Your business card is an extension of your brand, and it’s essential to know what it should include. Here’s a breakdown.
Your business card is a memorable, meaningful, and powerful extension of your business brand.
It’s a simple way totake your professional development into your own hands since a well-balanced and eye-catching business card allows you to connect with your prospects personally.
Do you know what to put on a business card? Here’s what you need to know.
Many people focus on the graphic elements and text on a business card and forget to pay attention to the negative space (the space around the texts and graphics).
Negative space is vital because it gives your card the balance to imbue professionalism and the compelling human element you need to keep your prospects engaged with your business.
This shows that understanding what to put on a business card is vital for successfully branding your business. Here is a list of what you should put on your business card with that in mind.
An effective logo shares a meaning or a developed concept regarding your business. It provides a way to communicate your business message effectively.
As a result, a prospect will look at your logo and find your business professional, credible, and trustworthy. The trick is to ensure your logo is practical, straightforward, informative, and graphic.
Choose between the three types of logos depending on your business type and the effect you want the logo to achieve. These are a symbol, a letter mark or monogram, and a written name. A Monogram is a composition of the initial letters of your business name organized creatively.
This logo makes sense if you have a long business name like Internal Revenue Service (IRS). The written name should be a representation of your brand in written form. Examples of companies with written name logos include Nike and Mercedes.
Usually, symbols are the most common form of logos because they are appealing and creative. Your image symbol can be mysterious or straightforward, but it should relate to your business brand and message and support your business name. A good example is Apple’s image of a bitten apple.
When creating your logo, ensure it works inblack and white and color scale. Also, ensure that it is scalable for any representation to ensure the appeal of your logo doesn’t change in different contexts.
Always make the image high-quality and leave space around your logo. Letting it breathe makes it stand out.
In addition, include your logo on the backside of your business card as well. This move will reinforce your brand. But only use one color at the back.
People are more likely to remember your business name faster than your logo. Therefore, make your business name prominent by making it the most visible part of your business card.
Your tagline is a summary of your business offerings in less than six words.
It shows your business identity to your prospect and makes you recognizable. Use words, shapes, and colors creatively for the perfect slogan.
Also, make it catchy yet straightforward because it is the heart of your brand. For instance, “Your Smile Matters” is an excellent tagline for a dentist. Nike’s “Just Do It” is a perfect example of the effect of a compelling tagline.
Like your business name, people remember your name if you place it correctly on the business card because it acts as a personal human connection to your business. As such, make your name prominent and use a clear font for the text.
Including your title provides context about your role within your organization.
Be sure to make it just as clear and prominent as your name.
The key to a successful and appealing business card is to include as little text as possible. Go straight to writing the name of your website or use a QR code that takes your prospect directly to the landing page on your site.
Make the experience better by customizing the message for your business card visitors. This also allows you to track the conversions from your business cards. For instance, you can include a call to action to the greeting message on your site if you have a promotion.
Including contact details on your card is how your prospect reaches you when they need your products or services.
While you can place your contact information right, left, or center on the business card, ensure you emphasize your preferred contact method.
For instance, if you prefer to get contacted using your phone number, make it more prominent than other contact information like your email address. Include your location if you have a brick-and-mortar business that depends on foot traffic.
3.96 billion people use social media, meaning it’s an excellent avenue to increase your brand awareness. Your business card is a perfect option to use to tap into the benefits of social media.
Here’s how:
When you add your social media handles to your business card, you give your business some credibility since it shows that you are easily accessible through your social media platforms.
Potential prospects can explore your business brand on social media, interact with your audience, and better connect with your business message.
They can also go through your customer reviews and get honest feedback about your products and services. As a result, the prospect is more likely to trust you and your business offerings. Remember, people seek human connections in businesses.
As such, the engagement a prospect gets on your social media accounts provides that connection. This type of exploration also expands your network because if a prospect likes or shares a post, it becomes visible to a new audience.
Therefore, your business card takes your business through an exposure process that you would otherwise miss if only one prospect used the card. Since social media is a massive part of marketing, adding your handles on your business cards can act as a free advertising tool.
You should include social media in your business card because it allows your business to grow. However, ensure you are active on social media and have engaging content for prospects to see, like, and share.
This depends on your preference, but there are clear benefits.
Your headshot gives people an idea about you and your personality before meeting in person. This makes you more trustworthy, recognizable, and approachable, and so does your business. A professional headshot is excellent marketing material for your business.
For instance, people who smile in their headshots often get liked more, and they are considered more influential because people connect better with imagery.
However, don’t overdo it since a badly done headshot could hurt your prospects. Instead, get an expert photographer to ensure your headshot is professional.
Your use of a headshot should also align with your business niche to make it more effective. Consider your audience and whether including a headshot would make a good impression on them.
For example, as a realtor, a professional or a semi-professional look might bode well with your audience since they expect you to be a professional.
Keep your background in mind as well. Ensure it has a neutral color to ensure your audience isn’t distracted. Natural, brick, black, and white backgrounds are excellent options. Also, implementthe rule of thirds in your images, use natural lighting when possible, and take the most prominent image size you have.
There are many benefits to double-sided business card printing, but the choice should be based on the following considerations:
Sometimes, a business card printed on one side is more appealing and professional. But if you have a lot of relevant information to include on your card, using both sides might serve you well.
For instance, if you own a business that takes appointments, customize the back of the card to include appointment dates for the month. Or use the front part of the card to include every piece of vital information and fill the back with tiny graphics and patterns that add to the overall business card objective.
Printing the business card on both sides increases your printing costs, which might be a matter of concern if you justbecame your own boss and are working on a budget. Otherwise, consider getting high-quality printing services if cost is not an issue.
One advantage of printing your business card on both sides is that it is more impressive. It imbues professionalism and a dedication to providing the best services or products. Business cards are an investment — and a worthwhile one at that.
Therefore, the more time you spend making sure they are perfect for your business, the better they impress your prospects. Remember that a blank side is an excellent option, especially if you leave it to write or scribble notes.
You can use your business card to show your prospects that your business is different by using these tips:
Organizations withsome of the best business cards include:
Share your cards toboost your career.
You can leave them in food courts, malls, banks, and ATMs. Waiting rooms in places like airports, hotels, hospitals, and bookstore lounges are also perfect spots to leave your business card if you are looking for some exposure.
Don’t forget to give some of your past or current clients some extra cards. They can be your most extensive support system, especially if they already get clients for your business through referrals. Also, take advantage of networking events and conferences and pass your cards out to new connections.
One great final option is to find a business platform that can take the burden of designing and marketing your business using your business card. Hoist can do that for your business.
Get in touch with Hoist for a hassle-free branding and marketing experience when it’s time to launch your business.
Sources:
How Many People Use Social Media In 2022/ Oberlo
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