Let's face it.
Anybody can make a business card.
But very few men create the perfect business card for their unique needs.
What do I mean by that?
What's so difficult about printing your name, your job title, and your contact information on a small piece of paper?
Nothing really.
And most business men have a mediocre card that get the job done.
But my goal isn't for you to settle for mediocre.
I want you to have a business card that makes you referable, that ensures you are remembered, and does it's job to perfection.
I want you to have the perfect business card for you.
Today’s post will feature 5 tips that anyone can use to create that ideal business card for their unique situation.
1. Understand The Purpose Of Your Business Card
The way a business card looks as well as the information written on it is very dependent on what the owner wants it to do.
A more established businessman may be more selective as to who gets information regarding his phone number as well as his job title. He may choose to just place his email and the words “business owner” instead of his actual position.
This particular format may violate the basic rules of having a business card. Other people may also think that any format is acceptable as long as the card serves its purpose.
Job seekers should put in mind that it is not a good idea to give out the business card associated with your former company. A better strategy is to have new business cards made- ones that highlight a few of your special skills. It is certainly not a good idea to squeeze one’s resume in that small space but you still want enough information on there to create a positive first impression.
2. Keep Your Business Card Simple
Make sure that your business card is readable. Stay away from card formats that have so much clutter that it makes it impossible to see where one piece of information starts and ends.
Use a readable font as not everyone has perfect vision. Research says that ideal fonts to use include Helvetica, Myriad Pro, Glasgow and Karat.
A 12 pt is an ideal font size but never get below 6 pt type as this will present problems for those with faulty vision and creates – in my opinion – the need to fill the card with unneccesary information to fill space.
By keeping your business card simple, you can clearly illustrate who you are, what you are doing and what you want to achieve.
3. Make Sure The Contact Information In Your Business Card Is Accurate
A business card with inaccurate information is useless.
It is worth repeating that if you’re in between jobs, never give out your old business card. The information found there such as your job title and even your email address may already be inaccurate. It doesn’t send the right impression.
Make sure that your business card has your current contact information – not your email from your last company or your old address in Colorado. Include several options on how people can reach you – some people prefer using the phone still for talking 🙂
Never scratch out old phone numbers in old business cards and write new ones in their place. This just shows a lack of preparation and gives the impression that you may not be serious in your goal.
4. Keep Your Business Card Professional
One factor in being professional is your email address. You may be one of those people with funny or unusual ones. Keeping this kind of email is a personal choice of yours but finding something like [email protected] doesn’t exactly send the most professional message.
Emails that are under the Gmail outlook umbrella are acceptable but stay away from emails that are convoluted, spell and sound weird and are difficult to remember.
Another way to keep your business card professional is to make sure that it is clean and free of smudges. Don’t make it seem like your business card has lived in your back pocket for ages.
It is also a good idea to develop a system for handing out your business card. You may want to get into the habit of placing your business cards in your right pocket and keeping the business cards of those you meet in your left jacket pocket. That way, you’ll know where to reach in case you need to hand out a business card of your own or stash someone else’s away.
5. Have At Least 50 Business Card On You At All Times
It can be a very costly mistake to suddenly run out of business cards in the middle of an event.
Don’t let that guy be you.
A way to avoid this is to plan and prepare ahead. If you are going to a conference of 2,000 people then bring about 500 business cards with you.
Another useful tip is to place a good number of business cards in strategic places- such as in your jacket’s pockets. That way even if you forget the stack that you originally prepared for that event, you’re not totally out of business cards.
A great thing to invest in is a nice business card case. Not only will this make it easier to remember to bring one’s business cards but it just keeps them in good shape and maintains a professional image.
Don’t forget to also keep some business cards in your car so they can be ready to grab just in case.
Lastly, keep about 5 or so business cards inside your wallet, preferably in a small case. While these may look a little beat up compared to your usual pristine set, they are so much better than not having a business card to give out at all.
Hat tip to Paul in the comments – he reminded me of this classic scene of men taking business card perfection to the extreme 🙂
Hopefully you found this post useful. If you did and want more, please subscribe to the Real Men Real Style Youtube channel.
