Thursday, January 28, 2016

Top 6 Business Card Mistakes To Avoid

Top 6 Business Card Mistakes to Avoid
Top 6 Business Card Mistakes to Avoid

A business card is so important, and because it's such a cost-effective marketing tool, it should not be overlooked! Too often it's a missed opportunity to make a great first impression. 


There's always a chance that if the look of your card is cheap or unprofessional, that it may be thrown in the trash, along with your chances of acquiring a new client. Why risk it with the cost of printing business cards so affordable?

You don't need to be a professional designer to come up with a good business card, but you should know these common mistakes to make it an effective marketing tool.


Mistake #1: Blending In

The majority of business cards out there leave no real impression and shortly there after get thrown in the trash. Leave someone with a card that looks great and feels great, and I promise you won't be forgotten.

There is absolutely no excuse for an unattractive or unprofessional looking business card. With so many free templates, software templates and well designed samples available online today to help you, there is just no excuse.


Mistake #2: Poor Quality Card

I've had clients show me business cards they printed themselves, or even with some online printing companies. At first glance they look fine, but when you hold the card in your hands you can quickly determine it's value when you realize they are flimsy and you can feel the perforations around the sides, which sometimes even start to peel back.

Don't skimp on quality when it comes to business cards. You want to have a good paper stock, print that doesn't bleed, and the card should feel substantial and pleasing to the touch. I wouldn't recommend anything under 14 points, and if you can get 16 pt, even better.


A poor quality card implies poor quality services or products, so instead of attracting potential clients a poor quality card will likely repel them. If you don't give your business card out as much, then spending good money on them shouldn't be a problem as they will last you a long time. If you give your card out on a regular basis, then you definitely need to invest in good quality cards as they will result in plenty of leads and well worth the expense.


Mistake #3: The Mystery Card

When someone looks at your business card, can they tell right away what you do? If you're answer is no, then you are very likely missing out on plenty of calls and referrals.

Your card should state at least one very powerful reason a customer should do business with you. If you're logo and/or slogan doesn't cover that, you may want to consider adding a bit more information.

Mistake #4: The Oversized Card

Common sense dictates the use of a traditional 2" x 3.5" business card. Anything bigger will not fit properly in wallets or business card holders, and chances are it will end up in the trash.

The same applies with cards that are too thick. 32 points is about the thickness of a credit card, and I don't know about you, but when I put two credits cards in the same slot in my wallet I kick myself in the butt every time I have to struggle to pull one out! Is it really worth stressing out your potential client over a trend? Probably not lol


Mistake #5: Small Print

Is your print so small that you should be handing out magnifying glasses with your business card? Consider the fact that most people over the age of 35 require reading glasses and use that as a guideline for type size. Don't go smaller than 7-8 points on the overall design, your name can be a little larger, at least 9 points. And your logo/business name usually looks good at about 12-15 points. It all varies on design of course, but keep it over 7-8 points.

Mistake #6: Clutter

I know you may want to put as much information as you can on your card, but that's what your website is for or your phone number, so you can tell people all about how you can help them! Too much print looks busy and terribly unprofessional. Keep it simple and make sure they know how to reach you. All that is really needed is your name, your company, what you do, and how they can contact you.

Always have a supply of cards wherever you go and give them out when appropriate. Give out more than one and invite people to pass the extras along to others whom they may feel would benefit from your services or products. You'd be surprised at how often this can result in referrals and possibly new clients.

So there you have it, 6 simple mistakes to avoid. Now there are alway exceptions to the rules. Knowing the reasons behind these common business card blunders will help you determine if in your specific line of work it will be okay to break them. 

If you have any other questions about business card designs or printing in general, feel free to ask in the comments section. And if you need assistance from a professional, head over to Corp.img and we'll do our best to help you with your project!

1 comment:

  1. These are all great tips! A well-designed business card ensures you make a good first impression.

    ReplyDelete