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How to make a business card about yourself. How to create a business card: design tips, useful services

As Marina Matveeva, the manager of the printing company Global Marketing, explained to us, although Russia has adopted the standard business card size of 9 x 5 cm, there are many European-style business cards (8.5 x 5.5 cm) on a par with them. Of course, you can order a card that can hardly fit in your pocket, but it will quickly get lost, since it will not be kept with the others.

The text should be legible: straight black letters on a white background - and no gothic fonts, cursive or ligature. Avoid playing with color. This is not a table for checking the eyesight of railway workers. A rich palette is allowed only in the company logo. “The full name is always printed a little larger and bolder than the rest of the text,” says Marina. Especially if the surname is rare and difficult to pronounce the first time (for example, Ivanov).

If using only bold type is not enough for you, individual parts of the text can be highlighted by foil stamping, hot stamping (raised printing) and thermal rise (volumetric letters rising 0.5-1 mm above the surface of the card). Pick one. Eclecticism will turn a business card into a vinaigrette, and it will cost more.

Do not try to squeeze all your personal data into the limited space of a cardboard rectangle and short biography. Information should be limited to your name, position, place of work, telephones and email for communication. However, if you hope that your business card will be read, nominated for Booker, and subsequently filmed, you can even publish it in two volumes and provide a table of contents and cross-references.

At one time it was customary to write the address of the company's website in order to show that the company is keeping up with modern trends. Now it is no longer necessary to do this, unless your office is engaged in web design, etc.

Remember the abbreviations that are used when sending a business card and are written in the lower left corner. The abbreviations are borrowed from French, so you will have to leave the translation on the back or explain in advance what it all means.

a.c. (avec compliment) - greeting. Attached to a bouquet of flowers, a gift or a suspicious ticking package left in a watch shop.

p.r. (pour remercier) - an expression of gratitude. Thank you to put in your pocket.

p.f. (pour fete) - expression best wishes. Usually sent on the occasion of a birthday, when there is no time to look for a greeting card.

Not finding the owners at home, it is customary to leave a business card with a folded upper left corner. (If the owners of the house, but, bastards, do not open, the corner of the door is bent. Or the business card is chewed and the lock is clogged with the resulting paper mass. However, the last two tips are optional and are not mandatory.)

For a business person, it is important to declare your business and yourself. An entrepreneur who wants to succeed cannot do without a business card - it reflects the key information that advertises a person's activity. This is a kind of emblem that forms the image of a modern businessman.

In order for a business card to help create a favorable impression, it must be designed in accordance with all the rules. It is also important to know how to correctly hand over your own and receive someone else's.

Business etiquette dictates certain rules for designing business cards. When placing owner details, it is important to avoid some mistakes:

The classic business card is filled out on one side only. The reverse side is traditionally left blank to use for notes.
It is not customary to place a photo of the owner on a business card. An exception is made for managers: a photo will help distinguish this person from other employees of the company.
It is drawn up taking into account the field of activity. For creative people, a creative form and design is acceptable. For example, a business card in the form of a comb for a stylist. For representatives banking sector it is preferable to stick to strict classic colors and fonts.
The full title of the position is indicated, for example, not the deputy director, but the deputy CEO on financial matters.
Phone numbers include the area code, and in the option for foreign customers, the country code.
It is preferable to host corporate email on your company's domain, rather than on public email services. A good domain name, reflected in a business card, affects the company's image.
Links to the company's website should not contain "https///". This is an optional part of the address.

Business card size

There are European and Russian size standards. The European card size is 85 × 55 mm. Russian - 90 × 50 mm. It is on the Russian standard that a significant part of domestic business card holders is oriented - cases for storing business cards. Sizes may vary depending on the species. A corporate business card can be larger than the standard, and a personal female card can be smaller.

What can and what should be written on a business card

In the beginning, you need to decide who and for what purpose this business card will represent. How a business card looks depends on its functionality. There are three types: personal, corporate and business . Each is filled with specific information.

