How To Choose the Best Business Card Style for Your Company
According to a recent survey by the Statistic Brain Research Institute, 60% of small entrepreneurs think that business cards are an indispensable marketing tool for their company. This is no surprise because apparently, for every 2000 business cards that are distributed, one can expect a 25% rise in sales.
However, this is the best case scenario. The same survey reports that a staggering 88% of all the business cards end up in a waste basket less than a week after being received. In most cases, this is because the card is a basic traditional card similar to all others.
Have you ever received a card that looked too good to throw away even though you didn’t need the company’s services or products? This is why developing a personal business card style that not only represents your business idea but makes the customer want to keep it is so important!
Think About the Size
Step one is choosing the right size for your business card. We know what you think: don’t all business cards come in a standard size? While this is normally true, print companies like 4OVER4 believe that personalization is the key to a memorable business card. For this reason, customers have a chance of stepping out of the traditional box and getting something different when it comes to size.
Here are the most requested ones:
- 2” x 3.5” – This is the classic, rectangular shape that most businesses use. While it is a safe choice — and one that is specifically created to fit into a wallet or pocket — we recommend spicing it up with a captivating design or rounded edges to make it more memorable.
- 1.5” x 3.5 – Also known as the “slim” style of business card, this size still fits perfectly into wallets and purses, while having a younger, more energetic look. It is particularly suited for start-ups or youth-led companies that want to keep their fresh allure.
- 2.5” x 2.5” – There is also the option to order business cards in a square shape!
Select the Paper Type
The second aspect to consider is the type of paper that you want to use. While any type of paper can do, provided that it is high-quality and durable, each kind has its own peculiar style.
- Classic paper: The traditional 14 or 16pt paper is a safe, less expensive choice.
- Linen: This is for sure the classiest choice. With its woven texture and soft touch, it’s the go-to choice for a vintage style business card that communicates reliability and efficiency.
- Kraft: This type of coarse, unbleached paper is the rustic choice that you need to represent your home-made products, from custom cakes to soaps and organic food. Kraft business cards are perfect if you want a more approachable look for your small business, while still having a remarkable style.
- Special effects: 4OVER4 offers a series of exclusive types of paper, ideal to create a different style for business cards. From 3D lenticular business cards to edge gilded, glittery, or raised foil, all you have to do is take advantage of the options to let your brand persona come alive.
Add Your Logo and Other Graphics
The third step in the process is adding the logo of your company to your business card. The rules are pretty simple: Make sure that the image is well-centered and large enough to be seen clearly without effort.
Another, more original thing that you may want to do is have your business cards die-cut in the shape of your logo. This technique is particularly effective if you have a logo that mirrors the business core of your start-up: for example, a slice of pizza for a fast food company, or a delicious cookie for a home bakery.
Add Necessary Text
When it comes to adding text to your business card, know that this is one of those situations in which “less is more”. While a thrilling tagline can effectively win you customers and profoundly shape the opinion they form on your business, it is easy to get carried away.
For this reasons, we want to share with you some tips to create a successful tagline that will reinforce your client’s loyalty:
- Keep it short: A sentence counting 3 to 8 words is all you need. Think of Nike’s “Just Do It”!
- Showcase the benefit of your product or service: for example, if you sell natural cosmetic products, you could point out how they will give customers a clearer skin, shinier hair, etc.
Alternatively, you could underline how your products will solve a problem that the customer has: in the same example as before, something on the tune of “less breakouts” or “less time spent blow-drying” could work.
- Use simple language, so that your tagline is easy to remember. No need to resort to complicated words. After all, you want your business card to be able to say everything about you in a split second!
Finalize Your Design
The last step is giving the final brushstrokes to your business card. For better visualization of the end result, we recommend using the 4OVER4 exclusive design tool. Not only can you get a pretty precise idea of what you will get, but you automatically get a free online proof sent to you before printing your business cards.
When finishing up the design, you want to make sure that all the images and text appear in the center of the card and do not touch the margins. This has been made easier with their design tool, which clearly indicates the print area so that you don’t go off the right part while designing.
After reading this simple guide, we hope to feature your design in one of our articles in relation to the best style of business card for a company. How does that sound?
