular, about the size of a credit card, and laid out horizontally. People are familiar with this format, so it’s a safe choice, but if you want your business card to stand out, consider using a square shape, rounded corners or vertical orientation.
Speaking of information, your business card should give customers everything they need to contact you, find you online or locate your shop or office. Aside from your name and job title, add your business name, telephone number, website, email address and social media handles. Make sure you include all of this information on your business card so customers can easily contact you in whatever way they feel most comfortable.
When you’re adding your information to your business card template, consider the way it’s laid out. Each piece of information should be clearly distinguishable, but flow nicely with the rest.
“A good visual flow for a business card design should start with the logo, then the name, then move on to secondary information like email addresses and phone numbers,” Tristan says. “You can always alter the visual flow by adjusting an element’s size, shifting its location or adding additional white space.”
Don’t waste all that printing space! Use the reverse side of your business card for appointment reminders, loyalty stamps or as a blank canvas to showcase something extra about your brand. For example, if you run a restaurant or cocktail bar, include a short recipe for a signature dish or drink. Do you sell handmade goods? Use business cards as tags for jewelry, clothing, accessories and other crafts.
Another way to make your business card stick is by turning it into a magnet. This technique works particularly well for businesses offering recurring services like plumbing, gardening, pet sitting, hairdressing, car services, restaurants and more. Customers will stick them on their fridges for easy access to your contact information.
The options for repurposing your business card are endless, and can ensure your card gets further, lasts longer and makes a stronger impression.
Tristan says, “Your card is more than just your contact information; it’s a representation of you and your brand. Before you think of creating new business cards, there are two crucial design components to consider: your finalized logo and your brand colors. These elements are the most important parts of your visual branding, and will help influence other areas of the card design process.”
A business card is *all* about the logo, so consider dedicating one side of your card solely to your logo. As a visual representation of your business, it deserves a prominent place that will instantly catch the eye of potential clients.
Once you have a logo, aim to create a complete identity for your brand: a collection of colors and fonts to use in all of your marketing materials (including business cards), a tone of voice to use in all communications and an idea of the overall “vibe” of your brand. If you need help, work with a professional designer — or check out VistaPrint’s Design Services — to create a logo, business card, website, marketing materials and more.
Don’t clutter your card with too much text. If there are too many elements on the card, they’ll all compete for the reader’s attention and nothing will stand out. (Remember, you can use both sides of the card!) Design-wise, a little white space is easier on the eyes, and it can help draw attention to the most important details.
Plus, you might want to add a note before you hand out your card to someone. Leaving a little room gives you space to jot down your new phone extension or give potential customers the name of a colleague.
“The fewer elements you have, the more impact each will make, so think about how you can clear the clutter to leave a lasting impression,” says Tristan.
There are a few creative ideas you can use for your business card design. One easy way to make your card stand out is to add an unusual design element or special print treatment. Foil accents add a touch of sophisticated shine, while embossed gloss creates a raised, glossy coating, giving your cards a stand-out 3D feel.
According to Tristan, “special finishes can go a long way in making a lasting impression on potential customers, partners and clients.”
Paper stock is another way to add something special to your business card. Extra-thick paper adds an instantly luxurious touch, while recycled kraft paper lends an organic feel.
Make sure these special features are appropriate for your branding. If you’re in an earthy, conservative or less glamorous line of work, it might feel odd to add a shimmery foil accent to your business card.
A CTA isn’t a business card requirement, but it can encourage potential clients to take that next step. Whether it’s a special offer, a useful tip or a discount code, create an incentive around your business to encourage customers.
Consider using a QR code as part of your call to action. As people are increasingly comfortable with scanning QR codes, adding one to your business card is a great, one-click way to send people to your website, subscribe them to your mailing list or give them a special offer. We suggest placing the code on the back of your business card because that makes it easy to scan, and won’t take away from your logo on the front.
Is there anything worse than opening a freshly printed box of business cards (or menus, or flyers) to see that there’s a typo?
Before you place your order, ask a colleague or friend to double-check your business card for spelling errors. If you want to be *extra* sure that your card is perfectly proofed, enlist the help of a professional copy editor.
Since there is such a small amount of text on a business card, it should be a relatively quick, low-cost task.
Borders: Business card borders might seem like a clever design element, but they can make printing and cutting a bulk order of business cards more complicated. Borders will accentuate any cutting mistakes in the printing process, so they’re best avoided.
Complicated typography: Choose a font that represents your brand’s personality, but try to steer clear of any typefaces that are so artistic, avant-garde or unusual that they’re hard to read. Legibility is the priority.
Using too many design elements: Your business card needs to communicate basic information in a relatively small amount of space, so avoid too many design elements that can make it look cluttered and distract from what’s important.
Choosing the best platform to design your business card depends on how much you want to invest in your branding. Like most things in life, you get what you pay for!
The most affordable way to get a business card is to design it yourself. DIY tools, like VistaCreate and Canva are great for testing out colors, typography and branding ideas, or if you’re looking for something ultra low-cost or temporary. Customize templates or, if you have a little design know-how, you can start from scratch.
Here’s a few platforms you can use to design your own business card:
Canva
VistaCreate
AdobeExpress
Need a design that wows? Working with a freelance graphic designer will help you create a business card that looks and feels professional, and they can be much more affordable than traditional design firms. People with design training are experts at using the power of design to communicate your brand’s unique message. You can choose a freelancer or start a logo contest, where designers compete to design your card for you.
99designs by Vista — A platform that makes it easy for you to start a design contest or work directly with a professional designer of your choosing.
Behance — Browse designer portfolios
Why have business cards when people can type your contact details into their mobile phones? Well, business cards do much more than list your information. They help represent your brand, and give potential customers something to remember you by (especially after quick interactions). So it’s important that you take care when designing your business card, and you’ll wind up with something that’s professional and memorable.
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