Sometimes business cards are the first way that a new customer or client may come in contact with your business. It’s important that they get the best impression of you and your business in that instant second. I have come across a lot of cards that don’t leave much to be desired.
One of the worst mistakes I see is having too much “stuff” cramping up your card. You don’t need to fill up every inch with words, pictures, or graphic images. When it’s too busy and difficult to read, I tend to just throw it away. Not the reaction you want with your business card, right?
Although that’s my biggest business card pet peeve, there are many other mistakes you can make when designing your card. Yvonne Russell, author of the Small Biz Mentor blog, has several others listed in her article “Do You Make These Basic Business Card Mistakes“. Are there any other mistakes you can think of that did not make Yvonne’s list?
She did a good job of covering most of them. I hate really boring cards. I think something visual, anything visual, helps to create an image of your brand or what you or your company is about. Nothing overdone, just a nice little interesting touch speaks volumns.
Tiny print is always annoying. With some, you need a magnifying glass to even read it. Name, phone number and website should be first priority and large enough to read easily.
Add the international phone code to the number. Like my mobile number: +46 76 578 50 71. (If you are in Sweden you add a “0″ to the number and take away the international code “46″.) I often see American business card missing this.
I have several different cards for different occasions. I have a personal one with my own domain on one side of the card with a typewriter / dymo label font and a slogan “Trader in Matter & Spirit” and three lines with my interests and activities:
Blogging, Social Media
Network Marketing
Supply Chain Management
The format is small called minicards by Moo. Check them out: http://www.moo.com/
I have one for my blogging stating my name, title “PJ Network Blogger”, the blog name EGO, Skype phone number, mobile number (now an old number that I have to change for the next batch), email address and URL. The color is light blue and it the font is typewriter style. Check out John Look identity store. http://www.johnlook.com
I also have a standard business cards for my MLM business. It is made by the network marketing company Flavon Group in Hungary.
Martin, with all the new ways of communicating, you bring up a great point. There’s just more stuff to put on cards these days, between email, mobile phone, Skype and the like.
Hi Steve
Thanks for referring readers to my post at Small Biz Mentor.
@ Martin – The international phone numbers is a good reminder.
@ Anita – I agree that we seem to need to fit more and more on our business cards.
I’m not a fan of strangely shaped cards. They’re great for impact, but hard to store along with regular cards.
I hear more and more people saying they have more than one business card for different purposes.
I’m pleased I’ve discovered your blog Steve.