Top 11 Business Card Design Ideas to Impress Your Clients

Making a lasting impression on potential customers can be challenging for entrepreneurs. An elegant business card can help, but only if it’s memorable.

Sometimes, having your own business card isn’t enough — it needs to stand out. A creative business card can show everyone who you are.

We’re here to give you some business card inspiration. In this article, we’ll discuss some of the best business card ideas to impress prospects and showcase your brand identity.

• Business card basics
• 11 business card design ideas
• What to include on your business card

Business card basics

Today’s connected world offers many ways to stay in touch, like social media and email. You may wonder about the benefits that business cards can have for your brand.

Why spend the money on business cards? We’ll answer some questions you might have in the next sections.

Are business cards still relevant?

You’ve just made the business connection of your dreams, but they’ve also met 25 other great connections today. How will they remember you? Business cards may seem old-fashioned, but they’re necessary.

Modern business cards don’t just advertise your business — they can guide prospective clients to your website, promote your social media pages, or encourage people to check your portfolio.

You and your company may easily be lost in the sea of networking if the connections you meet don’t have a reminder of your business and know the details of how to get in touch with you. This is where business cards come in.

Why your business card needs to stand out

If your card is just like everyone else’s, it’ll probably end up in the same place as everyone else’s — the pile of cards that never get touched and are eventually thrown away.

You need a way to stand out in potential customers’ minds. A business card with a unique design or cool feature can increase the likelihood that a receiver actually looks at it.

The role of business cards in professional relationships

Your business card is most people’s first impression of you. A well-designed and thoughtfully branded business card can show prospects your professionalism, pique their interest, and help them remember you.

11 business card design ideas

Designing a business card is an opportunity to let your creativity shine. In the next few sections, we provide design inspiration to help you elevate your company above the crowd.

1. Use a unique shape

You can make a normal, rectangular card — but playing with the shape and size of your card to show off your business’s personality, especially if you have a unique company or quirky brand, could be helpful.

Let’s say you design wedding cakes. Your business card could be circular in the shape of a little cake. Cards can also be square or oval, have one side rounded, or even have rounded corners.

Or you can make your own shape. For example, if you’re a musician, you might shape your card like a guitar.

Keep in mind that odd-shaped cards cost more to print, and you’ll likely have to go to a specialized printing company to get them — but standing out to your connections could be worth the additional cost.

2. Choose the right business card size

Convenience is the name of the game. There’s a reason you don’t hand everyone your full resume at networking events. Business cards should be small enough to fit in someone’s wallet, but big enough to clearly show your business’s relevant information.

If you want to follow the standard, make your cards 3.5 inches by 2 inches. However, it’s OK to make your cards a little bigger or smaller as long as you can still get your point across — and your cards can still fit reasonably in someone’s pocket.  If you use a larger than standard card you should make sure the important information is within the normal card dimensions in case the recipient folds back or cuts the oversized edge.

Choosing a different size for your cards can even help set them apart.

The shape of your cards will affect the size you should print them. For example, on a square business card, all the sides will be the same length. They’ll likely be 2 inches by 2 inches, or 3 inches by 3 inches.

On the other hand, if your cards are circle shaped, you’ll have to measure their diameter. A typical circular card measures 2.5 inches across.

Use high-quality paper and printing techniques

The thickness of the paper you use for your business cards can make the difference between people viewing you as a professional or an amateur.

These are the most common types of paper used for business cards:

• 100-lb. gloss cover is a thin, malleable cardstock. It’s more affordable than thicker options. If you’re a freelancer or a small business, this option might be fine for your needs—but the thickness may not be enough if you work for a larger company.

• 14-point (thick) and 16-point (extra thick) cardstock yields much more durable cards than a 100-lb. gloss cover. These cards are less likely to get damaged in someone’s pocket and are more professional-looking.

• 24-point (and above) cardstock makes super high-quality, long-lasting business cards. These ultra-luxurious cards convey that you’re the real deal in your field.

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Different printing techniques can add to the aesthetic of your business cards. Consider a few popular printing techniques used to print business cards:

• Laser cutting involves using laser beams to get precise cuts and make intricate designs.

• Embossing involves using metal plates to create designs raised from the business card.

• Debossing involves using metal plates to create designs that sink into the business card.

• Varnish is a protective sheen that you can add to your card.

• UV coating involves using UV rays to harden specific parts of your card to make attention-grabbing designs.

• Foil printing involves heating colored foil and pressing it onto the card to highlight text or logos and make them reflective.

• Lamination involves adding a protective plastic coating to the surface of your card. You can choose matte lamination (natural-looking) or glossy lamination (shiny).

Incorporate your brand colors and logo

Your brand colors and logo are part of your business identity. They make you recognizable among all the other companies in your industry. They need to be showcased on your business card.

People are 10 times more likely to hang onto a colored business card than a black-and-white one.

While your color palette should fit your company’s personality, it should also be appropriate to your industry.

For example, if you’re a graphic artist, a card with different colors and beautiful designs might work well. If you work in the medical field, however, you might prefer a card with only two or three bold colors.

If you prefer a minimalist business card design with a lot of negative space, a splash of color in your company’s logo design can be eye-catching—and highlight your brand.

Experiment with different fonts to find the best ones for your business. Fonts like Helvetica and Times New Roman are professional and easy to read, while fonts like Learning Curve, Tachyon, and Salsbury are more fun, and can show your brand personality.

It’s OK to use more than one font. You might use one for your business title and another for your content. However, fonts that are too different (when you use multiples) can look awkward or distracting.

