Designing a creative business card takes planning and consideration. Often times, a business card is the best way to make a lasting impression on a potential client.

If you present someone with a poorly designed card, it’s likely to end in the trash, and in an instant, you’ve lost a customer. But creating something visually appealing doesn’t have to be a nerve wracking chore. Additionally, you can hire a graphic design firm, New Orleans, H & Print Service Inc., to do it for you.

If you ask an experienced graphic design or marketing professional, he or she will tell you that there are several things that every business card needs to have. They’ll also tell you that there are many mistakes you should avoid.

When you consider your design, don’t forget to think about your specific industry. There are some visual elements that may be suitable for one industry but not another. For example, using bright colors to advertise funeral services may not be the best idea. Keep your customers in mind, but also their frame of mind when they seek out your business.

Three Things All Business Cards Should Have:

1. Contact Information
This is the most important information. If your clients can’t contact you, they can’t use your unique skill set or services.

2. Company Name
Unless you’re a freelancer and don’t have a registered company name, include the business name. Second only to your name, this is the information you want the customer to remember.

3. Visual link to company (logo or icon)
Most long-standing corporations have a logo. Whether it’s golden arches, mouse ears, or an apple, these organizations have an icon that is simple, easy to remember and readily identifiable with a specific product or service.

Mistakes To Avoid:

1. Plainness
Plain design leaves no lasting impression. Generally speaking, plainness works if the person requires the service and only needs to remember contact info (doctor’s appointment cards are a good example). For a first impression, you want to be memorable.

2. Poor quality
Cheapness shows. You don’t want to hand someone a flimsy scrap of paper that’s unraveling at the edges.

3. Vagueness
Be clear about what you’re offering potential customers. If they can’t remember what product or service you offer, they’re not likely to call you for business.

4. No selling point
Try to create a selling point. It tells people something specific about the service you offer, and can also communicate your experience, service policies or company purpose.

5. Non-standard size
Non-standard sizes are those that don’t fit into wallets or holders. Because of the usually awkward or unusual size, your card may end in the trash.

6. Illegible print
If the information is too small or doesn’t have enough contrast, that makes difficult reading or impossible. Your information should be clear and easy to process.

7. Cluttered
Too much information is never a good thing. Too much text can be distracting and look unprofessional or haphazard, all things that can destroy a positive first impression.

8. Poor color choice
Most human beings see in color. A pleasing combination of colors can add to your text and the impressions you make. You want high contrast to make the information easy to read, and color choices that are appropriate to your industry and message.

9. Undistributed
If no one has your information, they can’t contact you. If you have cards made, be sure to use them. You don’t need your contact information, your clients do. So, hand them out with confidence, and even add a few extra so your clients can do some networking for you.

Creating a positive company impression can be as easy as easy as a smile and a handshake. Our graphic design firm, New Orleans, and partnered Metairie printing facilities at H & H Print Service are available as one easy service.

Business cards are one of the easiest ways to share contact and company information with potential or current clients. H & H Print Services can help with planning, design, and printing.

Customer Service

To request an estimate, place an order, or talk to one of our customer service representatives, contact us at

504-828-0347
http://www.hhprint.com/
H & H Printing Service, Inc.
3646 Airline Dr. #1
Metairie LA 70001

Posted on May 13th, 2008 by metairieprinters
Filed under: Printing Service, offset printing, print services, printer