Are you about to redesign or print a business card? Do you want to stand out from the crowd? How can you continue your branding efforts to remain consistent even when your company is inside someone’s wallet?
In this podcast episode, Sam Carvalho speaks about 20 quick tips on how to design a unique business card.
Podcast Sponsor: Heard
As a therapist, the last thing you probably want to think about is doing your own bookkeeping and taxes. Heard is here to help with that. Heard is the financial back-office built specifically for therapists in private practice. They combine smart software with real humans to handle bookkeeping, taxes, and payroll.
Regardless of whether you’re a seasoned clinician or are in the first year of your practice, Heard will identify areas for growth and streamline best financial practices for your business.
When you sign up with Heard, you’ll be matched with an accountant who will help you track your income and expenses, file taxes online, and maximize tax savings. You’ll also receive financial insights such as profit and loss statements and personalized monthly reports. You can say goodbye to poring over spreadsheets and guessing your tax deductions or quarterly payments. Focus on your clients, and Heard will take care of the rest.
Pricing begins at $149 per month for solo practices and can easily be tailored to fit your business’ financial needs. Sign up for a free, 15-min consult call today at www.joinheard.com.
In This Podcast
Include the right details
Make it legible
Use your creativity
Pick the right style
Have a QR code
Give special finishes
Create a 3D effect
Avoid common mistakes
Use impressive visuals
Use some untried material
Consider the right paper thickness
Keep your design simple
Choose the right layout
Leave plenty of white space
Print in a professional way
Include a CTA
Pay attention to your logo
Choose the right font
Think of a unique shape
Get feedback
Include the right details
Remember that your space is limited. Most businesses will include their website, email address, mobile number, and perhaps physical address. Also, include your logo and company name.
Keep in mind that less is more and don’t try to cram too much content into your design. (Sam Carvalho)
Make it legible
A business card is small, but you don’t want to shrink the information to the extent that it’s difficult to read at first glance.
If you reduce the font size of the text to accommodate for more details, the text may not be as readable as it is online. (Sam Carvalho)
Keep in mind that when printing the letters, they may become messy. So, avoid using script-style fonts with too much detail, ad make sure your fonts are at least 8pt in size.
Use your creativity
Take a look at inspirational designs and try to come up with a unique design idea. Remember that the emphasis should be on uniquely delivering your content information.
Pick the right style
Most business cards you come across are plain and simple, while others may include a ton of color. You’ll need to decide which of these styles suits your brand better.
Be sure to stick to your brand guidelines and keep your branding consistent within your business card design. (Sam Carvalho)
Have a QR code
A great way to combine digital with print is to include a QR code on your card. This is especially true if you need to insert a lot of information into a limited space.
To create a QR code, simply type in QR code generator in Google and you will see several free platforms come up.
Give special finishes
Make sure that your business cards appear as high-quality finished products of great artwork. Consider giving it a quality finish that will help make your card stand out from your competitors. (Sam Carvalho)
This can be done through the use of spot-UV, metallic inks, foil blocking, and more, to give the best finishing touch for a great visual impression.
Create a 3D effect
A 3D effect, which gives the impression that the text and the design are raised from the surface, provides the card with a unique look and feel.
It also adds style and elegance and helps to bring your card to life.
Avoid common mistakes
Stay away from making a straight-looking border on all four sides of the card.
This may result in some misalignment during the printing or trimming of your card.
Consult with your printer to decide the bleed area so that you do not design anything in this area.
Make sure you have someone double-check your content for any grammatical areas.
The last thing you need is to print hundreds or thousands of business cards with a spelling mistake included.
Use impressive visuals
While the one side of your card – usually the back side – should contain your company’s contact information, you have the opportunity to make the other side as visually interesting as you’d like.
This can include imagery or a creative take on your logo – the sky is the limit! (Sam Carvalho)
Use some untried material
Different materials are being used as an experiment to create business cards, so paper is not the be-all or end-all.
To look unique and provide some excitement, you could consider using plastic, wood, metal, or slate for your cards.
Consider the right paper thickness
If you are going to stick with paper, take the thicker option. This speaks of professionalism as well as the quality of the services provided.
Keep your design simple
While I’ve encouraged you to think outside of the box when it comes to the design of your business card, you still mustn’t overdo it. A design that is simple and uncluttered is always the best route to take. (Sam Carvalho)
Avoid using too many images and colors and be sure to incorporate white space.
Choose the right layout
A good layout is essential to creating a unique business card. The layout helps in choosing the proper spacing and size so that you can set the crucial elements in the right place.
Leave plenty of white space
While space allows your eyes to focus on the crucial details of the design which in this case is your contact information.
White space also helps to declutter the design.
Print in a professional way
I wouldn’t recommend printing your business cards at home – definitely make use of professional printing for this. If you try to do it yourself and you are not a trained printer, you may end up distorting the design. (Sam Carvalho)
A homemade card will not leave a good impression.
