Many wonder how to strike a balance between having a memorable card and a functional one. This article will discuss 3 frequent mistakes commented on by business owners when designing a card and how to avoid making them.
Card is not clear on what the business does. It is essential to have the name of the company and what the company does to help people, unless of course the name of the company, such as JodiePilates.com, makes it clear. Another exception may be if the brand is a household name. “Simple and to the point” says Debbie Mack who is head of the photography firm Milani Studios in Houston Texas. She says that, when using business cards with photos on them, “pick one image that grabs the eye of the recipient”
Also, the business may want to consider leaving enough white space so that the recipient can write on the back of the card including where the met the person, what date, and who they plan to introduce them to.
Card is not easily read by or accepted through card scanners. Odd shaped or sized business cards will make it difficult for recipients to run them through their business card scanners, therefore choosing a paper stock that still fits in a card scanner such as the standard business card size is recommended.
Light color cards with dark writing generally show up well on card scanners. Eric Standlee of American Prudential Capital in Houston Texas & the founder of InHouston says that “clear cards are interesting, but hard to read in any environment. Simple and classy is better than round or foldout, etc.” Robert M Garcia of Agency One in Tomball says that “16 point foldover cards don't fit in your holder and can't be stacked. I ended up tearing the card in two and just keeping the contact portion.”
If the scanner can’t recognize the card, this means that the recipient of the card will most likely have to manually type your information into their contact management system. This increases the chances that the card never gets entered or may get lost by the recipient of the card.
Card is missing vital informationincluding name, phone, or email. The person’s name, title, company, phone number and email address are all essential components of a business card. Company website and social media links are also highly encouraged. There is a balance in deciding the amount of information, though. Laurel Hanz, owner of Laurel’s Florals, warns to not be boring. However she also added not to “have too much info so that the words are tiny.”
It is also more vital in today’s age that the email address and website links are accurate on the card, because as Standlee explains, “the digital age we live in means most cards are looked at maybe once or twice. Once I send an email to you, Gist.com gets your info for me and I box your card. Hard to search paper cards. But cards are necessary leave behinds.”
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