Eight design tips for impressive business cards

The business card is an integral part of a company’s corporate design package and a real opportunity to score with potential customers through great design! See some particularly successful examples here!

The business card is an integral part of a company’s corporate design package. Even in the digital age, it remains one of the most important communication tools. Especially during personal meetings that should not be underestimated, at trade fairs, events or conferences, in addition to a firm handshake, it provides the most important contact information and also a first glimpse into the company’s visual appearance.

This first impression has to sit and reflect the company and yourself in a professional and brand-appropriate way. Originality, personality, and authenticity are indispensable for a business card design that should be remembered.

Like any other medium of classic analog communication, business cards have undergone a development. Their design spectrum has become more sophisticated, their format has long outgrown the common 85 x 54 mm. The design options are large and offer a lot of space to present you concisely and uniquely.

1. The must to include on good business cards

Sure, business cards convey not only the brand personality, but also the contact details. There are countless ways to contact us. Try to find a compromise here so that the card design is not blown up out of sheer information, but the necessary data is still transported. Be flexible and cover different communication channels through which you can be reached. Think about your target group and their communicative preferences. Structure the content clearly and clearly. Only when the content is defined do you start with the actual design. Don’t forget your logo!

2. Highlight with colour

Colours are one of the strongest design tools to evoke targeted emotions and associations in the viewer. Each colour is loaded with certain attributes that correspond to the brand values ​​and of course should match the existing logo. Colours catch the eye, form highlights and contrasts and, in combination with the design, create an atmosphere that you should particularly take advantage of in marketing communication.

3. Current design trends

Whether vintage, minimalism, color blocking or cut-outs. Jumping on design trends is always an attractive opportunity to impress. However, you should determine exactly with your designer whether the selected trend fits your brand. Stay authentic and true to your brand values, otherwise the measure will quickly backfire.

The trend in business card design to populate one side of the card with images that change from copy to copy is currently one of the hottest. The pictures should all speak the same design language, so as not to lose uniformity here, but still enjoy the effect of surprise and variety.

4. Typography makes the difference

Especially when a lot of information is placed in a limited space, different fonts help to create structure and structure. The choice of font influences the effect and legibility of your business card. Position the writing elements clearly so that the message can be easily consumed. Small icons are also ideal for making the map clean and appealing. In terms of design, they build the bridge from the analog to the digital medium.

5. Original concept

Just like a logo or website, the unique business cards also require an original, overarching concept that goes far beyond the placement of rows and columns of text. Every business card has two sides. Take advantage of this and play skillfully with you. Give each side an incentive to turn the card and discover the other side. This can happen through incomplete sentences or series of images. Symbols or play of colors can also increase curiosity and take a closer look. Place your business card skillfully in the overall concept of your corporate design.

6. Creative with the formats

Venture away from the classic and play with the charms of the different formats. Rectangular, round, square, with round or pointed corners – every shape has a message and should primarily fit your brand. The now almost unrecognized rectangular format offers the possibility to use the card in landscape or portrait format. This opens up sophisticated ways of design. You don’t believe how versatile the classic business card format can be designed.

Even individually punched shapes that are of the same type are enjoying increasing popularity; giving your business cards an extra dose of creativity and making you stand out. Interactive DIY cards call for crafting through perforated markings. This turns simple cards into small airplanes or animals that remain very safely in your head. Industry-specific associations such as the example of the cinema ticket are suitable for small experiments.

7. Play with the haptics

Do not choose the material of the business card until you have decided on a design, because the two should complement and harmonize with each other. You are spoiled for choice here too. Your budget plays a crucial role. The range of printing houses has grown enormously. Papers of different thickness and quality, with relief or texture, all sorts of playful coatings or maybe colored or transparent plastic give the card a haptic component that should not be underestimated, especially in times of online communication.

Of course, you can also completely detach yourself from the classic materials and use wood, fabrics or metals as the basis for the cards. Wood gives the card in the truest sense of the word even more weight, looks noble and high quality.

8. Surprise bonus!

Surprise your contacts and give them more than they expect. For special events, for example, it is advisable to print a limited edition of business cards that bring an extra alongside your information. This can be a discount code or a competition entry. Get creative!

The interplay of the eight components listed opens up endless possibilities to create a strong business card design and thus attract attention. However, in the land of plenty of design resources, never forget that your business card should always fit into the overall concept of your brand. Adhere to the guidelines of your own corporate design, because nothing is more unforgivable than inconsistency in the corporate image and a resulting diffuse brand image. Strengthen your recognition by relying on uniformity for your business card and using it as an entry ticket to your brand world.

Author: I’m Arslan Riaz, founder of EyeT.org. I am also an expert writer and blogger, as knowing about animation and having more than 4 years of the incident. I mainly focus on blogging, writing and searching unique techniques.