In the age of social media and instant messaging you would be surprised to know that interior design business cards still hold their importance in networking and sales. Yes, they have evolved over time to suit the ever-changing demands of people, but their essence stays true to the core.
When you hand over your business card, you gather trust and keep the conversation going long after the other person has physically left the scene.
Business cards lay the foundation of connectivity to your next career move and must be treated with the same importance as a Resume For a Cover Letter.
Needless to say, a well-designed and attractive business card goes a long way in establishing your brand’s authority.But before we get into the details of How to Create a Killer Business Card, let us talk about the 3 Critical Mistakes that you should avoid making while designing a business card.
1. Going Overboard with Editing
It is a business card, not a brochure! You need to dial down ALL unrelated information till only the essential data remain, in essence, yourname, contact information and the service that you provide.
You can add a tagline highlighting your brand’s personality, BUT, even on this tiny piece of paper you should leave out enough white space for your content to breathe. It pays to be as concise as possible without altering the essence of the information.
2. Illegible Information
Your business card is not an art exhibit. People often fail to realize this simple fact and end up doing some crazy stuff!
From using black font over a grey background to choosing a tiny font size that needs a magnifying glass to decipher, people make questionable choices while designing. Keeping it simple accomplishes two important feats.
One, your business card functions as it was intended to, i.e. provide information.
And two, it lends a certain finesse to your brand.
3. Erratic Branding
The purpose of an interior design business card is to highlight and maintain uniformity of brand image across your website, social media profiles, brochures and other print media. It only makes sense to implement the same design elements here. Stick to using the same logo, font, color and style that represents your business.
If this seems obvious, you will be surprised to see the number of people that opt for generalized card designs chosen from the publisher’s templates, which has nothing to do with their brand.
A uniform brand image resonates better with people!
As an interior designer, you have the ability and the knowledge of playing with color, light and the ambience. It only makes sense that your business card radiates the same vibe. You might have to break a few rules if you want to make that lasting first impression!
In this blog we will discuss 3 Substantial Designing Mantras that will help you create a killer business card.
a. Stick to the Roots of Designing
Before heading into the nitty-gritties of what makes a interior design business card strike a chord with a potential client, you need to understand the psychology behind rudimentary designing.
Your business card should answer every basic question that a potential client might ask about you,starting with these 5 crucial data:
- Your Name
- Your Designation
- Your Email ID
- Your Phone Number
- Your Social Media Handles (Alternate Mode of Communication)
You need to create a healthy balance between the text and the design elements. Text hierarchy and blank spaces left at the appropriate places play a vital role in designing a striking business card.
Locate a spot in the card that attracts the first gaze and focus on this space to create a lasting impression on the viewer.
If you opt for a double-sided business card, you could use the first side to give out information and the second side to exhibit creativity. You can put up the company’s logo, a quote highlighting your vision or a thought-provoking image.
Choose your color palette wisely since CMYK color printers show their limitations when dealing with complex shades. But do not let this dampen your creativity.Test the legibility of the text since you are bound by dimensions.Get it too big and it tampers with the vibe. Get it too small and it becomes illegible.
The thumb rule is to stick to 8pt and a clear font such as Sans Serif.
Never Compromise on the Quality of Materials
A great product needs an even better groundwork to succeed, and business cards are no different. A lot of planning goes into the creation as you must be well aware of by now. HOWEVER, all the effort will be in vain if you do not contemplate the materials being used for printing.
Shape and form are two essential elements of a business card and the only way to ensure that your card doesn’t lose either is by selecting at hicker card stock. If you plan on implementing special elements into the design, such as laser-cut elements, emboss/deboss and presses,using a higher quality card stock is recommended.
c. Note the Importance of Bleed
Printing is never 100% accurate in small dimensions. This is why creators often prefer a design that exceeds the physical boundaries of the card. This is known as bleed in printing terminology. Most printers require a 3mm bleed.
Make sure you use the background color here for uniformity, and NEVER put important information in the bleed area.
Your business card should be able to tell people who you are and what you do without wasting their time. No one takes time out to read huge chunks of text on a piece of paper. It makes no sense to overload your business card with information.
If you are struggling with interior design business card ideas and are looking for inspiration, talk to us today!
