How to Brand Your Business Cards
When it comes to business cards, we typically think about making sure we’re sharing the right information, not that we’re conveying our brand. In reality, brand identity and business cards are more tied than we think. When you brand your business cards, you send a message to your network about your business and your values.
Whether you’re running a small business, going to a trade show, or meeting prospective clients, your business cards need strong branding. This is about more than giving out quick information. It’s a way to market yourself and your business. In this guide, we’ll share the best practices to help you brand your business cards for success.
1. Stay Consistent with Brand Materials
While business cards are often thought of as one of the first things you need to make for your business, they’re actually something you should make at the same time as other brand materials. You should already have decided on your logo, brand fonts, and brand colors before you create a business card.
These things above are at the foundation of any brand identity. They’ll be the biggest factor when creating your brand identity with your business cards. While you should make sure your business cards stand out on their own, they need to be consistent and easy to recognize.
2. Pay Attention to Shape
Shapes are also a part of your brand story. Not every brand falls into the same mold, and this is why there are so many business card alternatives gaining popularity. While business cards are traditionally horizontal, rectangular cards, you don’t always have to follow the status quo.
Depending on your specific industry and the message you’re trying to communicate, it could make sense to choose something vertical. While you shouldn’t go too extreme, changing the orientation of the card could help share the story of your brand.
3. Use Your Logo
A lot of business cards fall into two categories: business or personal. If you’re a business owner with a business name, it’s important to find the right balance between these two.
Your logo should be a part of your business card, but it doesn’t need to be the only part. While you want the logo to be noticeable and to stand out, you also want to share any necessary personal information like your:
Name
Contact information
Address
Industry/role/position
Find the right balance between your logo and your personal contact information. It should be clear from a quick glance that you’re a part of your company.
4. Create a Tagline
A tagline, or slogan, is an additional phrase that’s a great option to include on your business card. For example, you’re probably familiar with Nike’s famous tagline “Just do it” which encourages customers to take action and stay fit.
Your tagline is a way to give your customers a bit more information about your business and your role that your logo doesn’t. This doesn’t have to be anything complicated. Just make sure it’s clear and identifies something important that matters to you and separates you from your competitors.
5. Double Purpose Your Cards
Last but not least, don’t be afraid to double purpose your cards. When you put creativity behind your cards to share a promotion or to give them a second function, they’re sure to wow and impress. Not only is this more memorable, but it helps your cards serve a more functional, branded purpose.
Including something unique as the medium for your business cards like a branded sticker, coupons, gift cards, or magnets is a powerful statement. If you choose something unusual that stands out, it’s more likely to be held onto and shared. It’s vital to make an impression your users remember.
Take Your Business Cards to the Next Level
There’s a lot that goes into designing business cards for your business, whether you work online or in-person. A reported 72% of people will judge your company based on the quality of your business cards. With a statistic like that, it’s hard not to pay close attention to how you use your branded elements.
These tips above ensure your business cards reflect your brand, your values, and your story to your audience. Your business cards are a tool that can take your business further, but you need to be strategic in your design.