Design a Business Card Like a Professional Graphic Artist with These 3 Tips

Most business people have a pile of business cards they've collected at meetings and events. You can usually tell which cards a graphic artist designed and which were done by an amateur at home on a computer. If you're getting ready to design a business card, here a few tips to make your card look as professional as you are.

1. Leave Plenty of White Space

A graphic artist knows nothing makes a design stand out more than a plain white background. It's the reason art galleries paint the walls white. When it's time to design a business card, think like a graphic artist and resist the urge to cover the entire front and back of your card with text or images. Go for a clean and simple look instead.

2. Pick Fresh-Looking Colors

Graphic artists know color sets a mood. Even though a business card is small, the color you select for your logo and text makes an impression. Blues, greens, and teals are professional and fresh. Red is bold and dynamic. Pastels are soothing but can be low impact, especially if you follow rule number one.

Pick a color you like that conveys a professional image aligned with your business. Then, use photo editing or graphic design software to look up and record the color number and scale of the color(s) you chose. Once you choose a color, you'll want to use the exact shade on your other marketing materials and you'll need the color number and scale to find it, so don't eyeball it. The color is important to your brand consistency.

3. Create a Simple but Memorable Logo

Your business card can be as simple as a name, phone number and email address, but while you're working to design one, why not try to create something more memorable? A graphic artist knows the importance of designing a striking logo, one that scales from small items like your business card to larger items like posters in a booth. Your logo can be as simple as your business initials treated in a unique yet readable font, or you can get more creative. Either way, including a logo is smart; it will help brand your business long-term and make a professional impression on colleagues and customers.