Tips for Ordering Business Cards

Business cards are an indispensable part of today’s business environment. Yet it’s easy to overlook some basic considerations when choosing a business card. Here’s a short list of things to think about before ordering your business cards.

1. Presentation: Take a look at business cards that you’ve received – you probably have a few in your purse or wallet, or in your desk drawer. Each of those business cards sends a message about the individual whose name is listed on the front. The card may be formal or whimsical, creative or ordinary. What message do you want your business card to send?
2. Paper: It’s easy to overlook the paper that a business card is printed on. On more than one occasion, I have met someone at a business networking event and exchanged business cards only to find that the business card I was handed was printed on flimsy paper. Even worse is when the edges are perforated, clearly showing that the cards were printed at home! Cards printed on thick, sturdy paper convey a more professional image.
3. Design: Regardless of whether your cards are professionally designed or you use online business card templates, make sure that your cards are readable. Is the font large enough to read easily? Is there enough color contrast? (Beware of the orange font on a blue background – it can be a recipe for disaster!)
4. Email Address: Obviously, this is a fundamental part of your business card since it is the way that most people will get in touch with you. Is your email address a free one, such as Gmail or Yahoo, or are you using your own domain name? It’s easy enough these days to have your own domain name with your own email address, and it will go a long way towards sending a professional message.
5. Social Media Profiles: Did you include links to your social media profiles on your business cards? This is becoming increasingly popular, and we’re seeing more orders coming through with business cards that have links to Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn profiles. Depending upon your business, you may want to add your social media profiles.
6. Business Alignment: This is particularly important if your business is a green one – are your business cards in alignment with the values of your business? High-quality business cards printed on recycled paper are one way to demonstrate that you are incorporating your green values into your business operations.
7. Free Business Cards: Who doesn’t like something free, right? Free is great when it comes to tickets to a ball game or concert that are unexpectedly offered to you; however, free business cards don’t send the right message to a prospective client who is looking for a professional to work with.
8. Proofing: If you choose to design your card online or use a PDF proof, remember that the printed card will be darker than what you see on the screen. If your card requires high color accuracy, we recommend ordering a hard proof so that you can see the color before cards are printed. Additional information about proofing options is available on our website.

What else would you add to this list?