With business cards, there are a lot of different ways to get them right.  Unfortunately there are about twice as many ways to get them wrong.  I mean we’ve all seen the glaringly bad business cards.  The ones that are so ugly or boring or just plain wrong that they actually make you think less of the business.  No one wants to be put into that category and absolutely no one wants to lose business because of a bad business card, but it definitely happens.  To help make sure your business card does it’s job, here are the five big don’ts in business card design: 1. Incomplete information If the purpose of a business card is to build a relationship, as a general rule of thumb, you need to have all your contact information present.  It’s pretty much a non-negotiable these days, but every single business card needs to have the following:

• Company Name and Logo
• Your Name
• Your Title
• Email Address
• Phone Number
• Website URL
• Physical Address
• Company description or tagline (Optional, but helpful)
• Social Media profile links (Optional, but helpful)

You’ve got a 3.5 x 2 inch space to get people to remember you and your business and there are some really classy and stylish ways to present all of that key information.  If you do it right, your business card can become a great sales and marketing tool.  Just make sure you cover all your bases and include all the key information about you and your company. 2. Blah design The look and feel of a business card can be a bit subjective, but for the most part, people tend to agree when something is eye-catching versus totally boring.  Boring business cards can be a huge turn-off to potential clients or buyers, so it’s worth it to take some time and invest in an attractive design from the start. Going away from a boring business card doesn’t mean that you have to go crazy with color either, but it does mean that you have to put something together that represents your business well.  If your business is best represented by a sleek black and white card, that’s great – just add some personality in with the font choices and design elements.  Anything to help your business card stand out from the crowd. 3. Overcomplicated design On the flip side, it’s very easy to overdo a design concept when you are working with a really small space.  Don’t over-engineer your business card design to the point that it starts turning people off.  The design needs to help emphasize what your business does and the quality of your work.  It can’t just be design for design’s sake.  A good rule of thumb is if you hand it to someone and they seem overwhelmed or confused, you’ve probably gone too far. 4. Illegible fonts The funny thing about business cards is that you actually want people to be able to read the information.  I’ve seen so many business cards that choose a font, that while interesting and full of character, is way too hard to read.  If a person has to struggle to get your contact information off your business card, it’s probably going to be a struggle to win their business. As a general rule of thumb, fonts should be between 7 and 11 pts.  Anything smaller than that is really too small for most people to read without straining their eyes.  Why not make it easy for people to get your information and contact you. 5. Poor quality This is an area that a lot of people underestimate, but the quality of the paper and printing does make a difference in how your business is perceived.  A nicely designed card printed on flimsy, thin cardstock may make your business seem a little flimsy as well.  Using a heavier card stock for your business card may be a bit more expensive up front, but it will definitely help your business appear stronger, more sturdy and solid. You also need to consider the print quality.  Make sure to take into consideration the bleed lines when designing your card and always do a test print before committing to a full batch. In Summary: Your business card can be an incredible marketing tool if done right.  Just stay away from these basic mistakes and you’ll be growing your business in no time!