Designing a business card that wonât get thrown away immediately is no easy feat. Avoid these mistakes to keep your cards out of the trash, and to get your name into their contacts.
Even in 2023, business cards are still relevant, but only the best business cards will see results. With 88% of business cards ending up in the trash within a week and only 9% making it to the recipients contacts, it can be a difficult feat to get your business card noticed.
Your cards could be making their way to the trash for a number of reasons, and thankfully, many of them are easily fixed. Keep reading to learn what information you should never include on your business card and find common mistakes to avoid.Â
Your business card acts as a critical first impression and contact point for prospects, Avoiding major design errors will ensure your card effectively builds your brand and drives future business
Crafting an impressive, professional business card may seem straightforward. However, even experienced entrepreneurs often make subtle but serious mistakes that hamper their cards’ ability to create positive connections.
This article will explore the most common business card pitfalls and how to steer clear of them With a beautifully designed, mistake-free card, you can make memorable first impressions and have an effective branding tool
Why Business Cards Matter
In our digital age, business cards may seem antiquated. However, they remain a vital networking and marketing asset if designed well.
Benefits of a compelling business card include:
- Makes memorable first impressions at events and meetings
- Provides contacts with your info to enable future business
- Builds credibility for you and your brand
- Allows quick sharing of details with multiple people
- Functions offline unlike digital contact options
With so much riding on your business card, avoiding mistakes is crucial.
12 Common Business Card Mistakes
Here are 12 design and content errors that detract from your card’s ability to impress and convert prospects:
1. Leaving Out Contact Information
This may seem obvious, but many cards miss key details like:
- Company name and logo
- Individual’s name and title
- Full address
- Phone number(s)
- Email address
- Website URL
Without this vital information included prominently, your card fails at its core purpose – allowing prospects to contact you.
2. Outdated Information
Printing cards with old company names, addresses, phone numbers or employee details looks unprofessional. It also prevents prospects from actually reaching you.
3. Misprints and Typos
Nothing destroys your business’ image faster than avoidable errors on your cards. Thoroughly proofread your design before printing each batch.
4. Image Quality
Pixelated, distorted or blurry logo graphics scream amateur production. Invest in professionally designed and formatted image files.
5. Poor Card Stock
Flimsy, thin material with perforated edges looks cheap. Use thick, high-quality card stock with a refined texture and feel.
6. Typography Mistakes
Illegible, dense small text or oddly sized fonts are tough to read. Stick to classic, simple typography.
7. Not Including Value
Without highlighting your differentiation, customers have no reason to care. List your unique selling proposition.
8. Lack of Branding
Exclude your logo, tagline and brand colors, and your card loses all tie-in with your company identity.
9. Oversized or Undersized
Straying from the standard 3.5 x 2 inch size means your card won’t fit in wallets or displays properly.
10. Dull, Bland Design
Generic templates make your card vanish in the stack. Use engaging graphics, typography and color.
11. Cluttered Layout
Cramming too much content leaves your card looking busy and hard to parse. Edit ruthlessly.
12. Difficult to Read
Fancy script fonts or text over imagery strains legibility. Use clean, simple presentation.
Best Practices for Great Business Cards
Keep your cards effective with these professional design tips:
- Stick to classic dimensions of 3.5 x 2 inches
- Print on thick, smooth card stock to convey quality
- Spot check colors and lines for print irregularities
- Use high resolution, print-formatted graphics and logo
- Make your name and title the largest text elements
- Include only essential contact information
- List your differentiators like certifications
- Add value with QR codes to your website
- Leave white space to avoid looking cluttered
- Proof carefully and update details before each print run
- Consider rounded corners for a modern look
Key Takeaways
Creating a business card free of mistakes is crucial for properly introducing yourself and your brand to prospects. Invest time perfecting the details – the dividends will be immense over the life of your company. With a stellar card design that avoids common errors, you can make connections that spark long-term business relationships.
Low-quality images or videos
With the quality of cameras today, there is no excuse for a blurry or video on your business card, but a low-quality can give the impression that your company is not high-quality either.
While including social media links on your digital business card is something you should do, ensure you pick the right ones. Link to your business profiles, and make sure any personal accounts are appropriate to share with business connections.
Not listing your business clearly
A surprising number of business cards donât clearly list the business name. Make sure your business name is listed front and center so people can easily recognize your brand. And remember, a logo is often not a clear representation of your business name.Â
5 Business Card Design Mistakes to Avoid | Business Card Design Tips
FAQ
What information should you not put on your business card?
What is business card etiquette?
What makes one business card stand out from other ones?
What are the most common business card mistakes you can avoid?
Perhaps one of the most obvious business card mistakes you can avoid is including incorrect information on your card. This could mean outdated contact information or a typo in your email address or phone number. Review your cards carefully before printing them to ensure everything is correct.
Are business cards a bad idea?
One mistake that’s common to many business cards is that they are mundane and unimpressive and soon become a faint memory. Leave someone with a card that looks great, feels great, and clearly defines what your business does — and you and your card won’t soon be forgotten.
Do small businesses make mistakes on business cards?
Yet too often, small businesses make mistakes on their business cards that prevent the card from making a great impression. For instance, there’s a good chance that if the look and quality of your card is shoddy or unprofessional, it may be thrown into the trash. You don’t need to be a professional designer to come up with a good business card.
What should you avoid when printing a card?
Avoid the common mistake of grey print on a white background; it lacks contrast, and the print is difficult to read. On the flip side, don’t make the mistake of color overload. Too many colors that don’t complement one another will make the card look busy and will detract from the content of your card.
