Creating a Business Card | WEB112 | Students of Premium Design Works

WEB112 » Creating a Business Card

Many students and clients have asked me how I promote my business. The answer is simple. I give potential clients a business card and ask them to take a look at my website portfolio.

A business card is an integral part of any good marketing plan. For its size and cost, it’s probably the most powerful promotional tool a young web designer can have.

If that’s the case… shouldn’t you have a business card too? The answer is, “YES!”

A business card can make or break a client’s first impression of your company. In fact, this little card makes as much of an impression as your personal appearance. Therefore, a business card should be a simple extension of your brand.

The Anatomy of a Business Card

Every business card should serve the purpose of allowing people to visit your website and contact you:

Premium Design Works Business Card Front

Premium Design Works Business Card Back

In this example, there are a few main parts to a business card:

Your Logo
Your Name
Your Title
A Phone Number
An Email Address
Website Address

You should also consider having physical address on the card as well. I do not, as it is not essential for an online business. Nor, do I want people coming to my home office.

Download: Premium Design Works Business Card Template | Premium Design Works

The Hierarchy of a Business Card

Since this little card is an extension of your brand, it should adhere to “supporting typography” standards.

See Also: Integrated Financial Technologies Business Card | Premium Design Works

I am using the extended “Arial” family to support my logo design that uses Arial Black. I have chosen to use Arial Bold for my name and title:

Premium Design Works Business Card Name & Title

The name and title on your business card is at the top of the hierarchy after your logo.

I have chosen to use Arial Regular for my phone number and email address:

Premium Design Works Business Card Phone Number & Email Address

My phone number and email address are less important than my name and title. However, they absolutely need to be clear and readable.

I have also chosen to create both a front and back design for my card:

Premium Design Works Business Card Business Name

I am using Arial Black to display the name of my business on the back of my card. I have even chosen to give it a 10° sheer like my logo.

Premium Design Works Business Card Website Address

I then use Arial Bold to display my web address on the back as well. I feel like this makes my web address stand out while tastefully signifying its importance.

Using Design Elements

The first rule of using design elements on a business card… You should not “overdo” the design elements on your business card.

See Also: Merriweather Business Card | Premium Design Works

I have chosen to use printer’s marks as part of my supporting brand:

Premium Design Works Business Card Design Elements

This is to signify my traditional print background.

I have also chosen to use the flame reversed on the back side of the card:

Premium Design Works Business Card Design Elements

This also reinforces my “hotness.”

Setting it up for Printing

In order to set this card up for printing, we need to revisit our logo specifications for our chosen colors:

Premium Design Works Logo Specifications

In this example, you will notice that I have specified Pantone Matching System (PMS) colors. This is how we designate “spot” colors in the printing industry.

See Also: Using Type & Printing in Illustrator | Premium Design Works

Select the flame in my logo and you will see that it is PMS 186 in the color panel: