 |
Christa Hartsook Written, February 2006
Communications Specialist
Ag Marketing Resource Center
Iowa State University Extension
hartc@iastate.edu |
You hand your business card to a potential customer. It’s the first impression he or she will have of your business – does it convey the message and professional demeanor you want it to?
Business cards are a critical tool in your business. Not only does it contain important contact information, it acts as a mini-brochure – you have an additional small space to sell yourself and your product or service to others.
Your business card should include the following:
- Name
- Business name
- Job title
- Business address
- Business phone and/or cell phone
- E-mail address
- Internet address.
Your business card should follow the same type of look as your letterhead and other official business correspondence. Establishing standard business colors, typography and utilizing your logo on all these pieces creates a consistent look or a “brand” for your business. This enables potential and repeat customers to recognize and remember your business quickly.
There are several methods to create business cards quickly and economically. Business cards can be created in Microsoft Word. Establish a new document and then select Tools, Letters and Mailings, Envelopes and Labels. Select the Labels tab and under Options, scroll to find 3612 – Business Cards. These are Avery labels and can be purchased at any office supply store. Select Ok and then select New Document. Your business cards should be formatted on a new Microsoft Word document. You can then place your name, contact info, logo, etc. on the card and it will print correctly on the pre-scored Avery label sheets.
Your name should be two points larger print size than the rest of the printed text on the card – generally 14 point type is standard size. The remainder of the business text and contact information is set at 12 points, or in some cases, 10 points.
Online resources are also available to assist producers in creating business cards. The first 250 business cards are printed free from www.vistaprint.com. Vistaprint offers 30 templates for the free cards, so it may be necessary to look carefully to find a look consistent with your business colors that would allow for your business logo. Upgrades to include your own images, logos, etc. are offered on a fee basis.
There may be other services that offer business cards for free or at a reduced rate for larger orders. Investigate your local print shop as well – doing your business cards, letterhead and envelopes at the same time often nets a reduced printing rate.