Personal needed for informal communication. The rules do not strictly regulate what information should be presented on it. Last name and first name, as well as a phone number are indicated. If desired, you can place information about the academic degree, place of work, e-mail. Information about the owner's hobbies will be appropriate.
Corporate business card does not include personal information and is awarded to promote the business. Tells about the services provided by the company, introduces the name and details of the company: address Email, with phone number, location map. Names and surnames are not indicated in it. The number of phone numbers matters. The more of them, the higher the reputation of the company. This is a good way to interest new clients and investors. To place advertising information about the company, you can print double-sided business cards.
Business designed for business partners and customers. Its purpose is to tell not only about the owner, but also about the company. On such a business card, personal data, position, field of activity of the company are indicated, and the company logo is also placed. State symbols can be seen on the cards of state officials.

You should not place information in several languages on one business card. The use of Russian on one side and a foreign language on the reverse side will cause bewilderment among partners. It is better to print two different sets.

Business card font

When choosing a font, it is important to observe the main condition - the text of the business card should be easy to read. On one business card, no more than two fonts are used, which must be combined with each other. The most common option is black letters on white. Deformation (stretching) of the inscription is not welcome.

What should a business card look like so as not to irritate others? A thoughtful business card style will advertise the owner well.

The most successful option is the classic one. For the background and font, several muted shades in the same range and one bright color that will attract attention are chosen. Maximum amount shades - four. For example, white, grey, black and red.
Too bright cards with a lot of colors tire the eyes: on a colorful background, the letters merge, the text is difficult to read. Dark ones look gloomy and subconsciously repel customers.
A white background color is preferred, which does not annoy anyone. The text on such a background looks contrasting, easy to read. White business cards are cheaper to print than colored ones.

Positioning text on a business card

All elements on the business card are arranged in accordance with the design rules. It is important that images and information are easily and quickly perceived by people. Therefore, there should not be many elements.

From the point of view of the psychology of perception, a person, getting acquainted with information, first looks at the upper left corner, then his gaze shifts to the center, and finally moves to the right. It is logical to leave the company logo in the upper left part, place personal data (last name, first name, position) in the middle, and indicate the name and details of the company at the bottom.

The printing error must be taken into account, therefore, when placing information, at least 3 mm recede from the edges of the template.

business card material

When designing business cards, remember that the quality of the paper determines the degree of solidity of the company. Business cards on thick paper will last longer. The most durable are made of cardboard.

Coated paper, white or colored, is used most often for corporate purposes. Exclusive and original cards can be made from textured paper, but printing will be more expensive.

The choice of materials for personal business cards is very diverse. In addition to paper, it is wood, metal, plastic, even leather.

Errors, typos and corrections

It is important to remember that the text of the business card should not contain typos, spelling or grammatical errors.
It is unlikely that business partners will appreciate the shortcomings corrected by hand. Such business cards will compromise the owner and cause distrust in the company. And an inaccurate address or phone number will lead to the loss of potential customers.

Rules for presenting business cards

A business business card is awarded with a personal one. The rules establish the order of who hands the business card first.

When during a business visit, according to the protocol and etiquette of delivery, the lower in position is the first to present his business card to the higher.
If the positions are the same, then the one who is younger in age holds out his card first.
For peers with the same social status there is no strict regulation, here the first one will be more polite or more active.

Business card - important element business life. Qualitatively presented information will correctly advertise the owner and help to interest customers.
Therefore, the design of the business card should be thought out with great care.

The right business card is an integral part of business reputation

I am sure that each of you, since you have landed on this site, is going to become an entrepreneur, have your own business, earn good money and establish business connections. Perhaps some are already successfully doing this, but this article will be of interest to you. Today we will talk about business cards. Yes, yes, about ordinary paper business cards that can briefly tell you who you are, what you do, what field of activity you represent.
A business card is an essential part of any business. Whatever you do: providing consulting services, creating and developing websites, selling goods, you definitely need a business card that will become the face of the company. Many experts note that a business card is the simplest, but at the same time very efficient business a tool with which you can convey information about yourself and your business to potential customers and partners.

