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People have a tendency to collect many strange things. It just so happens that I am a collector of business cards. My collection includes cards from every type of business imaginable: restaurants, hair salons, car dealerships, music stores, and everything in between. It is no coincidence that the cards belonging to successful businesses all have certain things in common, while cards belonging to businesses that went belly up also have certain things in common. When choosing a business card, here are a few things to consider:

1. Cardstock. The cardstock is just as important as what is printed on it. Successful businesses tend to choose heavier cardstock, because sturdy and firm cardstock conveys a sense of reliability, stability, and strength. Flimsy cardstock, on the other hand, may subconsciously put doubts into the mind of a customer because it conveys a sense of weakness.

2. Color. Certain color combinations that work for one business may not work for another. For example, my collection includes a card from a super-successful handyman. The card is plain white, with the man's name and phone number in black. I also have a card from my favorite Indian restaurant, which is elaborately embossed and printed with dozens of different colors. Both businesses are successful, and both styles are drastically different. People who have no-nonsense jobs, such as those who repair machinery or those who fix things, can get away with simple black and white because these colors give the impression that the businessperson is serious about what they do. Restaurants, on the other hand, need the "wow" factor to make them stand out.

3. Texture. I have discovered a rather strange fact when it comes to business cards. Businesses that deal with other people's money never, ever use business cards with a glossy finish. Neutral-colored cardstock with a textured finish are the preferred cards of financial planners, lawyers, loan officers, and insurance salespeople. These cards are moderately heavy, with one or two colors of print, and almost always have a matte finish. Most successful bars, hair salons, and other "fun" places tend to use more colorful cards with a glossy finish.

4. Content. A business card is not intended to serve as reading material. If it takes more than five seconds to read everything that is written on the card, then the card has too much information. The worst business cards are those with too much information printed on them. This looks messy and makes it hard for people to read. After all, the more that is printed on the card, the smaller the print has to be. The worst business card I have ever seen belonged to a hair salon which had chosen to cram as much useless information as possible on the card. A good business card includes a name, a phone number, and possibly an address or a corporate logo. A card should not provide directions, hours of operation, a service menu, a website address, a slogan, and the names of the owner's childrens and pets. Customers can find this info on their own if they so choose. Needless to say, this salon didn't stay in business very long.

As you can see, successful businesses have effective business cards. Before deciding on a card of your own, collect as many different cards from as many different businesses as you can, and you can see for yourself what to do and what not to do when it comes to business card design.

Learn more about this author, Marlin Bressi.
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