Have you ever received a business card that felt more like a gift than an exchange of contact information? Business cards like this may seem like a distant goal, something to yearn for but perhaps never to achieve. We are here to tell you that this is not the case – with the right designer and a solid goal in mind, you too can have the business card that everyone envies and admires.
What is it About This Card?
Cards like this are special because they look and feel great, but they also represent the company or person in just the right way. Think of the cards that left the biggest impression on you. We certainly can. There was the artist who gave us a choice of a couple different cards that featured her artwork on the back – we now have them hanging on our bulletin board as tiny pieces of art; people see them and want to know about them – they are talking pieces. Someone saw the card once and immediately wanted to find out about prints. They visited her site and ordered three. She knew that having her art displayed in miniature form would lead to people wanting more.
There’s also the intelligence and security expert whose cards are thick, smooth and shades of royal blue. The thickness of the card brings to mind something solid and secure, assets we want our security professionals to possess. The smooth face screams confidence and intelligence. And blue is soothing, calming. If you have a security problem, you can be at ease knowing that he will do everything he can to solve that problem. All of these implications are contained in one beautiful business card.
How Do I Get One Like It?
Before you toss out your white card stock and Times New Roman font, think about what you want to say with your card. Cool business cards are not cool just because you chose great paper and used a funky font and graphics – they should speak volumes about you. If you just apply the cool parts without a goal, your card may end up seeming jumbled, busy, or worse – it may send the wrong message. If you are a family law firm and your card is metal, this is confusing. Why is it metal? Just because metal is unique? Is this a law firm for rock bands? What’s the metal all about? You can see why that is the wrong approach. Depending on the type of law your firm practices, you want to convey the intellect, tenacity, and sophistication of your attorneys. Color, font, logo, paper, and orientation will be affected by the goals and mission of your company.
New business cards are a big deal, and this is perhaps the perfect time to revisit your logo, mission statement, and goals. Like many busy professionals, it may have been some time since you’ve looked at your business and marketing plans. Now that you are on the precipice of choosing a brand new design for your business cards, take the opportunity to look at your current marketing materials – this is a good time to reevaluate everything. It may be best to work with your marketing department or an outside marketing agency to see if a fresh look is in order. A marketing agency that specializes in helping businesses in your sector solve problems can help revamp your marketing plan and give advice on what areas you could improve to keep current. Once you have an overall strategy you can revisit design to fit that strategy.
Designing the Card for You
Once you determine what your card should say about your company, find a great designer or agency to conceptualize and execute your design. We understand that budget constraints affect this decision. Know this: a great designer will help define your business and seek the answer to your problem; a mediocre designer will use the tools that they have to put together the pieces that you give them in an acceptable way. Great design demands critical thinking, passion, and creativity. Mediocre design requires knowledge of the software used to piece together your design. Hire a great designer to achieve that cool business card. This designer will not only create the graphics for your card, they will suggest different papers, colors, textures, and other elements to complement your design and further convey your message. Don’t bother trying for a cool business card if you are going to skimp on the designer – that is half the battle.
For ideas or even just for fun, check out this list of super creative business cards.
