How to Create a Professional Business Card

Choose a size

The next step is to decide on the card size. This is primarily determined by the country's standards, so that's a good place to start. Even if you want to stand apart, you must understand what everyone else is doing to counteract it.

North American Standard: 3.5 x 2 in. (88.9 x 50.8 mm).

The European Standard is 3.346 × 2.165 in. (85 × 55 mm).

Oceania Standard measures 3.54 × 2.165 in. (90 × 55 mm).

When creating, you should always keep three factors in mind, regardless of size.

• The bleed area is the card's outermost part that is likely to be removed.
• Trim line: the desired line for cutting cards.
• Safety line: Anything beyond this line is prone to cutting errors. Don't let important items like text or logos slip outside this line.

Take a look at the guide below to determine the proper size of the business card while accounting for bleed, trim, and safety lines.

Include your logo and additional graphics

We now begin mapping the graphic parts of your business card design, starting with the logo. Your logo should take center stage on your business card, but other flourishes and secondary designs might be valuable as well.

Remember that you have two sides at your disposal. One method is to designate one side of the business card to the logo and the other to the person's contact card design information. However, it is also beneficial to have the logo on both sides, therefore, you will frequently see a smaller, out-of-the-way logo on the side containing contact information, such as Omni above.

This is just one method among several, so feel free to experiment with logo positioning until you find one that suits your needs.

Add the relevant wording

Your business card's content is entirely up to you. Freelancers who work from home may not require a postal address, although those who consult face-to-face do. Or perhaps it's a purposeful decision, such as highlighting your amazing social media following. The point is, different people benefit from having various text on their custom business cards.

So, the next step is for you to determine what to include on your business cards. The following is a list of some typical options so you can select which to include and which to avoid.

• Name: A given. Each card needs a name.
• Company name - This is another given, except personal brands, in which case your name serves as your company name.
• Job title: For traditional cards, put your job title. This also helps the holder remember who you are, what you do, and how you met.
• Phone number - Although the phone is not your favorite mode of communication, it is for other people.
• Email - A business card mainstay, email has become the new standard for non-urgent business communications, thanks in part to its ability to send documents as attachments.
• Website URL - Including your site's URL is a friendly invitation to visitors.
• Social media - Include social media links if they are related to your sector or if you simply want to show off your personality.
• Address - This is required for attracting customers to your office or store location.
• QR code - While not as popular as in the past, a QR code is still a practical shortcut for sending whatever data you want.
• Slogan - While completely optional, a slogan enhances brand identity and adds personality.

Remember that business cards are designed to not only provide information but also retain it. People may already know your phone number, address, or URL, but keep your card handy in case they forget them.

Select your typeface.

Following your message selection, you can modify its design presentation. The use of text becomes critical for business cards since they need highly readable fonts in their minimal space configuration.

Let's separate typography into three major categories:

Let's separate typography into three major categories:

• Size. Any text you display should maintain sufficient readability by staying at a minimum of 8 points in size. Your name should be prominent, yet feel free to modify text dimensions for the most crucial information. Consider space—you don't want your card to be cluttered, so keep your text short enough to allow for plenty of breathing area between each piece.
• Font. We've already discussed typefaces and how they affect your business identity, so check out the 5 types of fonts and how to use them for a more in-depth look. Just remember to select a typeface that reflects the personality you're aiming for.
• Color. This is when a pre-existing brand color scheme comes in useful. To remain on brand, select font colors that complement the background color of the card, which should also be a brand color. Similar colors may look good together, but they can be difficult to read, so experiment with contrasts to improve legibility.

Consider special finishes.

Now that you're nearing the end, it's time to think about printers—particularly what they can offer. Certain printers include specific finishes that might help make a lasting impression. Determine whether any of these "special effects" can help your business name card design plan.

Embossing. This technique produces three-dimensional reliefs, making specific sections "pop out." You can use it to highlight specific components of your card, such as words, in the same way that spot UV coating is used.

Letterpressing. Rather than lifting the paper, letterpress printing presses it down while inking. The end product is similar to an engraving, usually done with special ink to grab extra attention. Especially useful for letters, giving your message more gravity.

Foil stamping. If you want something glossy and reflective, like tin foil, you can use foil stamping on images or even parts of them. This can also be used to highlight text if you use a bold enough typeface.

Choose a designer

To acquire the best business cards, get in touch with a designer who will create an exceptional design for you. You should use VistaPrint's service 99designs by Vista to discover the right freelance designer with suitable style experience. Review their portfolio sections to decide whether their work matches your brand requirements.

After you find the right professional designer, you must clarify your business description together with your style and mood intentions to help them bring your vision to life.

Finalize your design

Before making your final decision, make sure to evaluate all possible business card design ideas. With all of the features in place and an accurate projection of your final business card color options and special finishes, you can re-evaluate your design to ensure that everything functions properly.

First, consider the visual flow: How does your eye move when seeing the card? What do you notice first? Last? A solid visual flow should begin with the logo, then go on to the name, and finally to any supplementary graphics that may be there. You may always update and optimize the visual flow by adjusting an element's size and location.

Advanced methods

These eight steps are all you need to produce a completely working business card, but if you want to go above and beyond, try these more advanced tips:

Stand out with a clever concept. If your industry allows for whimsy, you can use more experimental techniques to differentiate yourself from the competitors.