Best practices for creating a great business card

Social media profiles and web portfolios have become the main ways modern professionals identify themselves. However, business cards still serve the important purpose of pointing people to these resources and making a positive impression. Let’s take a look at some of the best practices for creating a great business card:

1. Keep the design clean

A business card contains a finite amount of space to put all of your information. A messy and cluttered design can make the font tiny and hard to read, lower the quality of photos and overcrowd the card, Detechter noted. If too much is on the card, it will impact viewer perception and increase the chance of confusion.

To keep the design clean, consider putting information on both sides of the card. This will help provide white space, make things easier to read and establish a font hierarchy for important details. Create a priority for essential information, and identify any specifics that aren’t necessary.

2. Show your personality

Business cards no longer have to be stagnant items – they can be made to reflect your personality in a way that’s appropriate to your career. While you can use the traditional high-quality cardstock, you also have the option of making cards from recycled paper, textured materials, metal and even gourmet snacks. Mashable contributor Rebecca Hiscott noted that you can also play with the shape, color and font to create an eye-catching card. It will be important to make aesthetic details consistent with the personality shown on your website and social media accounts.

3. Test out your design

While you might think that your cards look great on the computer, there could be issues that come through in the physical product. Test printing your card can give you a new perspective on the design and allow you to make any changes before more are created, Creative Market noted. Test printing helps ensure that type sizes and margins are correct, and that the card looks how you expected. You might also take the opportunity to get feedback on your design and adjust it to better communicate your message.

Business cards are still an essential part of professional identification and networking efforts. When you meet a potential colleague, employer, business partner or customer, your business card will impact their impression of you. With an effective design, individuals are more likely to remember you and your brand, making it essential to follow these best practices to creating a great business card.