Many entrepreneurs ignore this business tool, believing that business cards are not effective, that they are unnecessary expenses, that they have long outlived their usefulness. But, as practice shows, a properly designed business card can be many times more effective than a big board in the city center. Don't believe? I will not convince you, and it is unlikely that this will work. I'll just say one thing, that in my experience I felt how several thousand correctly made business cards can attract more than a hundred customers, most of whom will make an order. Of course, making a business card is only part of the overall success. You still need to be able to work with them, but this is a topic for a completely different article. Today we will tell you about 10 signs of a correct and effective business card.

10 signs of the right business card

1. Pay special attention to the text
You have all seen business cards - this is a rectangle measuring 5 by 9 centimeters. The most common mistake many entrepreneurs make is that they want to put too much information on this small piece of paper. Remember, a business card is not an advertising booklet, and you should not try to fit everything there. Personally, I had to hold such business cards in my hands, on which they placed a photo of products, a map to the office, a small description of the company, addresses, phone numbers, names of employees. It looked terrible, and, to be honest, I didn’t want to look closely and make out what was written and drawn there.

The right business card should contain concise and clear information. It is enough if you provide the company name, address, contact phone number, your first and last name, and position. Everything, in fact, you can no longer put anything on a business card. Of course, each business card has its own purpose, but the main thing to remember is that information overload is a huge minus. Clarity, conciseness, informativeness - these are the three main commandments of the text of the correct business card.

There is one more thing I would like to draw your attention to. Never duplicate business card text on foreign language. I understand that you can save money this way, and it seems to you that in this way you will give solidity to the business card, but in fact it is a bad form. If you have partners in other countries, and a meeting is planned with them, then take the trouble to order a batch of business cards especially for them, in their native language.

2. Graphics and background for the right business card
Even 10 years ago, business cards used by businessmen were full of different colors, patterns, logos, and this was considered the norm. I don’t know how such business cards were perceived, but the trend was serious. Now the era of minimalism has come in everything. This "fashion" also did not bypass business cards. No need to use a lot of graphic elements, drawings, logos, all sorts of photos and patterns.
Many experts even advise against using a logo on a business card if it is not made in a minimalist style. Why is it minimal, you ask? What's so special about it. Yes, everything is simple, it will interfere with the three foundations of a proper business card: clarity, conciseness, information content. A business card made in light and calm colors, not conspicuous, but at the same time attracting attention, will be the best option.

3. Arrangement of elements
A very important role is played by how you arrange all the elements on the business card. That is why I say that you should not do a lot of them, because then the possibility of correct placement will be very limited, and the business card will not bring the desired effect.
After you make a business card layout, order a few test options. Let them be printed in the printing industry, and then you will be able to evaluate the practicality and convenience of using your business card. How to do it? Well, one of the simplest options: take a business card in your left hand, and mobile phone to the right, as if you were about to dial a number. When holding a business card, do you cover part of the phone number? If you close, then draw conclusions about how it would be more convenient to place it. In general, twist the business card in your hands, evaluate it, give it to a few friends, let them look, tell their opinion, pay attention to what they like and what they don’t.

4. Fonts
Playing with fonts is probably the worst thing a designer can hear from a client. Why? Yes, because there are a huge number of fonts, and the customer wants to try and fit the most beautiful ones on his business card.
Yes, there are a lot of beautiful and attractive fonts, but you need to understand that you can combine a maximum of two on a business card. This is done to make your card look solid, and not as drawn by a fifth grader in a simple graphics editor. Always remember - two fonts and no more. Otherwise, even if it seems to you that it is very beautiful, you run the risk of getting a low-quality business card that can significantly ruin your reputation.

5. Color range
The rainbow has seven colors, monitors can display millions of shades, and in your imagination such incredible combinations can appear, which is hard to imagine. But this does not mean at all that you need to make a riot of colors and fantasy out of your business card. Again, keep to the rule of minimalism, and use a maximum of 2-3 colors when building your business card color system. Yes, and colors need to be selected such that they combine as well as possible and complement each other.

Look at the largest and most popular sites in the world - Facebook, Vkontakte, Google, Wikipedia, Yahoo. All of them have one thing in common - a clear and concise use of colors. This is how you jump on this trend. Believe me, the designers for these giants of the Internet certainly know what and how suits most people in the world, what their preferences and reactions to certain colors are. Also, do not forget about your corporate colors. If they are, then the business card should be made in a similar color scheme.

