A visiting card is one of the key marketing tool and an opportunity to pass something to the clients on a personal level so, that they could remember you and your business. In this age of digital marketing, it is necessary to hold on to this tool for promoting your work.
A poorly designed card will have no effect on people so it’s imperative to invest a decent amount on this, by creating a design that is unique and stand out from the competition. There are many ways through which you can make business cards so, that they are effective and help improve your clientele. Let’s check out these ways.
Here are some smart ways to design an awesome visiting card:
1. Play with size and get creative
Business cards have standard sizes that need to be followed based on the country. But don’t let it constrain your creativity. Make a list of things that will go down on the card like email, contact number, address, and name amongst others. Now you can find a creative way to put all that information on a small piece of paper. This will also help you to design it in a way that the card doesn’t look cluttered but appeals to the eye.
2. Special finish for finesse
If you want to add finesse to your card so, that it looks more appealing, attractive and tactile visually, then use special finish. Most of the high-end printers provide this feature so check whether your printer does the same or not. Some examples of special finish are- foil blocking, metallic inks, spot UV and etc. they make the card exceptional but are very costly. So adjust your budget accordingly if you want to go for it.
3. Use the basic design principles
A business card is a printed paper and thus there are some basic principles, which you should definitely follow. Check them out:
- The card should have a trim edge of 5mm
- Resolution of the image should be 300dpi for best photos
- The typography should all have the same size so, that they are visible
- The card should be designed in CMYK, but not for spot colors
- Use grid layout (if it suits your needs) as it is good for putting the information in a hierarchy.
- Use die-cut process for creativity in shapes
Die-cut is a new modern technique that helps you cut any shape. This technique allows you to forego the regular rectangular shapes and go for circular or even design an animal shaped card or based on your product.
Using this technique for the first time can be expensive but now a day printer uses laser-cut options that make it more economical to use and doesn’t put a damper on your budget. This is an important and smart idea that not only gives you creative designs but also something out if the box.
5. Use different material that cardstock for printing
Usually, business cards are printed on cardstock as that is the most cost-effective method but if your budget allows you can go for something unique. Keeping in mind that cards are put in wallets or pockets, you can use different materials to print cards. Transparent plastics, woods and metals etc. all can be used for making designs that will set you apart from the competitors.
6. Try your hands at designing the cards
Designing a card has two benefits- first, it saves time, money and energy of finding the right people; secondly, it is a great way to represent yourself in the card. There are many templates that you can find online to make your own cards. Also, one can use letterpress kits to make it using old card stocks.
7. Recycle
If you old envelopes or wedding cards lying around than recycle them to make new and unique visiting cards. This will help both the environment and yourself to save money and time.
8. Check your card a few times before finalizing it
Before ordering a bulk order for printing cards, make sure that you print one and double cross it. It is imperative that you check for any typos or error or wrong information before finalizing the print. A wrong print will cost you money and if sent out by mistake is worthless to consumers.
These are some of the smart techniques that you should incorporate while designing your business cards, the other tips like color, size and paper quality matter too. Additionally, tools like Canva help you with amazing visiting card designs. It will help you design an amazing visiting card within minutes. So, research well before creating this little piece of paper that is, in fact, the biggest marketing tool at your disposal.
