Quite often, your business card is the first contact people have with your enterprise. This is why it is crucial to have a business card that leaves a good impression with everyone who sees it. A well-designed card will not only grab people’s attention, but could also eventually boost your sales. Here are some business card mistakes that could prove disastrous:
1. Inconsistent design
The design of your business card should be consistent with the look and feel of your products, website and social media profiles. Be sure to use the same fonts, colors and design that your audience is familiar with. This will make your business cards more recognizable, thus allowing for more effective marketing.
2. Not adding social media profiles
If you are using social media to promote your business, it would be advisable to add your social media profiles to your business card. This will enable you to attract more followers and fans, as well as generate more leads for your business. However, avoid the temptation of filling your business card with links to every social media network. Only choose the ones that are most relevant to your business and target audience. Besides links, be sure to add social media icons which will grab the viewer’s attention. You might also want to include a call to action such as ‘Follow me on Twitter’ or ‘Like my page’.
3. Printing on inferior paper
Besides the content of your business card, the paper on which it is printed is very important. Using cheap paper will only leave people with a negative impression of your brand, and could result in lost sales. Therefore, if you want to be taken seriously, be sure to print your business card on quality paper.
4. Not including an email address
There is nothing more ridiculous than a business card without an email address. Since most people use email for communication, failing to include yours is a recipe for disaster. When adding an email address, double check to make sure it is spelt correctly. In addition, you need to ensure the address appearing on your card is one that you check frequently. It would be annoying to customers if they get in touch but don’t get a response. Finally, it would be advisable to go for a customized email address rather than the generic gmail or yahoo one. you@yourbusiness.com carries more credibility than you@gmail.com.
5. Tiny font size
Not everyone has good eyesight. This is why you need to ensure that the numbers and letters on your business card are printed in a reasonable size. Before printing all your cards, get a few samples and test them on a few people. Take time to adjust them accordingly according to the feedback received.
6. Not using the back side
One part of business cards that is commonly ignored is the back side. However, the back side of a business card can be very useful in your branding and marketing. For instance, you could use the back side for displaying your business tag line. Alternatively, you could have icons and text promoting your most popular products or services. This allows people to get additional information about your brand even before visiting your website or social profiles.