Design Your Own Business Cards

It is simple and fun to design your own business cards.

Before you use our step by step guides below to create inexpensive but effective business cards on your home computer it is important to know the key elements of good business card design.

Tips and ideas to make affordable business cards that work well as a professional marketing tool for your small or home business. Keep these suggestions in mind when designing your business card.

• Key information to include Whatever design you come up with for your business cards you need to communicate certain information. These basic elements should be included - your company name, your name, your contact details including phone, email, web URL and fax.

• Use a logo or graphic Logos and graphics are eye catching and can effectively set your business card apart from the average and mundane. Your logo or graphic should symbolize or visually represent your product or service in some way. It is of little value if it has no connection to your business. People often choose to use their initials which gives no information about their business. You can select and download an appropriate graphic from one of the many image galleries and stock photo agencies on the web. Some images are free others cost from $1 upwards. There are also a number of logo creation services on the web - just type Create a logo into your favorite search engine and research the best options.

• Include a brief slogan A one line slogan or tagline should tell the customer what your business is all about and why they should buy from you. This is especially necessary if what you do is not apparent from your business name. Your business card is like a small advertisement and your slogan should explain the benefits of doing business with you. A slogan should be catchy, memorable and informative.
• Make sure your card is easily readable Your font should be easy to read so avoid very small print or very fancy font that takes time to work out! Your type color should contrast well with the background color - for example light grey type on a white card is difficult to see and black text on a dark color is also not easy to read. The primary reason for your business card is to convey information so be careful about sacrificing clear communication for the sake of fancy or original design!

• Use contrast Contrast is an important visual element and you should use colors that have contrasting relationships when you design your own business cards. To find good contrasting colors use the opposite colors on an ordinary color wheel chart that is easily found online. Your font size should not be too small- it is tempting to use a smaller size so you can fit more information on the business card but this just makes it too difficult for the average person to read. A good rule of thumb is to not go smaller than 7-8 point font size.
• Should I include my photo? Photos on business cards seem to work well when the business is a "relationship" type business such as real estate, tutoring, dog walking, counseling, home repairs and child care. A personal photo helps to build trust, a key element in such a business. However make sure your photo is current, good quality and conveys the right message!

• Use both sides of the business card Double your opportunity to communicate with potential customers by using the back of the business card. You can include price lists, product lists, list of services offered or testimonials. You can include something practical and useful like a calendar, recipe, CPR instructions etc that relates to your particular business.
• Consistency and repetition Repeat elements throughout your business card such as colors, shapes, font, and sizes. Beginner designers often make the mistake of using too many different typefaces and colors on their business cards, this makes the card look amateurish and crowded. Limit the text to one or two different fonts when you design your own business cards and it immediately becomes easier to read and more professional looking.
• Align your design elements The text and images should be aligned. This makes it easier and more pleasant to read. Text can be aligned right or left or centered as long as it is consistent throughout. Your image should have an element within it that is aligned with the text.
• Avoid a cluttered looking design Too much text looks messy. Keep it simple. Make sure you have the necessary information such as your contact details, what your business is and why they should use you.

Use these step by step guides to make your own business cards at home.

How to Make Business Cards using MS Word

Design Your Own Business Card using MS Publisher

Print Your Own Business Cards

Know how to make inexpensive business cards at Inexpensive Business Cards

Ideas for eye-catching business cards at Creative Business Cards

All you need to know about how to Make Your Own Business Cards

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