“Let’s see Paul Allen’s card.”
That’s the infamous line from a scene in American Psycho, where Patrick Bateman is embroiled in an absurd comparison of business cards with other high-flying finance executives.
Is your business card drab and uninspired? Perhaps your brand doesn’t even have one at the moment? Business card designs are critical to building your brand name and a well-designed one will definitely pull its weight for giving your clients a positive impression.
If you’re interested in upping your business card game, you’ll want to read on to find 10 business card ideas that are creative and definitely achievable.
1. NFC or QR Code Cards
There are near 1.6 billion NFC-enabled phones out there, so your average customer is probably going to be able to use this technology.
There are many services out there that will make cards embedded with an NFC chip. Your customer can then hold the card against their phone to enable a digital action.
The cheaper alternative is getting a QR code somewhere on the card so your customer can simply scan that with their camera to achieve a similar effect.
This can be an ingenious marketing tactic if the digital action redirects to your company’s landing page. The NFC could even enable the customer to receive a discount on your product when they scan it, increasing your product’s conversion rate.
If your business has anything to do with e-commerce or online technology, these cards can be a great way to show off how tech-forward your business is.
2. Surprising Size
In a sea of generic business cards, you can make yours stand out. There are infinite ways to customize your business cards.
You can request them to be sized differently from your average card, for example. If you’re running a gelato shop, perhaps your cards can be shaped like a delectable stracciatella cone. Any unconventional size is eye-catching and will help your card stand out to your customer.
3. Material Matters
Along with size, you could consider varying the business card materials to make them more unique as well. There’s everything from recycled cardboard for an eco-friendly brand, cork for wine brands, and even cards that come in the shape and material of coins.
4. Unique Colors
Colors for business cards can be iffy. If your business is aiming to come off as traditional, perhaps you’d still want a subtly colored white business card with standard sizing. This is more likely to be the case if you work in more traditional industries like finance.
We say that in this day and age, having a colorful card could be to your advantage. Your customer will be able to locate it easily and having a card with colors that pop will make it more likely that your client will hold on to it instead of chucking it in the trash.
5. The Weight
Business card details are everything. The weight of the card is also an important contender in the impact it can have on your client. A card that’s weighty feels luxurious and well-constructed, and your client will appreciate the thought put into every facet of your business. It’s also a factor that will make your card less likely to be thrown out.
6. Custom Typography
If you really want to go the extra mile to stand out, you could hire a typographist to design your card.
This will ensure that the typography of the card stands out and is unique in all the world. It’s a premium thing that immediately sets you apart from other businesses.
Typography these days is art. It conveys the “feel” of your business. It can be playful, classic, and aesthetically pleasing in a way that’s hard to put your finger on.
If you’re looking for a premium card that stands out from your competition, polished and professional custom typography will elevate text on business cards in a flash.
7. Minimalism
Never underestimate minimalist design.
Minimalism is luxurious.
If you keep the design minimal but go for quality in every respect, customers will be able to tell. Your simple design will show off the high-quality paper you use, the beauty of the kerns of the typography, and the real weight of the business card in someone’s hands.
8. Unusual Designs
Are you unimpressed by the stodgy designs everyone else is sporting?
Maybe your business is a pioneer. An outlier. You have unique energy to everything you do.
In that case, your business card should be completely unique as well. Of course, not knowing what your business actually is, that’s the most we can say. But here are some ideas.
Say you have a company that sells custom puzzles. You could have your business card made of wood that interlocks like puzzle pieces.
Say your business sells perfume. Scent your cards!
As you can see, it’s really up to you how you want to get creative with it. These options will be a lot more expensive, but they could be worth it for your marketing efforts.
9. Verticality
People expect business cards to be horizontally-oriented. Something simple you can do to change it up is to make yours vertically oriented, with beautiful custom typography to match.
A card that makes a lasting positive impression is a good card, and a card that gives clients even a small moment of pause has done well for your business.
10. Statements
If you’re a freelancer looking for a business card that will help you stand out from the crowd, you might want to feature your name and portfolio front and center.
Here are some ideas. If you’re a photographer, consider using a piece of yours to decorate your card. If you’re a writer, consider using one of your best lines on the card.
If you’re an artist who receives custom commissions, you could even go the mile to create a short and sweet illustration by hand on each card.
More Business Card Ideas at Your Fingertips
Business card ideas abound. Hopefully, you’ve walked away with some inspiration.
In that case, it’s time to get cracking on your new card! If you’re unsure, always feel free to ask a professional what they think would be possible given your constraints, marketing plan, and budget. Contact us today to request a quote on a custom card.
