A business card will tell you a lot of interesting things, therefore, the design of this compact carrier of contact information should be approached very carefully.
The business card is the face of the owner. But we "draw" this face to ourselves
The generally accepted identification documents - passports, driver's licenses - are monotonous and impersonal. But the business card will tell you (and your company) a lot of interesting things: experience and skills, taste and status.
1. Look away from the monitor.
In our high-tech age, a lot can be done without interrupting your own computer. Including choosing the design of business cards and ordering their production online. However, we do not recommend doing this, especially if you do not know exactly what you want and are determined to look at several options before making a choice. What looks good on screen isn't always so beautiful in life. Better to see a real sample of paper, font, color. It's also a good idea to ask the manufacturer for a test print, even though it can cost extra money.
2. Paper: density and texture.
Figuratively speaking, the weight of your card gives you weight in the eyes of your partner. Typically, for business cards, thick paper is used 250-350 grams per meter. What is lighter than the minimum wrinkles, breaks and flies away at the first breath of wind. What is denser is already packing cardboard. By the way, do not forget that in addition to density, you will also have to choose a texture. There are embossed sheets of wondrous beauty with the texture of "linen" (intertwined fibers), a kind of rice paper with the inclusion of pictorial "rubbish", as well as many, many other options. This basis of the business card really looks solid. The problem is one: in order to clearly print text on it, you need a much more powerful press, which is expensive to use. Wouldn't it be better to choose high quality, but smooth paper?
3. What is where
Usually, it is customary to place the logo and the name of the company at the top, then (smaller) follows the name of the owner of the business card, his position, rank or regalia. Contact information is located in the lower right corner. Although it is very finely typed, it attracts attention. Research has shown that this is where our gaze is first directed when we look at an image. It is important not to overdo it with contacts: you should not write more than two phones, so as not to disorient the reader of the business card. But the e-mail and website address is better to indicate. A mobile phone number is considered private, in general, confidential information. Whether to indicate it or not is a purely personal matter. In a business environment, it is customary to write it down by hand, passing the card to the “right” person.
4. Font.
Experts advise to choose the maximum font size no more than # 14, and the smallest one - no less than # 7. The classic version is no more than two types of fonts on one business card (the styles can be different: italic, bold, bold).
5. Color.
The classic of the genre is black font color plus one, maximum two colors for the logo. However, keep in mind that many printing inks are transparent, and if you choose colored paper as a base, the background will shine through and the color will be distorted. To obtain the desired tone, you will have to paint over the image or letters several times, which, of course, is more expensive. The type of printing that uses opaque rather than clear inks is also more expensive. Gold and silver look “rich”, but such shiny text visually “crumbles” into sparkling dust, especially against a light background. Some combinations, although contrasting, are still inconvenient for perception. So, ophthalmologists say that red letters on a white background tire the eye.
6. Reverse side.
The "shirt" of the card can also be used. It used to be customary to put Russian text on one side and English on the other. But now it is considered good form to have a separate business card for each language. Many people make notes on the back: dates of meetings, additional information about a company or a person. This is the case for a light background and a clean shirt margin. However, sometimes it is filled with bright colors, the organization's slogan is placed, and sometimes its international awards. Trading companies often print discount coupons or calendars on business cards - an additional incentive to keep the business card longer. Be creative with the back of your card, but use common sense to avoid turning it into a flyer that gets thrown away like spam.
7. Additional items.
Traditional business card design does not imply the presence of a photograph or any other picture (apart from a graphic object - a logo). Conservatives think this is superfluous information. But in some cases it can be useful: for example, if you work a lot with people. So, the smiling face of a teacher or doctor on a business card may additionally position his potential clients. Please note that if you choose embossed paper, unwanted "terrain swings" and "noises" will appear on your face. They can distort the picture.
8. Form.
Practice shows: owners of business cards of an unusual shape, vertical, round and with curly edges are most often creative natures. It's hard to imagine, say, a card with a fringed cut that belongs to a lawyer. So draw your own conclusions. Have you chosen an unusual, creative form? Perfectly! But keep in mind that it is still better to bring the size closer to the standard 9x5 cm. Otherwise, the card will not fit into the pocket of the card holder and your partner will simply lose it.
9. To each - his own.
Sometimes it is worth having business cards of different style for different needs. For example, for different target audiences. A cynical but graphic example is a flower boutique that sends one type of card to wedding planners and another to funeral homes. In the same way, you can have several types of business cards, made in the same style, but some will be more "smart" for important and special occasions, and others simpler, for everyday needs.
Psychologist's comment:
“In most cases, business cards made in a style that can be described as“restrained dignity”make a more advantageous impression. These are cards made of thick, high-quality paper. The range of colors - calm, slightly muted tones (both warm and cold shades) - beige, bluish, silvery, lilac. The colors should not be bright, so that they do not cut the eyes. You need to be careful when choosing gold. On the one hand, it symbolizes wealth and prosperity, on the other, it sometimes becomes a model of bad taste, which is showing off prosperity. Red is considered aggressive, so if you do not aim to put pressure on your partners, it should be used to a minimum."
Psychologist Tatiana Stankevich
