I get a lot of business cards from tradeshows and I am really appalled at how bad some of them are.
People are spending lots of money to make them spiffier and stand out more, but they really just make them tougher to work with. Many people have business cards scanners and people are even using their camera-phones to collect cards these days and these weird black on grey color screens really make it tougher on the eyes and the machinery to keep my rolodex up to speed.
So here are my tips:
1- Use dark type on white cards to make reading them easier. Use a bigger font for your name so you can use it as a name tag in certain venues when needed.
2- Keep it simple. Don't put the magna carta on the back. If you do want someone to keep it in their wallet, put something useful on the back like a local map or calendar of upcoming events in your industry.
3- Keep the graphics conservative. In some businesses a photo of yourself is expected, so that makes sense. Having huge graphics or swirls just make them tougher to read in nightclubs.
4-Use normal card stock so they are easier to scan in a machine and fit in my wallet. Unless your Kevin Mitnick and can afford stainless steel cards.
5-Use multiple cards for multiple events. I give vendors a card with my info@ and voicemail #s because they always call at the wrong number and I do not want the spam to appear on my cellphone. I also have cards for personal friends and college alumni so that stuff does not appear in my office email.
6-Include links to your social media like twitter and facebook if you are using them for professional purposes.
7-Include a link to your IM or freebusy information so I know when there is a good time to contact you and we don't spend days in telephone tag.
That's all for now. Email me anytime for more personal advice. -M
