Your First Business Card Design

first business card design

So you’re creating a logo, and you want to stand out from the crowd of Helveticas and embossed card, you might feel you need to be truly innovative with your business card typeface, design and colours, which can of course be an impossible errand.

Here are some helpful tips to designing a business card to help you feel embossed to everyone else.


Design Does Matter

Many of the standard templates that are provided can give you a good idea of how to layout the business card, and many business card companies can provide some insight into where to have all the information, whether it should be double sided or single sided, coloured or black and white.

Pick a design, and a template that you feel reflects your image as correctly as possible.

Pay for a Logo

If you don’t have the skill set to create a high quality logo, then it is worth paying someone to design one for you, the truth is, it can take someone who knows their way around Photoshop or Indesign a matter of minutes to create a logo out of your name. They will usually have a keen eye for design too so fear not for creating a logo is as cheap as it is easy.

There are many students across universities that will happily design you a logo for a nominal fee, or you can look to the internet, with sites like fiverr.com, getting a professional looking logo designed is easy.

Remember to standardise across all platforms once you have a logo designed, use it, use it on as many platforms as possible. Reinforce your own professional image by including the logo on your email signature, website, social properties and stationery.

Don’t Skimp on the Quality

Whilst the cheaper options may be kinder to the pocket, in the long run, free business cards look exactly that. Pay for some higher GSM card and if the image suits, go for embossed or indented lettering, the feel of this excites and automatically incites quality to the receiver.

Content is King

We have looked at the design, as that is sure to make the first impression on the receiver, but you need substance to back it up. The space of which you have to communicate yourself is very limited, especially as methods of contact keep on evolving. Only stick to a couple forms of communication such as;

  • Email;
  • Phone;
  • Website;
  • Twitter handle;

Or if you are in a more traditional vertical, include the following;

  • Address;
  • Phone;
  • Alternate phone;
  • Email address;

Include a strapline, and make an impression from the very first moment someone picks up your business card, along with the strapline, make sure your current role title is included so there is absolutely no confusion about what you do.

With a bit of deeper thought on all the above points, you can be sure to get a business card that looks professional and is sure to make an impression on the receivers you are presenting it to. Keep it simple, keep it clean, and replicate exactly what information you would want to see on a business card.


Andy works on behalf of Solopress Printing Services, a company that specialise in creating top quality business cards. He appreciates sites with great typography and relates this to printing in the physical world.


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