In a previous blog article, we made the case that business cards are still an important part of promoting your business. Today let’s look at some ways to make your cards stand out.
The concept of a business card starts out very simply…it’s a 3.5 x 2 inch piece of paper that has your business name, address, and phone number on it. I can remember a time not too many years ago when that’s all that was on a card…and very often it was black ink on white (or off-white) paper…and that’s it! Then the digital printing revolution upended all that. Four-color process business cards with full-bleed were a great way to stand out…until they became all too commonplace and suddenly those disappeared in the background noise, too.
So what can you do to really make a business card stand out these days? We have a few suggestions…
Great Design
I really can’t overemphasize the importance of great design for your business cards. It was something I alluded to in the last blog post when I talked about a card conveying your brand’s image. Elegant simplicity for a luxury brand. A hint of futuristic for a tech-based company. Since your business cards may be one of the first things someone sees about your company and one of the lasting impressions you leave (because they may find it around their office or home weeks or months later), you really have to think through the design.
Is the type appropriately sized? Too big looks amateurish…too small will make it very difficult for many people to read. Choosing the right combination of fonts and type sizes will make a huge difference. Is there a need for graphics beyond your logo? Is it tastefully done or does it end up looking cluttered and chaotic? Does the card tell a story about your business without saying much or have you tried to cram every last word into the allotted space?
The right design will draw people’s eyes and speak volumes about your business…the wrong design will make people want to just discard the piece as soon as you’re out of sight.
Unusual Shapes
By now, you’ve surely seen the square business cards. The idea was to create something that feels different in the hand than the traditional 3.5 x 2 business card size. We have seen them come in a variety of sizes, but we would encourage you not to make them too large…if they won’t fit comfortably in a man’s wallet, that man will probably fold it or toss it. Other unusual sizes work, too…3.5 wide, but shorter…maybe 1.75. Again, it’s the trick of drawing attention by just being different from what people are expecting.
Another way to make your cards an unusual shape is laser or die cutting into an unusual shape. It can be as simple as having a card with opposite corners rounded while the other opposites stay sharp (everyone’s seen cards with 4 rounded corners). It can be as elaborate as a card that has pieces cut out that make the paper stock resemble lace. Maybe put a hole in the “A” or “O” or “D” in your logo. There are lots of options!
Heavy Paper
You can print your own business cards at home! Avery sells “business card paper” that has perforations and everything. And they will look like exactly like you printed them at home! Plus, between the cost of the paper and the cost of the ink, you won’t save much. For a little more, you can have heavy-weight, glossy card stock, cut razor-smooth on the edges. Standard business cards don’t take much time to print, either!
You can get matte- or eggshell-finish paper. Go a step further and you can choose very thick paper that has a colored-edge, which is sure to stand out very well in a handful of business cards someone has gathered at a networking meeting.
Special Finishes
The “original special finishes” for things like business cards were foil stamping and embossing, as well as the old standby of thermography. These days there are other exciting and beautiful finishes to add, as well: spot varnish or UV can highlight a specific area of the card, like your headshot or company logo. Silver or gold foil is still a classy-looking standard and can now be accomplished digitally. And if you really love the look and feel of embossing, it is now a more specialty process that takes a little longer…but that also makes it rarer and stand out better.
Minimalism
In a world where cluttered, fact-filled business cards are common, maybe just go for a minimalist approach and stun people with your class and elegance. A logo, rendered in 1-color or gold foil. Maybe a secondary logo or art piece blind embossed like a watermark. Then perhaps just enough type for your name, title, phone, and email.
Here’s a secret…you don’t have to put your business’ home page on the card. Assuming you have a custom domain name (like, say… printcubes.com) and have your email addresses using that domain name (like [email protected]) as well as have your home page living at that address…guess what, most people are clever enough to just assume that they can put in the domain after the “@” and get to your homepage!
What would you like to do to make your next batch of business cards stand out? Give Print Cubes a call and let’s discuss your next print project!