Include a CTA
Consider making your card a valuable marketing tool by including some special offers or discounts for your clients.
Pay attention to your logo
Have your company logo take up the entire side of the card. This is always a good idea as your logo is the face of your company. As such, it deserves a prominent space in your design.
Choose the right font
Make sure your font is legible. Once you have decided on the typeface, consider using 2-3 different sizes which will help build a hierarchy of your content.
Think of a unique shape
To catch people’s attention, consider making use of a unique shape other than the usual rectangle. This could be a square or circle, but make sure to keep it small enough for people to put in their pockets.
Get feedback
Once you are done with your business card design, get some feedback on it from your audience or friends and family.
Podcast Sponsors:
When you sign up with Heard, you’ll work directly with financial specialists to track your income and expenses, file taxes online, and grow your business. Sign up now at www.joinheard.com.
Level Up your practice and business mentality on September 12th to 15th
Sam Carvalho is a graphic designer living in Cape Town, South Africa, with over five years of experience in both design and marketing, with a special interest and experience in the start-up environment.
She has been working with Practice of the Practice since 2016 and has helped over 70 therapist entrepreneurs take their practices to the next level by enhancing their visual branding. She loves working with a variety of clients on design-intensive tasks and is always up for a challenge!
Feel free to leave a comment below or share this podcast on social media by clicking on one of the social media links below! Alternatively, leave a review on iTunes and subscribe!
Podcast Transcription
[SAM CARVALHO]
Welcome to the Marketing a Practice podcast with me, Sam Carvalho, where you’ll discover everything you need to know about marketing and branding your business. To find out more about how I can help you brand new business visit www.practiceofthepractice.com/branding. If you’d like to see some examples of my design work, be sure to follow me on Instagram at Samantha Carvalho Design.
Hi there, thanks so much for joining me today on the Marketing a Practice podcast. Today, it’s just me again and I thought I would delve into business cards. So like with my previous episode on letterheads, I think business cards do still have their place, even in our predominantly digital society. They can still make your business stand out and just give you that extra professional edge that print marketing material can do for you. So without further ado, I’m going to jump straight into it. Here are some tips and tricks for creating stunning business cards.
[SAM CARVALHO]
Number one is to include the right details. So first and foremost, you need to decide what information to include on your business card. This is important as your space is limited. As we know business, the format of business cards is relatively small. So for most businesses they will include their website, email address, mobile number, and perhaps a physical address. Then obviously you’ll include your logo and your company name as well. Keep in mind that less is more, so don’t try and cram too much content into your design.
[SAM CARVALHO]
Number two is to make it legible. This is connected to point number one in that you don’t want to include too much information where you need to then make the text very small and it’s then not legible. Again, keep in mind the size of the business card and yes, don’t shrink the information to the extent that it’s difficult to read at a first glance. If you reduce the size of the font to accommodate more details, the text may not be as readable as it is online. This is something to keep in mind when designing that on your screen. The business part obviously looks big and the font looks perfect legible, but once it’s printed in its actual size, that may not be the case. Also keep in mind that when printing letters, they may become messy, so try to avoid script style fonts with too much detail and make sure that your fonts are at least 8PT in size.
[SAM CARVALHO]
Number three is to use your creativity. So while there are certain design rules to consider, if you’re designing your own business cards, you can definitely use your imagination as well. Take a look at inspirational designs and try and come up with a unique design idea. Remember that the emphasis should be on delivering your content information in a unique way. Number four is to pick the right style. If you do spend some time researching designs, you’ll see that some business cards come across plain and simple, while others may include a ton of color. You’ll need to decide which of these styles suits your brand better. Be sure to stick to your brand guidelines and keep your branding consistent within your business card design.
[SAM CARVALHO]
Number five is to have a QR code. This is a great way to combine digital with print and it’s also a really good idea if you need to insert a lot of information into the limited space that the business card provides. So instead of trying to squash all that information in, you could include a QR code and people can then scan it to access all of the information. To create a QR code, you can simply type in QR code generator into Google and you’ll see a number of free platforms come up. Number six is to give special finishes. Make sure that your business cards appear as high-quality finished products of great artwork. Consider giving it a quality finish that will help make your card stand out from your competitors. This can be done through the use of spot-UV, metallic inks, foil blocking and more to give the best finishing touch for a great visual impression.
[SAM CARVALHO]
Number seven is to create a 3D effect. A 3D effect, which as we know gives the impression that the text and the design are raised from the surface, provides the card with a unique look and feel. This is definitely adding something different that not a lot of designs will have. It also adds style and elegance and helps to bring your card to life. Number eight is to avoid common mistakes. You want to stay away from making a straight looking border on all four sides of the card. While again, this might seem like a nice touch on your screen, it may result in some misalignment during the printing or trimming of your card. Similarly, consult with your printer to decide the bleed area so that you do not design anything in this area. The bleed area is typically the area that gets trimmed and so you want to make sure that there’s no important information included there. Also, make sure you have someone double check your content for any grammatical errors. The last thing you need is to hundreds or thousands of business cards with a spelling mistake included.
