Many salaried professionals and independent contractors still use business cards to network at business events. Business cards enable these professionals to connect with potential clients and market their services/products. These cards contain the vital information that people need to contact businesses for deals or purchases.
However, many professionals make the mistake of “overloading” their business cards. Too much information makes business cards unreadable. That’s why leaving some white space on business cards is vital. White space also allows recipients to write their own personal notes on the cards.
But, when designing and creating custom business cards, users must not forget to include some pieces of “standard information.” Without these vital pieces of information, the process of giving or receiving business cards is pointless. In terms of the cards’ design, you have full control. But, don’t forget to include these five pieces of “standard information” while designing your cards –
- Name of the Professional
If you are a salaried employee, write your name and the name of your company on the business card. Your name should be on top and the company name right underneath it. If you are a self-employed contractor working under your own brand name, mention that detail. Your name should be printed in a larger font compared to the rest of the text on the card. People will have zero doubts about whose business card they’re reading if your name is printed clearly.
- Title
Salaried employees of companies must also write their job titles along with their names on business cards. You can include this detail anywhere on the card. There’s no need to place this info next to the company name or your name. Normally, people print this detail next to their contact information. That’s because the title indicates the professional’s competency. Before giving you a call, a client would like to know which title you hold.
If you’re not a salaried employee and an independent contractor, use the title “Owner” on your business cards.
- Digital Address
In the past, including the physical address of the company in business cards was mandatory. People didn’t trust business cards with no addresses. This trend is not applicable anymore. If your digital presence is stronger than your real-world presence, attracting potential clients to your website makes more sense. So, include your company website’s URL address. Add your personal email as well. Including social media profiles also makes sense if you’re in a line of work that deals with such things.
- Contact Information
Including a phone number, a QR code, or an email address in business cards is vital. The job of your business card is to make you more easily accessible to potential clients. People should look at your business card and be able to contact you within seconds.
- Branding Elements
Business cards with no logos, colors, or design elements are impossible to identify. Such cards also don’t look too appealing. Make sure your business card stands out by including high-quality logos, colors, designs, and textures on the final print.
Design the card whatever way you want. But don’t forget to add these critical pieces of information!
