Even in the era of social networking and email, a printed business card is still the hallmark of a professional with a definite skill set or service to offer. Small business owners, freelancers, company employees and even college students with eye-catching business cards have an excellent networking and marketing tool right in their wallets or pockets. Exchanging business cards is mutually beneficial for both parties involved, and this networking can lead to increased gains for both at a later time. Since printed business cards are so prevalent, a professional and visually appealing design is essential.
Winning Business Card Ideas
Business cards with high quality paper and lettering send a favorable impression that the card owner is invested in his or her work. Putting time and thought into business card design indicates the owner or freelancer will apply the same high standards to his or her products and services. Good typography and card stock are only starting points; the best business cards are designed with the entrepreneur’s target audience in mind. Some winning business card elements include:
- Marketing messages with wording tailored to a certain age group
- Colors popular with specific demographics
- Non-traditional card shapes that say something about the services or products offered
- Business cards that double as functional office tools
These ideas are effective means of making a business card more memorable in the minds of potential customers. A potential sales lead who receives a business card in the form of a letter opener or even a small USB flash drive is quite likely to remember that company name. Inventive card shapes indicate the company owners are creative and willing to think outside the box.
A Great Business Card Needs to Stand Out
The last thing any entrepreneur or freelancer wants is his or her business card tucked into a lead’s pocket and forgotten. Standard, uninspiring business cards often meet this fate, and this can result in missed sales opportunities. To avoid this issue, a winning business card has some personality and communicates to customers that a business owner will treat them as more than a faceless sales transaction.
Creative business cards have exploded in popularity, and customer response tends to be quite positive. A visually intriguing business card design piques individuals’ natural curiosity and makes them want to learn more details about the business being marketed. Due to the cost-effectiveness and versatility of digital printing, sets of custom business cards can be ordered for quite reasonable prices.
Options for Having Business Cards Printed
Entrepreneurs in the market for new business cards normally have three options for ordering them: independent brick-and-mortar print shops, big-box office stores or online printing services. Print shops can often have the most knowledgeable designers and high quality printing equipment, but their pricing can be somewhat higher. Office chain stores can print business cards according to customer specifications, but some of them may have fewer options in terms of design choices. Online printing companies can have the best range of creative design options and card templates, though quality can vary from one online print business to the next.
Ordering a set of eye-catching business cards in bulk is now possible for affordable prices, and some print businesses offer print-on-demand as an economical choice. Planning a business card design that will catch attention takes more time and thought, but anyone in business for him- or herself can see a good return on the initial investment. Selecting best type of print company for business card needs is another consideration, and the best one depends on the design choices offered, the available pricing and the offered bulk order options.