10 Commandments of Business Card Design

Successful business card design is underpinned by some fundamental best practices. No matter how well-designed a card can be, it also needs to serve its purpose as a functional personal marketing tool. Here are a few best practices to guide you through designing a business card.

1. Use good card stock.

There is ample variety in card stock, so don’t immediately default to the bargain version or standard stock. Branching out to different card stock can have a positive impact on how someone interacts with your business card. Avoid making a blind decision and order paper samples from major card printers. These are often free and can give you a good sampling of what you can expect.

2. Be aware of your type size.

Real estate is limited on your average card, so business cards tend to be smaller in print. But know your limits before using too small of a font. You don’t want to go too far with it because not all fonts are meant for small type and may bleed during printing.

3. Don’t go too fine with it.

The hairline font you are using may look great on a screen, but how does it look printed at 9 pt? Watch your font weights and test print them before ordering your cards from the printer.

4. Be sparing.

Restrict your content and design elements, this will help avoid cluttering and over complication. Your card should communicate its message efficiently, so be succinct with your design.

5. Know your industry

There are conventions for a reason, and sometimes it is smart to follow the industry-specific best practices that are already established. Knowing who your end user is for the business card is also helpful to inform the design. For example, design in higher point sizes if you think your end user may struggle reading small print.

6. Content hierarchy

Have a numbered list ordering importance of each piece of content going into the card before beginning your designs. Having a hierarchy will help distinguish the important information from the secondary information.

7. Proof print your cards

Have a peek at what your cards look like printed, even if it's from a low-quality printer. Printing your cards to proof gives a new perspective on the design and helps ensure you got things like your margins and type sizes right to name a couple.

8. Stay on brand.

The business card is another touchpoint of your business, another marketing tool for you to engage people with. Keep your brand on your business card consistent beyond just repeating your logo. Reflect elements like color and typography onto your printed cards to tighten your brand up among all your touchpoints.

9. Don’t cheap out.

Cheap card stock and poor quality ink can be memorable, but almost never in a positive way. Remember that once you hand out your business card, this is the message you have left behind for that new contact. What message do you want to send?

10. Get creative.

Get creative with your business card designs to make more of an impact without muddling the message. Business cards can have a short lifespan, so make your stand out with solid design and creative execution.

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