6. Material correctly business cards
Here you can already fantasize and not stop. Now there are many materials on which it is possible to execute your business card. It's paper, plastic, and different kinds wood, and even exotic materials such as leather or rubber.
So what do you get away from? As a rule, the material should be chosen based on the scope of your activity and the tasks of using business cards. If you are selling some unusual and amazing gifts, then it is better to make a creative, eye-catching business card. Looking at such a business card, it will be immediately clear that you can find something interesting and unusual. If the business card is intended for business partners, then it is better to choose standard thick paper and cover it with a thin layer of varnish.

7. How to make the right business card
Here, too, you have freedom of choice. First of all, the method depends on the material that you choose. Next, you should pay attention to how and where the business card will be used. Modern printing centers offer a variety of various options making business cards is offset printing, and silk-screen, and embossing, and die-cutting, and dozens of other ways, each of which has its pros and cons. Here, as they say, there are no comrades for the taste and color. If you see that one of these methods is ideal for the style and material of your business card, then go ahead, do it that way. You can read more about the various manufacturing methods on the websites of printing centers that offer a similar service.

By the way, since we are talking about making business cards, I ask you to promise me one thing. You will never print your business cards on a color printer and then cut them out with scissors. Believe me, in this way you will not save money, but only spoil your reputation. Self-made business cards on a printer are terrible quality, goofy, and disrespectful to those to whom you give such a business card. If I had received such a card from a business partner, I would have thought several times about whether it is worth working with him if he shakes a couple of tens of dollars for a thousand quality business cards.

8. Storing business cards
Back pockets of trousers, inside pockets of jackets, various compartments in bags and backpacks are absolutely not the places where you can and should store business cards. Firstly, it is not very solid when you take out a wrinkled and not very “fresh” business card from your back pocket. Secondly, storing a business card in this way, you will rub them very quickly, they will become unattractive.
Therefore, buy yourself a business card. She will keep your cards in looking good, and it will look solid when you present your business card, taking it out of a shiny, beautiful, neat business card holder.

9. Correction on a business card
Have you changed your address or phone number? Then we throw out the old business cards, and immediately order new ones, with more relevant data. Of course, you can correct incorrect data with a pen, and this will help potential customers get information. But at the same time, they will conclude that you are not serious about your business.

Once I myself faced such a case. Wanted to order household appliances in the store, but it was not available, and it was proposed to place an order, leaving a small prepayment. I was going to think a little, and they gave me a business card with their coordinates to call back and tell about my decision. What a surprise it was when the address and phone number on the business card were corrected with a pen. As for me, a company that wants to bring me equipment for a couple of thousand dollars should not save a few hundred rubles on high-quality business cards. I immediately got the impression that they can also save on equipment by bringing me a TV set “corrected by a pen”.

10. Mistakes and typos
Check business cards at all stages of production. We wrote the text - check it, made a preliminary layout - check it, ordered a trial post - check everything for errors and typos. Also give business cards to your colleagues and employees of the company, let them look with a fresh look, maybe they will find some inaccuracies. Even when you double-checked everything, gave the layout for final printing, and after a while came to pick it up finished products then check everything again.
One small mistake on a business card is a hundred times worse than a few typos in advertising booklet. Be as demanding as possible of yourself and the text of your business card.

A business card provides the interlocutor with some information about you and your occupation, is a necessary tool for a business person and an integral part of the image.

Business cards are not only a beautiful attribute, but also a good form rule. Moreover, now it’s not difficult at all, because there are many convenient online services to create business cards, for example, .

Using business cards is convenient: share your contacts with other people without unnecessary actions.

In addition to all of the above, a business card has advertising properties, it is understood that it should also have some effect on the recipient, so when creating it, it is worth considering every detail.

Also, business cards are an essential element. corporate identity.

Business card features

Business cards are used to perform the following basic functions:

informative- the specified data on the business card provide some information about you and your activities: your name, position, contacts, so that a person can contact you or your office.

Image- such a small piece of thick paper as a business card, depending on the design, whether it be cheerful or elegant, bulky or concise design can say a lot about you not only as a person, but also as a businessman. A high-quality and tasteful business card creates a positive image of you or your company in the eyes of the recipient.

