This is the second installment of Design the Perfect Biz Card (Click here if you missed part one). Today we will go over tips 4-7 that focus on key design elements for your business cards.

4) Add a Face to the Name-Adding your photo to a business card can be a great way to build professional relationships, especially if you’re working in an industry such as real estate where the personal touch is important. Trust is a key to a lasting and profitable business relationship and giving your organization a face can help this along.

5)      Don’t Forget the Basics-It may seem obvious but some professionals fail to list all necessary information on their business cards. The basic elements of a business card include name, title, company name and URL, and all contact information including fax number. Try not to list more than one phone number on your card as too much information causes confusion. Lead with your company’s name and space permitting, include a clear, concise positioning statement or tagline.

6)      Colorful Cards-The color of your card should be tailored to the type of business you represent and your target audience. Warm and inviting colors such as blue and white are perfect for a doctor’s card, while an artist or entertainer may go with a black card to show off their off-beat creativity. Make sure your cards are full-color to cast a bright, eye-catching image. Avoid using hard-to-read yellow business cards.

7)      Different Cards for Different Folks-Businesses marketing to a wide-ranging audience should consider creating more than one business card designs for their personnel. For example, a floral business could tailor one card to target the wedding industry and another for the funeral industry. Your company needs to be all things to all people so why not have multiple card designs when you have to influence very different audiences with very different needs? The small amount of money spent developing the additional cards will pay for itself in the form of the extra business gained.

Please check back next week for the third and final installment of Design the Perfect Biz Card.