30 October 2015
 Categories: , Articles

If you want to start marketing your new business properly, then it is wise to start investing in marketing materials that can be mailed and handed out to potential customers. One of the simplest and most useful of these items is a business card. Business cards can be printed by the hundreds by your local full color printing business. However, you will need to design your cards first. Ask the printing business if they can help you with design and consider the following tips to create the best business card possible.

Consider Fonts Carefully

There are over 100,000 text fonts that are available for use in digital form, and your designer is likely to have a good selection of these fonts for you to choose from. You will need to decide on a font, and choosing just one is your best option. While it may be fun to mix and match fonts when adding text, this can lead to a chaotic experience for your customer.

Also, using a single font on business cards, websites, and other marketing materials will help to create a cohesive brand. Branding your business is a good way to exude professionalism and to also help potential customers recognize you. If you have already invested in a website, logo, and other design elements, then the work is done for you. Ask your previous designer what font was used when creating text or click on the text in the raw design document.

Making Your Choice

If you have not considered fonts yet, then ask your printing professional to type out your business name and other pertinent information on a document and have him or her change the font to one that is commonly used by designers. Avenir, Baskerville, Bembo, Bodoni, Futura, Garamond, and Helvetica are a few of these fonts that are aesthetically pleasing and easy to read.

Make sure to look at these fonts in both regular and bold typeface to see what options look best to you. Also, ask your designer to create your business name and other important information in a 12 point size so it can be easily seen. Any other information can be added in a 10 point size. However, 10 point is the smallest size you should consider, since anything below this number is often considered unreadable. 

Thinking About Colors

Once you have made your font choices, then you will need to think about color. The main text color should be either black or white to stick out, unless you want the text to match your logo or other branding materials you have used. If this is the case, then you will need to inform your designer of the Pantone or CMYK number that was used when your logo was created.

If you do not know this information, then consider providing your business card designer with your raw logo files so the color can be located. You can also bring a flyer or other item with you that has the logo printed on it. The designer may be able to match the color with the help of a standardized Pantone swatch guide or a digital color guide.

Making Your Choice

A Pantone guide or book is also extremely helpful if you have not chosen any colors for your marketing materials yet. Start by thinking of the standard color that you think best represents your business and then look at the different color tones that are available. For example, if you sell green products, then a green tone will work well. This tone can be used for either the text or the background on the card. Your designer also may suggest the use of simple circles, squares, or other graphics that can be created and then colored.

For more information, contact a company like Excalibur Printing.