by Suzy Stembridge

Created on: October 12, 2010   Last Updated: October 13, 2010

Business cards are fragments of contact information, conveniently whipped out at a moments notice in exchange for a similar article. While these pieces of information usually consist of numerous ways to contact the owner of these cards, fancy titles, awards and posts are sometimes vainly displayed. Business cards are comfortably designed to fit shirt pockets and pantaloon pouches, so exchanging contact information can be a breeze. 

However, various errors on cards can contradict its main function. Spelling mistakes are the most common and the most frustrating. While names spelled incorrectly may lead to embarrassment that can easily be resolved, the real annoyance lies in how the email address or website is spelled. A missing alphabet here and there can lead to vastly different outcomes, such as undelivered messages, weird and sometimes dangerous websites and many awkward questions to answer. Spell-check has never been more emphasized. 

The overall design of the card is important. Many want their business cards to stand out, to be uniquely displayed. However, color combinations that tend to produce migraines should be avoided. Most importantly is the direction of the printed information. While it may seem boring to print words horizontally, preferably parallel to the length of the card, traditionally, this seems to be the most effective. Letters aligned sideways or vertically may product the illusion of being cool, but only causes the reader grief and a furrowed brow. 

Acronyms can also be a problem. Space and cost is an issue when printing these business cards, as they are meant to fit in pockets and deftly slipped into palms. This motivates the replacement of actual words with single letters. While this may theoretically be a solution to original concern, it results in confusion and complication. This is especially true if these cards are exchanged globally, where the difference in language becomes a barrier for the flow of information. The letter “M” followed by a string of numbers can mean anything from a mobile phone number to a messaging service. 

Business cards are meant to ease the exchange of contact information. No longer are we subjected to hunt for scraps of paper to scribble our phone numbers in the pen that always blots and never writes. We don’t have to worry if said scrap of paper will last until its next viewing, or agonize about the credibility of legible handwriting. Business cards should reflect our personality, represent our careers and relate our phone numbers. It should not cause frowns, squints and trips to the optometrist.

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