Your logo, typography, and colors should create a visual hierarchy on your business card. For example:

• First, your colorful logo draws a viewer’s eye to your business name.
• Next, an interesting font, like Learning Curve, pulls the viewer’s attention to your business title.
• Finally, the viewer’s eyes move to your contact information, written in a classic, easy-to-read Sans Serif font like Helvetica.

Explore business card finish ideas

Different finishes can add cool dimension to your unique business card. We’ve briefly touched on finishing techniques; now we’ll give a few examples of businesses that might use them.

Embossing graphic elements gives them a raised finish elevated from the rest of the card. Debossing elements make them sink into the card. Both techniques give your card a cool texture and 3D quality.

Foil stamping means pressing foil onto elements of your business cards to create a metallic, light-reflecting design that can be pleasing to the eye. Foil can be gold, silver, or copper.

Have you ever received an invitation to a wedding with golden letters raised from the page? Foil stamping is a popular technique for people who work in industries like wedding planning.

People in other industries, like tech, can also use foil stamping to create hyper-modern cards.

Plastic business cards are durable, waterproof, and modern-looking. Business cards printed on clear plastic can be especially attention-grabbing.

Frosted plastic cards are nearly transparent and can be printed with colors for an interesting design and feel.

However, when designing plastic business cards, don’t try to cram in a lot of information. Too much information can clutter plastic cards, making them difficult to read.

Utilize embossed business card lettering

Embossed lettering can give your card a stylish, modernized look. You can use it to make an ultra-minimalist, classy design without adding extra color to your card.

You can even combine embossed lettering with foil stamping to make reflective text that jumps out at the viewer.

Be careful not to use too much embossed business card lettering. If you do, your card may appear cluttered and confusing. Save embossing for only the most important parts of your business card, like your company name.  

Try folded business cards

Business cards don’t have a lot of room, so be selective about what you put on them.

But what if you need a little more space to add something important, like a special offer or a historical quote that embodies your values?

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Folded cards give you twice the space of normal cards, but they can still fit comfortably into someone’s wallet.

Let’s say you work for a nonprofit that promotes literacy for students. The outside of your card could have all your contact information, and the inside might have your company’s mission statement.

Add photos and artwork to your business card

The right images can make your cards more endearing and memorable. Make sure they’re appealing and appropriate for your business.

Always use high-quality pictures. Photos around 300 pixels per inch (PPI) look crisp. Different types of images will work better for different industries.

For example, if you’re a personal trainer, you might use an image that highlights your physique or shows you working with a client in the gym.

If you’re a travel agent, you might choose an exotic location to activate a viewer’s wanderlust.

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If you’re a digital artist, you might add an interesting image of a geometric shape that represents your skills.

A photo of your face is a good idea if you work with clients directly, such as in real estate; it helps them remember you. You want to appear professional and trustworthy, however, so use a good-quality headshot. A goofy photo might be fine if you’re a clown for children’s birthday parties, but it likely won’t inspire much confidence if you’re a service professional.

Double-sided cards can be helpful when wanting to include a photo on your business card. For example, print the appealing photo on one side and all the contact information on the other side so it doesn't interfere with the photo.

For the best results, get your images professionally done. Hire a digital artist to create your design or a professional photographer to take your headshot.  

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Integrate your card with social media or contact info

If you’re in business, you pretty much have to be on social media. In fact, many potential clients prefer to contact brands over social media rather than through email or text.

Your business card should make it easy for them to get in touch.

Use little logos on your card to guide connections to your Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, or other social media pages. You can also use icons like little phones or envelopes to help people find your contact information.

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Use a QR code

Adding a QR code to your business cards makes it simple for people to find their way to your webpage. It’s usually more convenient for prospects to use their camera phone to scan your QR code than to type in your web address.

QR codes can also help you track engagement. You can attach a distinct URL to your code to measure how many people use your business cards to visit your website.

You can add a virtual contact file (vCard) to a QR code. When a user scans your vCard, your contact information will automatically save onto their phone.

Consider functional cards

If your cards are interesting and well-designed, prospects will hold on to them longer. But if prospects can use your business cards to fix their bike tire, comb their hair, or pin their child’s art project to the fridge, they might never throw them away.

Functional cards double as interactive tools your prospects can use in their everyday lives. Every time someone uses your functional card, they see your logo.

Functional cards can be pricey, but they’re a great way to make a lasting impression. Some examples of functional business cards include:

• Hair comb

• Home eye test

• A business card that measures tire tread

• USB

• Refrigerator magnet

• Nail file

• Bike repair tool

• Drink coaster

• Bottle opener

What to include on your business card

You don’t want your business card to inundate prospects with information. Keep it simple. Having some white space on your card can be valuable so the recipient can jot down a note to help remember you.

Some key pieces of information your cards need to have include:

• Your brand logo or design
• Your business name
• Your name
• Your position or title
• Your work phone number
• Your work email address
• Your physical address (if applicable)
• Your business website address (unless you have a QR code)
• Your business’s social media handles
• A QR code (optional)

Design your business card with help from Upwork

Custom business cards might seem trivial in a world where everything is done online.

Why put time, money, and effort into a professional business card when you can use your resources to improve your web design or strengthen your social media presence?

But developing in-person business relationships is just as important as ever. A unique business card design helps you stand out and connect with the right people to drive your brand forward.

A business card is also a great marketing tool to help you promote the hard work you’ve put into your website and social media.

If you’re looking for great business card design, Upwork has you covered. Find skilled designers from all over the world with graphic design chops to get your brand noticed.

If you’re a professional graphic designer with business card experience, you can find your next job on Upwork.

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Upwork is not affiliated with and does not sponsor or endorse any of the tools or services discussed in this article. These tools and services are provided only as potential options, and each reader and company should take the time needed to adequately analyse and determine the tools or services that would best fit their specific needs and situation.