What Information You Should and Shouldn't Put On Personal Business Cards

Personal business cards give you a fantastic opportunity to sell yourself. But what information should you be including on your card, and what information should you leave out? Click here to find out.

When you design a business card, you're striking a delicate balance. You want people to have enough information to find you, but not get overwhelmed. These two by three-inch cards can only hold so much information. You need to focus on displaying the most information without losing aesthetic quality.

To help you navigate this tricky balance, we made a guide to personal business cards. In it, we'll tell you what does and doesn't need to be front and center. Put your best foot forward and read the tips below.

Personal Business Cards: Do's

To give your business the best impression, you want to design the perfect card. Read the things it definitely needs below.

1. Name and Title

First thing's first, let's make sure people know who you are. Not only will having the name on your business card help them remember who you are it adds a personal touch to an organization.

List your name, as you usually introduce yourself, and your title. For example Sally Money, Position. Be as clear and specific as possible with your position. It's better to put "Social Media Marketer" than "Marketing". It helps people using your card know if you're the best person to seek out.
It'll also help people looking back at your card in the future.

How many times have you got a business card and you can't remember why you needed it? Don't give people an excuse to throw yours out. Nickname wise, go by what you introduce yourself as in most situations. If your name is Samantha but you go by Sam, list yourself as Sam.

It's a little less formal, but it's less confusing for someone receiving the card

2. Company, Logo, and Tagline

Once you've established who you are, make sure they know what your company is. Don't be vague, write the name as clearly as you would on your business website.

Whether or not you list your whole business name is up to you. For example, Barley Brother's Bakery and Coffee Cafe could list its name as Barley Brother's Cafe, without losing clarity. This is something to think about when you create your business name too. How much competition is there for the business name you want?

If you're using a common set of words or descriptor that's popular in your area, list the whole name on your card. Place your logo to the right of your company name. Since people read left to right, they'll see (read) your logo as part of your identity. This strengthens brand identity and increases your exposure.

Under your logo and your company name, put your tagline. These are the three things you want people to associate with your business. Seeing them all at once will create a cohesive image in their head.

There's a caveat to displaying your tagline. If it's long, skip it. You want the tagline to fit under the name and logo, not look like a paragraph.

3. Contact Information

People often wonder how or what kind of contact information to put on a business card. There isn't one answer.

List whichever type of communication you use most or what you want to be contacted through. For example, someone who works on the computer all day can answer emails quicker than phone calls.

They'd list their email address and maybe not their phone number.

There's nothing wrong with giving both, people do contact in different ways. If you list phone and email, the person will contact you the way they're most comfortable.

4. Social Media

You should list your social media profiles IF you're active on them. Don't direct someone to your twitter if you only post a few times a month.

Only list social media profiles you feel good showing off. Two to three channels will do, any more is overkill.

What Not to List: Business Card Don'ts

Now that you have an idea of what to list, you need to know what to leave off. Avoid incorporating the things below.

1. Outdated Information

Fax machines are in many businesses, but whatever the chances a person you meet off the street will fax you? Is that your best form of contact? Probably not. These extra numbers can confuse people trying to call your main number as well.

People don't like to be wrong, so if they call a number on your card that doesn't go through, they'll likely give up. You want to make it as simple as possible for them to contact you.

2. A Boring Site

Yes, listing your website on your card is a good idea, but why not make it fun? Instead of having your web address, make a fun landing page for people with your card.

www.mybusinessname.com/freebook or /handshake will pique someone's interest. Feel free to make it more mysterious, but don't go crazy.

Keep the URL short and easy to type.

3. Too Much Text

There should be a good amount of white space on your card. It looks better and you can use it as a space to jot down notes.

No one wants to squint at your business card to find the information they need. Keep the basics and lose the rest!

Colors and Shapes

There are websites now that have different colors and shapes of cards, with tons of options. In this aspect, you have our permission to go crazy.

Crazy within the expectations of your profession that is. Would you want to get a lawyer's business card if it was bright pink and zebra striped? Probably not.

In more reserved professions, look for things like premium upgrades that make you stand out. Different materials always make your card stand out from the crowd. How often do you get a metal business card

Not very often. Jump on the metal personal business cards train while it's still new and see how easy it is to make some today.