[HEARD]
As a therapist, the last thing you probably want to think about is doing your own bookkeeping and taxes. Heard is here to help with that. Heard is the financial back office built specifically for therapists in private practice. They combine smart software with real humans to handle bookkeeping, taxes and payroll. Regardless of whether you’re a seasoned clinician or in the first year of your practice, Heard will identify areas for growth and streamline best financial practices for your business. When you sign up with Heard, you’ll be matched with an accountant who will help you track your income and expenses, file taxes online and maximize tax savings. You’ll also receive financial insights such as profit and loss statements and personalized monthly reports.
You can say goodbye to pouring over spreadsheets and guessing your tax deductions or quarterly payments, focus on your clients Heard will take care of the rest. Plans begin at $149 per month for solo practices and can easily be tailored to fit your business’ financial needs. Sign up for a free 15-minute consult call today at www.joinheard.com.
[SAM CARVALHO]
Number nine is to use impressive visuals. So while the one side of your card, usually the backside should contain your company’s contact information. You have the opportunity to make the other side as visually interesting as you’d like. This can include imagery or a creative take on your logo. The sky is the limit. Number 10 is to use some untried material. At the moment, different materials are being used as an experiment to create business cards. They are no longer solely printed on paper. To look unique and provide some excitement to your recipients, you could consider using plastic, wood, metal, or even slate for your cards. Number 11 is to consider the right paper thickness. If you are going to stick with paper, I would recommend taking the thicker option. This speaks of professionalism as well as to the quality of the services that you provide.
[SAM CARVALHO]
Number 12 is to keep your design simple. While I’ve encouraged you to think outside of the box when it comes to the design of your business card, you still mustn’t overdo it a design that is simple and unlettered is always the best route to take. So avoid using too many images and colors and be sure to incorporate wide space. Number 13, choose the right layout. A good layout is essential to creating a unique business card. The layout helps in choosing the proper spacing and size so that you can set the crucial elements in the right place. Number 14, leave plenty of wide space. We’ve already mentioned it, but it deserves a point all on its own. Wide space allows your eyes to focus on the most important details of a design. In this case, your contact information. So when you include a lot of wide space, it also helps to declutter the design with unnecessary elements.
[SAM CARVALHO]
Number 15 is to print in a professional way. I definitely wouldn’t recommend that you print your business cards at home. Definitely make use of professional printing for this. If you try to do it yourself and you are not a trained printer, you may end up distorting the design. Also, a homemade card will not leave a good impression. Number 16 is to include a call-to-action. Again, this is including a bit of a digital aspect to the print form of marketing. You can consider making your card a valuable marketing tool by including some special offer or discounts for your clients.
[SAM CARVALHO]
Number 17 is to pay attention to your logo. You want your company logo, well, you can consider with everything else that I’ve said, having your company logo take up the entire one side of the card. Bear in mind that your logo is the face of your company and therefore deserves a prominent space in your design. So if you’re stuck for ideas or you’re not sure what to do, it’s always a good idea to just have your logo take up the whole space of the one side. Number 18 is to choose the right font. As mentioned earlier, make sure that whatever font you use is a legible one. Once you’ve decided on the typeface, consider using two to three different sizes, which will help build a hierarchy of your content.
[SAM CARVALHO]
Number 19, think of unique shape. To catch people’s attention consider making use of a unique shape other than the usual rectangle. This could be a square or circle or something even more way out, but be sure to keep it small enough for people to put in their pockets. Number 20 and the last tip for today is to get feedback. Once you’re done with your business card design, get some feedback on it from your audience or your friends and family. This is valuable to do before printing in case you decide to change anything based on their feedback. That’s it for today guys, just some quick-fire tips on how to create a business card that’s going to make you stand out from the crowd. I hope this has been valuable and I’ll see you in the next episode.
Thanks again to Heard for sponsoring this episode. Remember that when you join Heard, you’ll work directly with financial specialists to track your income and expenses, file taxes online, and grow your practice. Sign up now at www.joinheard.com.
Thanks for listening to the Marketing a Practice podcast. If you need help with branding your business, whether it be a new logo, rebrand, or you simply want some print flyer designed head on over to www.practiceofthepractice.com/branding. If you’d like to see some examples of my design work, be sure to follow me on Instagram at Samantha Carvalho Design.
Finally, please subscribe, rate, and review this podcast on iTunes if you like what you’ve heard. Talk to you soon.
Marketing a Practice podcast is part of the Practice of the Practice podcast network, a network of podcasts seeking to help you market and grow your business and yourself. To hear other podcasts like Beta Male Revolution, Empowered and Unapologetic, Imperfect Thriving, or Faith in Practice, go to practiceofthepractice.com/network.
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