Since a business card is often the first thing you hand to a prospect, a lot of people, like yourself, may spend a good amount of time considering what they want their business card to look like. But, are they considering the right things?

The first thing to consider is the layout of the card. Most cards are horizontal, but some people want a vertical card in order to stand out. However, before doing a vertical card, consider how your prospects will use the card. Do you provide a service they will need only once? If so, then a vertical card may be a good choice. But, if you provide a product or service they might need on a regular basis, it may not be the best option. The reason is that things like a Rolodex organizer are largely designed for horizontal business cards. If they staple your vertical card to a Rolodex card, it would have to be put sideways or cut in half in order to fit. There goes your nifty design! If you provide a recurring product or service, you are better off with a horizontal card that makes it easier for your customers to store and reference when needed.

When considering the design of your card, you want to compare apples to apples. Many people look at different business cards they receive, and pick ones they think stand out. But, what you need to do is to have a card that stands out from the other cards your prospect will be receiving. In other words, if you run a delivery service, you need a card that stands out from the business cards of competing delivery services. If your competitors use a lot of red on their cards, you might want to use a lot of blue, for example. Worry about standing out from the competition, not the local florist or dry cleaner!

Full color or a simple one or two color card? Again, here is another area where you may wish to consider what your competitors are doing. If your competitors have full-color photographic business cards, you might want to consider something simple, yet classy, to stand out. For example, you might use a paper in a solid color with an attractive typeface and no logos or images. You could even consider foil-embossing to give an even richer look to your card. The business card that stands out in a crowd of photographic business cards is the one that's not. And vice versa!

Lastly, make sure that all of your important contact information is on your business card. You'd be surprised at how often people forget to include something as basic as a phone number. If your business name does not give a clear indication of what it is you do, you may wish to consider adding a line or two to do so. If your customer or prospect cannot remember if the "John Smith Company" is a plumbing service or a real estate agency, they're more likely to just toss your card then call and ask what you do.

Of course, if you need help designing your card or don't have the time to do it yourself, you can always have a professional do it for you.



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