How To Create Business Cards?

What Makes A Business Card Stand Out?

1. Imagine yourself walking into the office of one of your dream investors who has set aside a slice of his precious time to hear your pitch.
2. This is your chance to give it your best shot and create an impression.
3. You have your presentation ready, you look dapper, you speak confidently, and you are just an inch away from your dream venture.
4. As you walk in, the receptionist asks for your details, and you verbally share them.
5. Now imagine walking into the office and smartly taking out your tastefully designed business card and giving it to the receptionist.
6. You share the same with your investor, and they are pleasantly surprised and glad about your thoughtfulness, creativity, and commitment to your work.
7. Your first impression is a hit!
8. As an entrepreneur, networking is part of the daily routine.
9. You interact with so many new people every day and hope that these meetings will yield positive results.
10. When you are meeting with people, you leave them with an impression, and if you have hit all the right chords, then you might even have your dream deal sealed.
11. A business card is a reflection of your professionalism, sincerity, and your dream, and you must always have one on your person when meeting with a business associate or a professional acquaintance.
12. Although nowadays, meetings are more virtual than physical, whenever you get a chance to meet people in person, make sure you leave the right impression.
13. A business card doesn’t just provide key information about you and your company, also allows you to register your brand in the mind of the person who receives your card.
14. It is an important touchpoint for you and your brand to make a difference, and the more creative you are, the more people will remember you.  

The Key Reasons Why You Should Carry Your Business Card With You Are:

1. Ease Of Passing On Information

A business card lets you provide information conveniently at one go without much hassle. It stays with your client. It can be referred to whenever the client wants.

2. It adds a Human Element to the Interaction

In this digital world, no matter how many contact sheets you have and how much information is saved on the cloud, it always feels good to have human contact. Who doesn’t love a great brainstorming session at a café? Meeting new people and sharing your contact details in person makes people remember you better.

3. First Impression Matters

“Pehle darshandhari phir gun vichari ” It is true that a lot depends on how you present yourself, how you talk, and how you carry yourself when meeting new people. . Carrying a well designed business card gives you that extra edge. If you leave on a good note, you are bound to be remembered, and the chances of receiving a call or a business proposal are high.

4. Builds Trust

An investor or a client whoever you are meeting is also seeking someone who can be trusted. They are trusting you with their hard-earned money, so it is only natural that you make every effort to give them confidence and build trust. Such small things matter, and they are the foundation of a lasting business association.

The people you meet will probably be receiving several business cards in a day. The only way you can create an impact is by giving the right information on an aesthetically designed card.

How Do You Create An Impressive Business Card?

Remember, a business card is a business tool. It should smartly talk about your brand and have a high recall value.  There are plenty of business card designers online where you will get plenty of options from which you can choose the one that suits your style and spirit the best. . Do note that designing a business card is not a one-time activity. It is a part of your brand identity.  There are two phases to it –

Phase I

Defining your Brand

1. The first step is to define your brand and identify what it stands for and what is that unique differentiator that makes your brand stand apart.
2. The brand identity design should represent the key pillars of your brand.
3. Ideally, at first, a brand manual should be created, which should have the dos and don’ts of a brand, something that establishes the brand guidelines.
4. Based on these brand guidelines, one must design the business card.

Brand Identity – The LOGO

• The logo is your brand, and your brand is the logo.
• It is that identification mark that has the power of creating an indelible mark on people’s minds.
• It is the first step to establish who you are, what you stand for, what your beliefs and principles are, and what your brand represents.
• The brand stationery or collaterals need to be based on the logo and the brand world you decide upon for your brand.

Phase II

Designing Brand Stationery

1. This will include the business card, letterhead, writing pad, etc.
2. Out of these, the business card becomes one of the most important touch points for your business.

Use The Business Card As Your Business Tool

• Make sure the business card reflects your business perfectly.
• You can try different creative executions to make your card classy.
• For example, if you have a food business, it will be wise to have visual elements or metaphors related to food or gastronomy.
• Or, if you have some extra money to spare for the design, you can try a different shape instead of the usual rectangular business card.

Find Your Brand Voice

1. Always remember it is not what you say but how you say it.
2. One should define the brand’s tone and manner thoughtfully because it is not you who is talking to your audience all the time, it is the brand.
3. In this case, it is a small card that is passing on the brand’s message.
4. If you are a fun brand, you can have a quirky tone or some catchy lines, or a fun design to resonate with your brand’s core.
5. Or if you are into serious business, then the selection of fonts, and words, the writing style should differ accordingly.

Take It Seriously

• Don’t design and print a card just for the sake of it.
• In Japan, the quality of the paper is a crucial deciding factor.
• The quality of the paper makes a lot of difference.
• It uplifts the visual and enhances the design.
• Moreover, the touch and feel of good quality paper is always better.
• It should appeal to two out of the five major human senses together.
• So decide wisely on the quality of the paper.

Final Thoughts

1. This exercise of creating your business card involves a lot of trial and error and dummy prints.
2. But if you know your brand well and how you want to represent yourself, it will not be a daunting task.
3. The designing can be done by advertising or design agencies that employ branding experts.  
4. Or if you are just starting, you can try online platforms like Canva, which has  a plethora of options.
5. Please keep in mind that a brand logo should not be altered or changed randomly and often.
6. Be cognisant of how you want to build your brand, stick to it, and keep building further.