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When at a conference, a get-together, or even grabbing coffee, offering up your business card to your new acquaintance is a crucial component of the networking process. In many cases, the business card is the first piece of marketing you provide to a potential client or employer when meeting in person. So to help you nail that important first impression, we’ve compiled a list of what you should, and should not include on your business card.
from Canva
Okay we’ll start with an easy one, having your name on your business card is one of the most important components of the card. Choose a legible font that is easy to understand, as you don’t want to be confusing potential readers.
from Canva
Including your functional job title is another important element of your business card, as it allows the reader to immediately understand where your service will fit within their need. We stress functional, as having a title such as Chief Dream Officer, might sound fun, it doesn’t say a lot about what you do. If you feel it is relevant to your industry, consider adding a soft skill in along with your more functional ones.
from Hongkiat
If you wear multiple hats, don’t be afraid to create more than one business card for your occupations. Mixing your day job as a Graphic Designer, with your weekend hustle of selling vegan soap is noble, but not a great idea to include on your business card.
from Behance
Alongside your name, including your contact information is an key component to your business card. Make sure your email is professional and your phone number is up to date. Few business owners feel comfortable emailing dancer_gal_92@hotmail.ca or calling to follow-up on a meeting, only to be met with wrong number.
From SmashingHub
This is dependent on your creative faculty, but including the username of your LinkedIn page is always a good idea. Recruiters are known to browse LinkedIn often, so ensuring you have an up-to-date page that you promote both online and off, is a great way to stay at the top of their list. Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram are fine as well, but make sure those accounts are cleaned of any personal or irrelevant photos. A client searching for your most recent work, only to be met with the most recent photo of your cat probably isn’t going to call back.
from Canva
There’s only so much space on your business card, so cramming it full of information might seem like the go-to in order to maximize efficiency; yet giving your information room to breathe is vital. A cluttered business card can say a lot about a person’s design sensibilities, so make sure you only leave a healthy amount of white space on your card.
From Tipozero
Spending a little extra money on your business card can really help in the long run, especially when it comes to impressing a potential employer. If available, opt for a thicker stock of paper, especially if your business card is double sided. Thicker paper will help to hold the ink better, and won’t feel flimsy to the touch.
from Elegant Express
This one is definitely up to you in regards to how you want to run with it, but feel free to add some personal flair to your business card to help show-off your brand. Whether this is in the form of some clever copy, a healthy splash of colour, or an eye-catching logo; that dash of creativity might be all it takes to decide a job offer. Keep your industry in mind when adding personal touches, as more formal occupations such as finance might not respond well to overly flashy business cards.
Crafting the perfect business card is all about recognizing what information is most important, and then cutting out the rest. Why not take this one step further to the job search? At CreativeCareer.ca we’re only posting the top quality creative jobs in Canada, so why not start your search today!
Learn something new about business cards? Let us know what you think about this blog post, and what you’d like us to write about next in the comment section below!
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