Business cards are a necessity for every small business owner. There are many options for you to create your own even if you’re not a savvy designer. Alternatively, once you have decided what information you want on your cards and what you want them to look like, you can contract someone to design them for you. Many business card printing companies also offer design services for an additional fee.

Here are the things you need to decide on before you create your business cards.

Information

You can include as much or as little information as you want, but its important to map it out before you begin the design process. Most business owners include the following:

●     Name

●     Company name

●     Phone number

●     Email address

●     Website address

Depending on what type of business you’re running, you may also want to consider including any or all of the following information:

●     Tagline/What you do

●     Address

●     Social media usernames - Twitter, Facebook

●     Professional certifications or memberships

Graphics

Most business cards include the company’s logo. But, If you don’t have a logo, you may consider using a background image or other graphic to add some visual interest to your cards. Alternatively, you can opt for simple text on a solid colored background.

For inspiration and to ensure your brand is consistent, take a look at your website and any other marketing materials you have and emulate the look and feel.                                                      

Size

Standard business cards are 2″ x 3.5″, although some businesses deviate from that. The size is up to you, but keep in mind that cards larger than  2″ x 3.5″ won’t fit in a standard business card holder.

Orientation
Typically, they’re horizontal in orientation but now more and more companies are choosing vertical layouts for their business cards. Choose whichever orientation suits you best.

Stock

Paper card stock is the material of choice for business cards. It comes in a number of different weights, textures, finishes and colors. Your print shop will be able to show you examples of different stock and offer suggestions based on your needs and budget.

Printing method

Most small business owners choose digital printing with a standard, 4-color process for their cards. Digital is more cost-effective for smaller quantities than offset printing due to lower setup costs and to save a bit more money you can consider single-color printing.

Now that you know the basic things to consider when making your own business cards, you’re ready to start getting them designed.

Authors Bio: Jules Forde is an online writer for many blogs and newsletters.  She has over 22 years experience in the printing industry and always knows how to get the best results when having business cards or flyers printed online.