Promotion feature- most likely, a satisfied client will remember that he has your business card and will gladly pass on your contacts to his friends and comrades if necessary. Also, a business card helps spread your logo and slogan, making them more recognizable and memorable.

Types of business cards

In the modern business world, the following types are distinguished:

— personal business cards you may need in the usual acquaintance and communication in friendly companies. Performed in a completely free style. Most often, you will see a last name, first name, mobile phone or email address on them. The position and company name are usually not indicated, but the field of activity of a person may be noted.

— business cards an essential attribute of an entrepreneur, their presence is necessary for compliance with elementary rules business etiquette. Awarded to potential partners and provide information about the owner. They indicate the surname and name, the name of the organization you represent, as well as contact details. In addition, it is customary to place a company logo and a list of services offered on it. When making such a business card, do not forget to adhere to the corporate style.

— Corporate business cards unlike business ones, they do not represent a specific person, but the company and the services it provides as a whole. During registration, they indicate information about the company, scope of activity, list of services provided, contact details, website address, and often place a map.

How to draw up a business card?

When creating a business card, it is desirable that the design includes the following elements:

company name and logo (in the case of corporate business cards);
name and position;
postal address, phone number (more than one is possible);
E-mail address;
site address (URL).

In addition, pay attention to business card requirements:

1. An overabundance and clutter of information creates a negative impression about the cardholder, while a large number empty space on business cards in most cases creates the impression of neatness.

2. Check the text for errors seven times. Handwritten corrections are unacceptable as they create a negative impression.

3. Pay attention to which color scheme is used - RGB or CMYK. The image of colors on the screen and on paper does not always look the same. RGB colors are used for display on the screen. The CMYK color scheme is used for typographic printing, so layout elements must be made in this particular color scheme.

4. Make sure the resolution is at least 300 dpi.

5. Standard dimensions - 90x50 mm, less commonly used 90x55 or 85x55 mm.

6. Make sure there are indents to avoid errors during cutting.

7. If you create not only business cards, but also another printed matter, make sure they are all in the same color.

8. As business contacts expand, it is worth thinking about creating a business card in a foreign language. If you're doing business in a specific region, it's a good idea to have business cards in the local language. In addition, it is desirable to make business cards on English language, which is the language of the international business communication.

How to create a business card?

You can resort to several options for creating business cards. You can always order business cards from a designer or from a printing agency.

However, to create a business card, it is not necessary to resort to the services of printing salons. If you are wondering how to create a business card yourself, you have two options:

Draw in a graphic editor, for example, Photoshop, Inkscape.
Use one of the many online editors and online generators, on the sites of which you will find modern business card layouts. It is easy to enter and edit personal information in layouts.

Having created business cards yourself, you just have to find a printing house and order printing.

But even here, modern services have gone far, with their help you can order business card printing and delivery without leaving your home with just a few clicks.

Creating business cards using the Logaster online service

The advantage of the Logaster service is the ability to create the above business cards in a matter of minutes. However, before moving on to creating a business card, you need to create your logo.

Below you are presented step-by-step instruction how to make a logo and then a business card.

1. Select the "Create a logo" option, enter your company name or words that will be associated with your business. Below you can add a slogan that you want to convey to your customers. Please select your area of activity below. We press the "Next" button.

2. Choose the right logo. The choice of an icon for a logo usually depends on the scope of your activity.

3. Now you can edit the logo: choose a color, font. To cancel the action, there is a "Reset Item" button at the bottom. If the design suits you, click on the "Next" button.

4. If you like everything, then click on the "Save" button.

5. After creating a logo, Logaster will generate a large number of business card layouts in the colors of your logo. To do this, go to the logo page and click on the triangle in the edit menu above the logo. Click "Create a business card with this logo". Choose your favorite design and save.

With Logaster, you don't need to draw anything. All requirements for business cards, image quality settings, indents are already saved in their templates. Layout files are provided in PDF and PNG formats.

In addition to business card templates, you have the opportunity to choose a letterhead, an envelope and a favicon in the same style, which will serve as the basis for the formation of your company.

