Does your business card say what you think it does?

I admire the popular Biznik articles that list the 5 M's of successful ________ or 6 essential __________ or 8 steps to __________, but my mind doesn't quite work that way. So here is a list of eclectic observations - communication and visual elements for us to consider. Some of these cards display admirable graphic design but ambiguous content; some have satisfactory content and problematic design. Details have been changed to protect identities. MYSTERY CARDS Maybe the efficiency and organization experts on Biznik have their card collection neatly filed, categorized and cross-referenced. I don't. I often forget when, where, or from whom I collected the card. Biznik has excellent networking resources, but imagine that your card has to go solo with its own "elevator speech" - "Here I am, here's what I do, here's my contact info." Does a new contact ask, after seeing your card: "what does this mean?" - maybe they're dense or clueless. Maybe they aren't familiar with your field. Maybe you've got yourself a mystery card. I'm looking at some cards now that feature well-designed abstract logos - but few clues to what the business offers. The text reads something like: "information catalyst" or "solutions for the future" or "nonlinear synthesis." I can only guess: something high-tech. Another card features an architectural photo, and several unfamiliar names. Is this a photographer? No, it advertises a book and author, but how would I know? I don't see the words "book" or "author." The title of the book is not in italics nor a distinctive typeface to identify it as such. Another card advertises a photographer, but the logo is a little cartoon animal. I wonder what sort of photography. Fine art? Portrait and wedding? Everything? Even a slice of a photo would get my attention if I were in the market for a photographer. Another card has neither logo nor image nor typographic accent - just a vague phrase in black Times Roman on white cardstock, over a vague subtitle about fufilling dreams. Why is it so featureless? Is it a deliberate anti-statement? I doubt it; most likely the owner told a printer: "Put this text on a business card." And so it came to be. Here my reader might comment: "So what? the reader will be intrigued, go to my website and find out more." Really? Maybe not. You might explain: "I am a multi-faceted individual, I can't be pigeonholed." Hmm. If you are a past life regression facilitator and also a real estate agent and also a computer repair specialist, why not have several cards, rather than one vague card? I use three different cards and none of them is mysterious. Example of enlightening card: I approve of the next card, that of an acupuncture clinic. The logo is at left. At right is the name and contact info; above that, six phrases listing services of the clinic. The text is small, but well-organized and legible in a style that suits the subject. Since many people are not well informed about acupuncture, the card clears up the mystery nicely. CARDS WITH DESIGN AND FORMAT PROBLEMS What is effective design on something as small as a business card? That's partly opinion and taste. I appreciate the beauty of a simple, classic design layout and also the originality of a creative design that breaks a rule or two. So what is a design problem? Here are some I've seen lately: NO MARGINS:Consider a letter or magazine page: does the text continue to the edges of the paper? A margin is allowed for a reason: the white space creates a visual frame for the content. A design that was MEANT to bleed looks very different from a non-design - text that sloppily bumps into the edge of the card. Although a card is small, it still needs to allow for white space and margins. By "white space," I mean the background, no matter what color. I use a margin of a quarter-inch or so. Have you noticed that many websites also display this unattractive "no margins" look, with text bumping into borders and images? I can't believe it's because the page designer thought it looked cool - it's likely because he/she didn't think about it and doesn't notice such things. TOO CROWDED: If you have a ton of information to include on the card, why not use a double-sided or folded card with a pleasant amount of white space, rather than tiny type, no margins or a cluttered layout? ILLEGIBLE TYPE: On the other extreme is a card that's mostly white space, with text at a point size so tiny, it requires a magnifying glass. This style seems to be popular, but should we assume that every potential client has perfect vision? Miniscule text creates a difficulty that's unnecessary. This is especially true if the color is a low contrast to the background or reversed (light on dark) URLs too long: It' not necessary to use the "http://" prefix or even "www." when listing a web address, just as it's no longer necessary to type it into the browser. Eliminating those allows the text or the white space to be a little larger. MIXED-UP ELEMENTS: Here font styles, sizes or weights are mixed in such a way that it looks like a mistake. That is true for the margins and indents too. If nothing lines up anywhere, the card looks chaotic. If you WANT the card to look busy and bouncy, that should be by design, not carelessness. GRATUITOUS CAPITALIZATION/ITALICS: A slogan with every word capitalized like a title looks wrong, especially in italics and quotes. But now I'm just getting cranky! CLIP ART: An image provided by the printer from a 1958 clip art book looks like what it is. Your business deserves better. even just your business name in a distinctive typeface - not one of the 6 oldies offered by the printer - would look much better than a generic image. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A professional graphic designer will consider all of these things. A printer is not a graphic designer, so relying on a printer to do the layout of your card is not a good idea. Please share your own thoughts about effective card communication and design. 2009-02-27T16:58:09Z