Build a Better Business Card

 

Did you know that the business card was first used in China in the 15th century and then later in Europe in the 17th century? Back then it was originally called a “calling card” or “visiting card” and had all sorts of etiquette surrounding the proper use and presentation of it.

Business cards have come a long way since their early inception. They serve as an extension of you and your business and need to immediately make a statement to that effect. They need to tell a story or create the opportunity for a conversation to happen. They need to contain the answers to the basic questions of who, why, where, when and what.

Think of your business card as a miniature billboard along a busy highway. It has the potential to have a multitude of viewers, but usually only for a few brief seconds, so it must compel those viewers to look closer and learn more.

Here’s a little list of ideas to stimulate your creative juices so you can be unique when you build a better business card. Don’t miss the BONUS IDEA at the end of this article.

-Use a unique size other than the standard 2” x 3.5”. Postcard-sized are still easy to carry and hand-out while also giving you more marketing space.

-Use a die-cut to give your card an unusual shape related to your business, or creates a pop-up, or just to be a different shape (like round or triangular).

-If you target an older clientele, then consider using a die-cut that turns your card into a rolodex insert.

-Make your card into a miniature brochure by creating a tri-fold from a 3.5” x 6” size.

-Print on both sides. Use 1 side for your standard contact info and the back for a “Call to Action” or coupon or useful tool (like a calendar or an appointment reminder).

-Imprint your standard contact info onto a promotional product (like a stress ball, key chain, tin of breath mints, or a flash drive) instead of business cards.

-Texturize your card with embossing or foil or make it out of an exotic or unusual material.

-Add your picture. In today’s social networking frenzy, people have become accustomed to seeing an iconic-sized photo of you.

-Flip it. Use your card in a vertical design instead of the horizontal standard.

-Magnetize it. Make your card a refrigerator magnet, still a very popular alternative.

-Punch it up a bit. Turn your business card into a loyalty card that rewards your customer after buying your products or services X amount of times.

-Combine some of the ideas above. Use a die-cut photo of yourself that pops up from the card.

BONUS IDEA: Attach your card to a useful or unusual object. Box of band-aids for a doctor, dental floss for a dentist, travel shampoo for a stylist, luggage tag holder for a travel agent, a cd for a deejay, a packet of seeds for a landscaper, a ruler for an architect, a deck of cards for an entertainment company, an admission ticket for an events planner, a bookmark for an author, a coloring book or pack of stickers for a child care center … the possibilities are only limited by your imagination.

Not the most imaginative person? Let Aim It Media do the imagining for you and create a unique concept for your next business card design.