A business card is an integral part of the image of any entrepreneur. This is not only an advertisement for your goods and services, but also the face of the company, so the manufacture of this business tool should be approached with all responsibility, and we will help you with this.

A business card is not an advertising booklet

This should be remembered by every person who is going to make their own cards for employees of their company or for themselves personally. Pay attention to what format the future business card will be. Examples of sizes are varied, but it is worth choosing the standard 5 by 9 centimeters. This will be quite enough to place important information, not to "blow up the brain" of the future client with unnecessary trifles, and to place the card in the most compact wallet.

Information should be minimal. Laconic and informative, that is, the phone number and address of the company, what you do, the name and surname of the employee, position. Everything. You should not cram information about all your products and services, list the names of employees, and even more so cram a map to your office. Most of these overloaded business cards end up in the nearest trash can, not having time to warm up in the hand of a future client.

Variety of languages

One wrong decision can completely ruin a business card. Examples of incorrect business cards are entering information on them in different languages. If you decide to attract clients from other countries or you have business partners in different countries, then do not spare money for the production of a batch of cards for foreigners.

By printing on the same business card in different languages, you will ruin the reputation of the company and will be known as greedy people. In business, this should not be allowed to flourish, and not to fill up the whole thing with the wrong "face of the company."

Rainbow of colors

Not so long ago, business cards were more fashionable if they had many colors in their graphics. The fact is that even 10 years ago, the use of a color printer was an indicator of status. Now this method is not relevant, and the era of minimalism has come. She touched everything, including cards with information about the enterprise.

Just looking at the examples of business cards (photo below) with the wrong choice of colors, you want to close your eyes, because it seems that you are not holding business information in your hands, but a dancing gypsy camp. Few people want to cooperate with a company whose business cards have no meaning and taste.

Remember the three rules of an elegant card: minimalism, conciseness, informativeness. This also applies to the colors chosen for decoration. Use your company's range of colors (if any), make sure that all tones are compatible. Business cards whose design examples are correct have no more than three or four colors that are in perfect harmony with each other.

Also, the font color should be business - black. You cannot write on each line with a new shade, even if you offer to buy paints.

How to arrange elements?

Business cards, whose design examples are admirable, differ in the arrangement of all elements.

To make the card really work, order several types of printed business cards, the only way you can determine their shortcomings. Take the phone in one hand, and an informative "piece of paper" in the other, then swap them. If in any case the contacts were closed with a finger, then change the arrangement of the elements.

The company logo should be placed in the upper corner, or you can completely refuse it so as not to clutter up the information view.

Business card materials

A business card does not have to be exclusively cardboard. Examples of materials for manufacturing: leather, wood, plastic, rubber, exotic base and others. It all depends on your imagination. But keep in mind: the raw materials for making cards must correspond to the direction of your company. It would be unethical to give away business cards made from animal skin when you are raising funds for endangered animals.

Business card companies offer a plethora of typography options: embroidery, burning, and simple inking information. In order for the base of the card to harmonize with the method of applying letters and numbers to it, think carefully when choosing one or another design proposal.

Example of the right business card: professional production

In order not to be considered a goon and a person who does not respect business partners, never make business cards yourself. It is clear that everyone is chasing savings, but it should not concern the reputation of the company.

Now in all offices there are printers for color printing, and you might think that it is possible to make cards yourself. If you are not a professional designer, then do not undertake to create, print, and even more so cut out business cards with scissors. This is poor quality, possible bad taste, incorrect design. As a result, we saved two rubles, and lost a million, losing customers. Order business cards from professionals.

business card holder

If you think that allocating money for the purchase of a card holder for storing cards is a waste of money, then you are greatly mistaken. Would you personally like it if you received a business card from the person who took it out of the back pocket of his trousers? It seems that not very much. First, it's unethical. Secondly, the card will be in a terrible state.

During the day, a person can sit down several times. Thus, business cards are wrinkled and overwritten, losing their entire appearance. Jacket pockets are also not able to preserve the original appearance of the card, so it is worth buying a business card holder to store them. It will not only keep the "face of the company" intact, but also emphasize the style of a business person.

The business card, the design examples of which we have provided you, should become a business tool for attracting customers and partners, so do not spare money for its production!