Business Cards

123Print, Inc.

Z-International, Inc.

Guide to Getting Great Business Cards

Your best advertising tool is one of the smallest investments
By Jenni Simcoe

	Business Card Essentials Business card printing services now have easy tools to design and print business cards online. Customizable templates can be found, but be sure to modify them enough to avoid a cookie cutter look. Don't overdesign. Too many stylish elements can add up to an ugly mish-mash.

A business card is your lifeline to customers and one of the most basic – and useful – marketing tools on the planet. It really can play a big role in helping you gain, or lose the interest of a potential customer. Your card represents you when you are no longer there, or many even be the “face” of you and your business to people who’ve never met you. You need a well-designed card that conveys the proper image and information about your business. And it has to be concise. An effective card can:

1. Serve as a silent salesperson. Long after the customer has received it, the card is a reminder of a product or service.
2. Provide superior customer service to clients. A properly executed card saves the customer time by putting them directly in touch with the right person.
3. Communicate a message to customers about your business.
4. Create repeat customers since they have a reminder in their card file of your business.
5. Be a word-of-mouth marketing tool if you ask every customer to pass on your card to friends and colleagues.

Action Steps to Get the Most from Business Card Printing Services

The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Decide on a concept Your card should reflect your image. You may prefer a straightforward design with a logo and contact information. If you're in a creative field, you'll need to show some personality on your card. In other professional industries, such as real estate, a photograph may be appropriate.

I recommend:  Check out business cards online gallery to see how other companies like yours have designed their cards or swipe a design idea from "The Best of Business Card Design 6".

Include all the details Your business card design should include all of the information you want your clients to have, but beware of making the card look like the fine print of a credit card. It seems obvious, but oftentimes the business card is the first thing that small business owners set up, before they have a physical address, website or email address.

I recommend:  For a comprehensive checklist of what to include on your card, take a peek at magazinedesign.weblogsinc.com or check out tips from marketing coach Veronika Noize. Before you print business cards, take the quiz "How does your card rank?"

Design and print business cards online There are hundreds of online print shops that produce high-quality cards with a fast turnaround.

I recommend:  One of the easiest business card printing services to navigate, gotprint.com, provides ten templates to let you design business cards online and insert your own logo. Designyourowncard.com also lets you design business cards online with different fonts and ink colors. If you want to take care of your business card printing locally, you can design with Microsoft Publisher. Find more business printing services at Business.com.

Don't forget about the back in business card printing Print business cards on both sides to add marketing messages, directions, coupons and more.

I recommend:  Get ideas for the back of your card at greatfxbusinesscards.com and businesscarddesign.com. You can also order a custom logo online.

Look for free business cards online You’ve probably seen the offers for 250 free business cards online. There may be a catch: The back sides of free business cards may carry advertisements for business card printing services.

I recommend:  Compare offers for free business cards online at free-business-card.org or try the free offer from business card printing services giant VistaPrint.

Be sure they keep it Even the most beautiful business card design is useless if people toss the card in the trash.

I recommend:  Discover what makes people hang on to business cards and what you can do to make sure they keep yours at greatfxbusinesscards.com.

Consider a digital card In these days of ever-accelerating technology, cutting-edge self-promotion options, like mini CD's, are becoming increasingly popular.

I recommend:  Check out Business.com's digital business cards listings for links to vendors.

Tips & Tactics for Getting Business Cards Made

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• For your permanent card, don't be tempted to buy those perforated cards that you run through an inkjet printer. They are an instant give-away that you scrimped on something that is important — your image. The best use for the DIY kit is to test your business card design or to print up temporary cards.
• Choose a high quality card stock. It will stand out among other cards in a filing system.
• Cards larger than 2' x 3 1/2' or vertically printed cards may set you apart, but if you want the card to be stored in a Rolodex, think twice. Vertical cards will be harder to read at a glance and larger cards won't fit.
• Most business card printing services offer an overall discount when you print business cards for all your employees at once. Consider providing all of your employees with a card when you open the doors, and you may be able to save money in the long run.