Here are a few questions to ask yourself before you start designing.
1. “Do you have a photo or logo?”
Many of the customers have a logo for their business that they want to build a card around, or they need a design that has plenty of room for a product. This will narrow down the options to only those that will work with a photo or logo.
“It helps to have a starting point, or at least an idea of what you don’t want.”
2. “What’s your business’s style?”
Is your business retro or modern, preppy or eclectic, sophisticated or simple? When our designers create new cards, they often consider the style of a particular business and design a card specifically for that purpose.
3. “How will your audience see your visiting card?”
Will you hand it out face to face? Will it be tacked up on a corkboard or in a stack of competitor cards? Will you include a visiting card with a product purchase or attached to an invoice? Knowing the context of how your cards will be received may help you decide how bold you need to be with imagery and color. For example, if you work in construction and real estate and need people to be able to spot your card in a pile, choose bright colors and a large industry-related image to stand out.
4. “What is the single most important piece of info you want to convey with your card?”
Visiting cards are small, and people often make the mistake of trying to cram too much information. Decide ahead of time which piece of information should be at the front and the center. (For example, a current trend in visiting card design is to make your name the most important and largest design element on the card.)
“Decide ahead of time which piece of information should be front and centre on your business card.”
5. “How much of a statement do I want to make?”
Sometimes you need to go the extra mile to show that your business is the one your customers should put their trust in. In that case, choosing the eye-catching glossy finish paper or upgrading paper to Signature Ivory or Non-Tearable, may do the trick.