Business cards are an essential way to promote a business or service, whether for self-employed individuals or as part of a large company. Since so many people have cards to promote themselves, it is important that an individual’s own card stands out. Artistic business cards are an effective way to make a unique statement while showcasing a person’s more creative side. The key to successful creative cards is to use a high quality paper with a unique design that also conveys pertinent information in a simple way.
Some businesses have preexisting logos, while others are new and have yet to create one. When a business makes a logo, it might have to trademark it so that another business cannot steal the design. This is the first step in designing artistic business cards. An owner can work with an on-staff graphic designer to create a logo that is a good representation of the business. If there is no graphic designer on hand, a business owner can contract one out, but it might cost more in the short-term.
Whether a business uses a logo on its cards or not, it is important to have a vision as to what the company represents. Even the simplest, most straight-forward businesses can take on a creative aspect of the company and turn it into an artsy card. It might be wise to determine the businesses’ target markets beforehand, as an over-the-top card might fail to bring in the desired type of customers.
Aside from graphics and logos, color is an important way to make any business card stand out. Traditional black-and-white cards are often passed over or forgotten because they do not stick in the consumer’s memory long enough. Color is more expensive than black ink, but it is generally worth the investment, as a company is more likely to have their design be memorable which will, in turn, increase business.
There are other creative twists on traditional artistic business cards. Some can transform into greeting cards with different flaps and various graphics throughout. This is often effective, because it piques a potential customer’s curiosity so that he will actually look at the information. The type of paper used also makes a difference in the quality and the appearance of artistic business cards.
Although it is tempting to be as creative as possible with artistic business cards, an owner should be careful not to get distracted from the purpose of having cards — to get information out and attract business. A card can be creative, but it is vital that the business contact information be easy to find. Otherwise, the customer might appreciate the creative design of the card but not take the extra time to find out what the particular business is about.
