The 2 Biggest Business Card Design Fails

SUMMARY: Well-designed business cards can help set your business apart, while poor design can send the wrong message about your company – and you – to your clients and prospects. This article features two common failures in business card design.

In previous posts I have written about how to use business cards to grow your business and talked about the history of the business card, pointing out that it’s not just in our modern, industrial culture that business cards have been a prevalent, popular and useful tool;  they’ve actually been a communications staple in cultured societies for hundreds of years.

As someone who dabbles in graphic design, I regularly come across and share links via Facebook and Pinterest of super-clever, creative and unusual business card designs (like this one, with 100 really creative business card designs that will tease and tantalize the creative side of your brain!)  Then, yesterday, I came across an article which suggested that – unless your ability to attract clients lies in having a gimmick-ey business card – you would be better served to make sure that your business card can pass the trash test.

Author Darrell Zahorsky first makes the point that if you want your business card to be kept for reference and not end up in the circular file (a.k.a. waste basket), then (among other things) you need to have a standard sized business card (3.5 inches by 2 inches, regardless of whether it’s oriented vertically or horizontally).   He goes on to discuss his recommendations regarding paper quality, ink, design, font and even color; I don’t necessarily agree with everything he says but his recommendations are worth considering. Read: Does Your Business Card Pass the Trash Test on about.com

There are two problems that I believe most people make in designing their business cards. And these 2 business card design fails are opposite sides of the same coin.

Business cards that try to do too much

• Business cards that list not only your 800#, local area code number, fax number and mobile number, but also list the number where people can reach you in the shower, while sleeping or even when attending a summer barbecue at your third cousin once removed’s house.  List just the major and most convenient contact information (most convenient for your prospect or client, not you!) such as a main phone number/message number, mobile number and email address. To do more, unless you are a surgeon, suggests overkill and may send the signal that you are “a salesman.”
• Business cards that contain so much information that you must reduce font size to the point that physician’s surgical goggles are needed to read them (by the way, the older your target market or ideal client types are, the more this is going to matter!)
• Business cards cluttered with design elements that are too dominant, make obscure or references only an insider would understand, try to be too clever for their own good, or which even offend (intentionally or otherwise) in an attempt to be ‘edgy’ or artistic.
• Business cards that reference disclaimers and exclusions (why would you put information that people might perceive as ‘negative’ on your business cards?)

Business cards that don’t do enough

• Business cards omitting important elements of contact information – especially those types of contacts which make it easy for clients or prospects to contact you in the ways most convenient for them.
• Business cards without social media icons (notice I didn’t say social media URLs).  Showcasing your online presence gives clients another convenient way to learn more about your company, get connected with your website or blog, or with you.
• Business cards that are toooooooo bland. There’s certainly such a thing as over-designing, especially on such a small space.  But it’s also possible to under-design and be left with a card that leaves the impression that you might, just might be bland and boring, yourself.
• Business cards that are generic.  If you work in a company with multiple service professionals (such as a salon or spa) or sales people, and especially if you experience a considerable amount of turnover, it might be tempting to save money by purchasing generic business cards.  This is a mistake in most cases, because people don’t buy from companies, they buy from people.  Professionals within your business should be represented by business cards which have their name and extension or other unique contact information on them.  This also precludes what inevitably happens with generic cards – and that’s when people hand-write the name of their favorite service provider or salesperson on the card anyway.  If your salesperson or service professional does this, the card no longer looks professional. What’s more, there’s a chance that the writing will run or be illegible, and that the card will quickly find its way into the trash.
• Business cards that look ancient.  If your business card conjures up images of the 60’s, 70’s or someone’s Sunday School bulletin, and this wasn’t your intent, it’s time to bring your business card design into the present.  Unless you are Coca Cola, there is no such thing as “timeless design.”  Update!

Is it time for a business card overhaul? 

I’d be happy to provide you with a free analysis, feedback or recommendations for your business cards if you would like to share them with me via email.  I’ll even create an online gallery of the best designs to share with you all in an upcoming post!

Email a copy of your business card (either scan and send, or send a copy of your .jpg or PDF design file) to elizabeth at beinpulse.com.

And if you’re in the market for a new design for your business cards or for a great low-cost printer for your business cards or other collateral, I’d love to provide you with a printing quote.