Andrew Dark is co-founder of printwear and branding specialists Custom Planet. In this article, he shares his top five tips for creating a winning business card to wow your freelance clients.
Even as we live more and more of our lives online, the value of a good business card can't be overstated. 72% of working professionals said that they judge a company on the quality of their card, according to a survey by StatisticBrain, while it was found that 61% would not do business with a brand who gave out a cheap looking design.
Business cards are essential for freelancers: they allow prospective clients to keep your details on file so they can get in touch, and also come in very handy for networking opportunities. If you are just starting out on your own, having a well-designed card is a must, and you could find yourself losing out on business if yours isn't up to scratch.
Here are my top five tips for creating a successful freelance business card.
Choose a design that is appropriate for your business
It's important to remember that your business cards are an extension of your own personal brand, so you need to make sure that their design reflects the image you want to project your clients. For example, if you are a freelance financial consult, you want to come across as very professional, so a classic, understated design is probably best.
If you aren't sure what type of design or branding you should go for, look to work with a designer who is willing to sit down and discuss what your enterprise is about. A good one will be able to listen and then create a variety of options that suit your needs.
Get all the essential details onto your card
This may sound like a basic piece of advice, but it can be amazing what people can neglect to put on their business cards, especially at the expense of design features. Be sure to include: your name, your business's name (if it has one), your job, and your contact details (email, phone number, and any social media handles). Remember that you can also use the reverse of the card, so all these essentials don't necessarily need to fit onto the front.
Don't skimp on print and paper quality
We've already heard how a poor-quality business card can impact your freelance business, so it's important not to skimp on quality print and paper. You will pay a little bit more for quality card-stock paper, but it's worth it if it makes a good first impression. Potential clients will also be less likely to crumple your card up if they can see it's a premium product.
A one-tone card can often come off as cheap, so if possible try and work some different shades into the design, either through font, logo, or another design feature. Even a business card that uses two contrasting colours can look a whole lot better than just one, so be sure to make this a priority.
Work with a printer that has proven results
Before you go ahead and order your cards through the cheapest printer on the market, take the time to look at the products they've printed before to make sure they will do a good job. If you know of any clients or businesses that have worked with them previously, you could even take the time to ask about the quality of their work.
Any decent printer will be able to provide you with samples of their work, so be sure to request some in a few of the different card-stock types they have before you make a final decision. Many companies will offer templates that can be adapted for your own brand, so it might be possible to request a sample of a particular design to get an even closer look at the one you have an eye on.
Exercise heavy quality control
This can't be emphasised enough: check every single detail of your card design before you send it away for printing. A business card with a mistake looks unprofessional, and is more likely to drive potential clients away than win you their business. From a misplaced full-stop in an email address to an errant bullet point, one tiny error could result in business cards you don't want to use.
Take these five essential tips on board and you will be able to create a great business card for your freelance work that will win you clients on its own.