A paper business card has great importance for freelances, entrepreneurs and employees of small and large businesses. Also in the launch phase of a startup a business card is indispensable, especially since it is in the process of setting up of a new company that many business meetings are made and new contacts are developed.

Today we are witnessing a phase of paper digitization.

It is indeed spreading habit to enter, during or after business meetings, the details of the interlocutor on mobile phone or PDA, making the contact impersonal. This would not happen with a business card. In a phonebook is rarely related the company logo of the interlocutor with his contact details and so rarely other interesting data such as its website.Why we then have invested in developing a logo or a website if we do not promote them to those who do not know us?

Other times it is a widespread habit to send a email with the business card attached.This is not bad habit but it must be preceded by handing out business card during the first business meeting.The mail sending must be subsequently and is intended to thank the interlocutor for the fruitful meeting, and also to attach the business card again, this time in electronic format.Our partner will have both formats in hand, if he had lost the business card he will have the email, if he had deleted the mail he will have the business card.If he had deleted one and lost the other, reasons are twofold: 1) you did not make a hit 2) your interlocutor is very careless, in which case it might not be a good business partner for you.

5 reasons why a business card is important

1. shows that a company, a startup or a freelance has a strong interest in the identity that wants to pass on to partners, employees or customers

2. is an element of means through which it is possible to direct a person to visit a website indicated on the card. The website in turn will lead to other actions: download a product catalog or make a purchase

3. is an effective means of promoting for a brand

4. who owns one is identified as a professional. Investing, however little, in a business card, means starting ahead of peers and being automatically considered at a higher level than than those who do not have one (must prove to be!)

5. is the only element that accompanies the interlocutor from leave taking to the first email or phone call.It indissolubly connect the meeting that you had a with a physical element in the hands of the interlocutor, as if it were a "souvenir photo" of a meeting.A pleasant memory if the meeting was interesting or a bad memory if the meeting was negative (but that's up to you!)

What features should have a effective business card design? Tips for designers and creatives

To understand witch features should have a good business card design is necessary to analyze the life of a business card...

Have a good impact

Once the business card is handed out, it will be looked at by the interlocutor. It must draw his/her attention and not go unnoticed.

Include the company logo

As already said the business card is a means of promoting a brand and logo is an essential element.A well developed logo can also be a discussion item of interest to break the ice. Must be present on the business card!

Have a good readability

If the interlocutor have not memorized the name of who gave him the business card and during the discussion wants to refer to the latter by saying the name, he will often look at the business card.A readable name ensures fluid discussion and doesn't embarrass those who do not remember the name of a person or a company.

Fonts that guarantee good readability are: Arial, Trebuchet, Georgia, Verdana.

It is also advisable not to exaggerate too much by decreasing the spacing between the characters, although the space available on a business card is limited.

Use of colors and graphic elements

In order to ensure good readability is good to use contrast between background colors and data (name, surname, phone, e-mail etc ...) listed on the business card.

In a business card everything is concentrated in a small space. The advice is to not abound too much on graphic elements that distract instead of focusing the attention on important data.Small icons (like the telephone, fax, e-mail, skype contact etc ...) decorate, make intuitive everything and saves valuable space.

Having the right size

At the end of a meeting the business card is usually placed by the interlocutor in his/her wallet or in the business card book holder.In both cases it is necessary that the business card meets the standard size for inclusion in the guides. Unless you follow the right size, the risk is to see the business card temporarily placed vertically rather than horizontally (in order to fit the guides), or, even worse, folded in two.

Standard dimensions: 85 mm x 55mm

Paper Type

For the reasons explained in the previous paragraph is important that the card also has a proper weight. A card too sot tile gives the impression of "do it yourself" and a weight too high is inconvenient for those who must maintain it.

Grams optimal: 250 g / sqm

We can recommend printing on glossy coated paper (plastic) when you have the assurance that the information listed on business cards (telephone, fax, e-mail) will remain so for a long time.Otherwise, the matt coated paper is ideal. On this paper you can write with a pen (as opposed to plastic), indicating data that may have been changed.

A special care is then to recycled paper through which you communicate environmental awareness by the brand (which hopefully is then actually observed).

Have a good traceability and uniqueness

Very often business cards are stored and kept more or less in order. When the time comes for our partner to find our business card, it must spring to his eyes in the middle of another hundred.If the card has also had a good impact at the time of delivery, the finding will be even easier.

Here is a gallery of inspiration with some examples of professional business card. A good starting point for designers and creatives.

In future posts we will analyze the characteristics of less traditional business cards, suitable for very strong-willed designers!