We live in the age of digital technologies, so many will say that the time of business cards has passed because people mainly keep their contacts in their mobile phones. In this text, we will try to explain why the business card is still one of the indispensable parts of the visual identity and what you should take into account when designing this tool for business communication.

The movie: ” American Psycho” talks in an interesting way about the importance of a business card in the business world, so if you’ve seen the movie, we don’t need a better introduction.

Impressive business card design

So, after designing a logo , the next step in developing your brand should be a business card, because in addition to providing basic business information, this tool is an advertising tool, makes your brand more recognizable and, in a way, is a call to action .

And if there is no clear rule about it, the content of the business card is basically the same: logo, company name, first and last name, title, address, phone number, e-mail and website address. If it is important for the business area, it can also contain data about social networks, QR code, slogan, services, etc. However, what is much more important is that your business card, using these elements, stands out for its design and originality. The assumption is that your reminder will be found among many others and it is very important that it stands out visually. It is clear that you should not exaggerate in this segment, but try to keep the data legible and clearly arranged hierarchically.

Before we start with the steps of how to design a business card, it would be good if you already have defined:

• Company logo
• Company colors
• Typography, i.e. font

These three elements are also the most important, not only for the business card design but also for the brand in general. Likewise, in order to make the design process as simple as possible, not to mention easier, you need to know what you want to say, not only with words, but also with design.

Format selection

The standard format for business cards is 90mm x 50mm.

When we say standard, it does not mean a rule. More and more often, business cards are made that have the format of bank cards 86mm x 54mm with a radius (roundness) of 4mm in the corners.

However, as printing technologies are more and more advanced, so are the possibilities in the form of formats. By making a “stamp” (which we already talked about in the topic of preparation for printing ) you can make the shape and even the format you want, but try to keep it as practical as possible. The possibilities are enormous, from rounded corners to the shape of a logo, mascot or product, as well as folding formats, folding networks that are assembled into a 3D object, etc.

Such forms can certainly be original and fun, but we certainly do not recommend them for some more formal activities, where you should still stick to standard formats.

When choosing the format, it is also important to take care of the overhang, i.e. that no machine is accurate to the millimeter when cutting, especially due to the movement of sheets in the mass production process, so business cards should be designed with at least 3 mm deviations on all sides, so that neither one important piece of information should not be near the cutting line.

Paper or substrate

Regarding the choice of paper, the standard, but not the rule, is the use of kunstdruk of 300g.

This type of paper is characterized by great whiteness, and at the same time good color absorption, so it does not affect changes in color shades, so printing on it always looks attractive. Weight is important because of the strength and durability of business cards.

It is also possible to use some of the special papers. You will hear from printers that they are often called “specialists”. Often, when you mention them, the printer will give you a bunch of samples to choose which one you want, so the choice of paper can be like choosing the color of the woodwork or upholstery for your sofa.

Each of these papers has its own characteristics, and most often they differ in color and relief. This kind of paper looks more luxurious, but it can often have different absorption characteristics, so it happens to change the shade of the printed color, so too much color in the design is not recommended.

Business cards are increasingly being printed on plastic. It is nothing new that there are also flash memories in the form of business cards. Such substrates are quite expensive and are often not printed in large quantities.

Colors

We talked about how important it is to define corporate colors in advance. In that case, it is preferable that these colors prevail in the design. It is not a mistake if you use some additional colors on your business card, but you should make sure that they match the colors of your brand. Similar colors can look nice together, but they are not readable, so it is advisable to experiment with contrasts.

Depending on the design, your business cards will be printed on one or two sides. The marks for the number of colors on one side are from 1/0 to 4/0 ( full color ), that is, from 1/1 to 4/4 for double-sided printing.

When printing, you should especially emphasize, if you want, silver print, gold print or some specific fluorescent color.

Finishing

In addition to cutting to format, which is practically mandatory, lamination, which can be glossy or matte, is often used in finishing. In addition to the design effect, plasticization also has a role to protect the press from wear and tear.

For more luxurious variants, blind printing and partial UV varnish are used, which create a relief on certain parts, i.e. give a feeling of a third dimension to your business card.

Once you’ve gone through all the steps of designing a business card, you can re-evaluate your design to make sure everything is working as it should.

First, review the hierarchy of elements, that is, is everything clearly and legibly written so that your eye can have a proper “flow” across the business card? What is important to notice first and what last?

The unwritten rule is to start with the logo, through the name, and finish with the info data, only after that the eye should catch the other elements, if there are any at all. You can always change and optimize visual flows by changing the size and location of the element.

Finally, it is very important to double-check the accuracy of all the information on the business card so that there are no printing errors.

You can view some of the most interesting graphic solutions for business cards at the link here .

And if you want to have impressive business cards, which will separate you from the competition, then our team of graphic designers is the best solution. Contact us and see why all our clients praise us.

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