How to Make a Better Business Card

Your business card is essentially a reflection of your business, and is therefore one of the most important marketing tools at your disposal. You give your card to prospective clients so they have your contact information, you put it inside letters, presentation folders and other marketing materials, and use it in many different ways to tell everyone who you are and what your business does. If you run ads in newspapers, your business card may even work as an advertisement. Your card is also an indication to others how seriously you take your business, but it won't work to your advantage unless it's professional, easy to read, and assists customers remember why they should buy your product/service.

It may seem impossible to accomplish all this on such a tiny card, but it's easier than you think. Here are some ideas to ponder when you design (or revamp) your business card.

First, hire a professional artist or designer to help create your company logo. Ideally, the logo should have something to do with the service or product you offer. It should also usable on all company correspondence, advertising, and web pages. If you can't afford a professional artist, hire a student from your local university.

If your line of work isn't immediately discernable from your company's name, try coming up with a small, one-line slogan to help people remember what you sell. Make sure you include this slogan on your business card. Also include your website and email address on the card, since current and prospective customers will want to know them. If you're worried about spammers getting hold of the info, use an email address other than the one you give out to personal friends and family.

Your font size needs to be big enough to be easily read. The font color needs to be a contrasting color from the background; gray or yellow type on a white background is a lot harder to read than black or purple type. You don't have to make it pretty to make it effective, and if no one can read the contact info on your card it defeats the purpose.

You can make your card stand out from other business cards by using bright colors (or your photo, if you're brave), or use a glossy finish. A card that looks like it's been printed on a home computer gives the impression that you aren't serious about the job, and the company will fold once you find something else to do. A solid, heavyweight card with professional printing will go a long way in establishing yourself as a real business.

Professionally created cards may also cost you less in the long run than a do-it-yourself card. Ordering business cards online through Vista Print is easy , and you'll find yourself paying less than $20 (plus shipping) for 500 professionally printed, full-color business cards. Use that kind of heavyweight stock for your homemade cards and you'll be spending something closer to twice that amount, before we even get into printer ink.

Business cards can be an important marketing tool when made correctly. You just can't beat the convenience of handing your card to prospective clients-it's much faster and easier than writing out all your contact information for a person you've just met. The problem is most business cards only do half the promotion that they could be doing. Think about it: what do you do with the cards people give you? If you're like me, they go into a pile of other cards at the end of the day. If the card is lucky, it might go into a file, but it's still out of sight and out of mind.

With that in mind, why not consider getting more bang for your buck by making your business card into something, well, other than a card? Something useful, that people leave lying in plain view rather than tucking them away; something to remind them of your business whenever they come across it. After all, you can print information on pretty much anything these days. What about magnets? People use them to pin things to their fridge, where they'll see your contact information several times a day. Pizza places and other restaurants employ this tactic quite often, when their prospective customers are thinking about food.
Magnets aren't your only choice. Check out notepads, mouse pads, mugs, coasters, almost anything you can think of can be printed with your contact information these days. A popular choice is the wall or magnetic calendar, something people find useful enough to put in a prominent place in their house-something they'll look at constantly throughout the year.

The average business card just languishes in a corner somewhere, unable to convey its message in the dark. Utilizing the above marketing tactics to ensure that your business name is in clear view and easily read will increase the chances of someone using your product or service.