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We live in the age of digital technologies, so many will say that the time of business cards has passed because people mainly keep their contacts in mobile phones. With this text we will try to explain why the business card is still one of the indispensable parts. visual identity and what to consider when designing this business communication tool.

golden green business cards lined up on the table

Movie: "American Psycho" (American Psycho) speaks in an interesting way about the importance of a business card in the business world, so if you watched the film we don't need a better introduction.

 

Striking business card design

So after the design logo The next step in developing your brand should be a business card, because in addition to providing basic business information, this tool is a means of advertising, makes your brand more recognizable and in a way is call to action.

And if there is no clear rule about it, the content of the business card is basically the same: logo, company name, name and surname, title, address, phone number, e-mail and website address. If it is important for the area of ​​business, it can also contain data on social networks, QR code, slogan, services, etc. However, what is much more important is that your business card, by using these elements, stands out with its design and originality. The assumption is that your reminder will be found among many others and it is very important that it stands out visually. It is clear that in this segment you should not exaggerate, but try to keep the data legible and clearly hierarchically arranged.

Before we start with the steps on how to design a business card, it would be good to have already defined:

 

  • Company logo
  • Company colors
  • Typography, ie font

 

These three elements are also the most important, not only for business card design but also for the brand in general. Also, in order to make the design process as simple as possible, not to say easier, you need to know what you want to say, not only in words, but also in design.

 

Format selection

The standard format for a business card is 90mm x 50mm.

When we say standard, it does not mean a rule. Business cards that have the format of bank cards are being made more and more often 86mm x 54mm with radius (rounding) of 4 mm in the corners.

However, as printing technologies become more advanced, so do the possibilities in terms of formats. By making a "punch" (which we have already talked about within the topic of Fr. prepress) you can make the shape and even the format you want, but try to keep it as practical as possible. The possibilities are huge, from rounded corners, all the way to the shape of a logo, mascot or product, as well as folding formats, folding networks that are assembled into a 3D object, etc.

These forms can certainly be original and fun, but we certainly do not recommend them for some more formal activities, where you still need to stick to standard formats.

When choosing the format, it is also important to take into account the overhang, ie that no machine is millimeter-accurate when cutting, especially due to the movement of sheets in the mass production process, so business cards should be designed with at least 3 mm deviation from all sides. one important piece of information is not close to the cutting line.

Paper or backing

As for the choice of paper, the standard, and yet not the rule, is the use of 300g art print.

 This type of paper is characterized by great whiteness, and at the same time good color absorption, so that it does not affect changes in color shades, so the print on it always looks attractive. Weight is important because of the strength and resilience of the business card.

 It is also possible to use some of the special papers. You will hear from printers that they are often called "special forces". Often, when you mention them, the printer will give you a bunch of patterns to choose which one you want, so the choice of paper can be similar to the choice of carpentry or upholstery color for your sofa.

 Each of these papers has its own characteristics, and they usually differ in color and relief. This kind of paper looks more luxurious, but it can often have different absorption characteristics, so it happens to change the shade of the printed color, so too much color is not recommended in the design.

 Business cards are increasingly printed on plastic. It is nothing new to exist and flash memory in the form of business cards. These media are quite expensive and are often not printed in large numbers.

color

We talked about how important it is to define corporate colors in advance. In that case, it is desirable that these colors predominate in the design. It is not a mistake to use some additional shades on the business card, but care should be taken to match the colors of your brand. Similar colors may look nice together, but they are not legible, so it is advisable to experiment with contrasts.

Depending on the design, your business cards will be printed on one or both sides. Markings for the number of colors on one side are from 1/0 to 4/0 (full colour), ie from 1/1 to 4/4 for double-sided printing.

When printing, special emphasis should be placed, if desired, on silver, gold or a specific fluorescent color.

 

Golden

In addition to cutting to a format that is practically mandatory, very often plastic coating is used in finishing, which can be glossy or matte. In addition to the design effect, plastic coating also has a role to protect the print from wear.

For more luxurious variants, blind coat and partial UV varnish are used, which create relief on certain parts, ie give a feeling of the third dimension to your business card.

Once you've gone through all the steps of a business card design, you can re-evaluate your design to make sure everything is working properly.

First, review the hierarchy of elements, that is, is everything clearly and legibly written so that your eye can have a proper "flow" on the business card? What is important to notice first, and what is the last?

The unwritten rule is to start with the logo, through the name, and finally with the info data, only after that the eye should catch the other elements, if there are any in general. You can always change and optimize visual streams by changing the size and location of the element.

In the end, it is very important to double-check the accuracy of all the data on the business card in order to avoid printing errors.

You can see some of the most interesting graphic solutions for business cards at the link here.   

And if you want to have impressive business cards, which will set you apart from the competition, then our team of graphic designers is the best solution. Contact Us and see why all our clients praise us.

For more news and interesting stories from digital marketing visit our blog page or follow our Instagram profile.

Made by Sava Spasic - Senior Graphic Designer @Digitizer

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