3 Ways to Improve Your Business Cards
As a business owner, you know that business card printing is a necessity. Business cards are an essential tool that helps people you tell about your business to remember you and know how to contact you. They are also just one of the tools consumers expect respectable businesses to have. Since just about everyone has a business card, you need a few tricks to help yours stand out from the crowd.
1. Put Promotional Info on the Back
The best addition you can make to your business cards is to print promotional information on the back. You can offer a discount for referrals and put the details of what is required on the back. You could also print a coupon. Some other information you might include in your business card printing are your office hours or a list of your best products or services. Be sure to also add some marketing language telling how your business benefits customers; you might tell about your low prices, your top quality work, or your reliability.
2. Use A Graphic or a Picture
Some people like to put their photograph on their business cards. This is pretty unusual, so it stands out. You could also put a photo of one of your products if you sell something attractive like flowers or cars. Another eye-catching option is to use a graphic in the background of your card. If you do this, make sure your text contrasts well with the colors in your graphic. You will also want to check your graphic in the size of the business card printing; some images look good in a larger size but are indistinguishable when small.
3. Have a Colored Background and Ink
A simple way to make your business card printing design stand out is to use colored ink, especially for the background. If you have a non-serious business such as a restaurant, clothing store, or salon you can use a bright color that will really get people’s attention. However, if you have a more corporate type of business such as a law office or anything to do with financial advice, you will probably want to stick with neutrals. You may even want to use more than one color in your design, but limit yourself to 3 different colors at the most to avoid a cluttered look. And unless you have experience with colored designs, stick to black ink for your text since certain colors make text unreadable.
Underlying Meanings to Consider in Poster Designs
A large part of advertising is the ability to move individuals emotionally, and being aware of the subtext in your poster printing design will allow you to use them to create an emotional reaction. Several aspects of underlying meanings in design can affect that response, for instance, the colors and subtext lend to the feeling of the poster, and culture can change the meaning of a message. Here’s how you can make these factors work for your poster printing designs:
Colors
The colors you choose for your poster printing will work for you or against you. If you would like for your design to excite customers and move them to action, you should choose warm colors. Reds, pinks, yellows and oranges are all warm colors and each color, or a combination of these colors, will give you the emotional response of excitement. Cool colors such as blue, green, turquoise and silver have a calming effect.
Subtext
The subtext of your poster printing will be more successful if it offers a familiar experience. Many designers reach into the pre-existing pool of imagery from previous company ads and use the familiar pictures in their design. People respond well to something that they feel comfortable with. Familiarity is comfortable, so take something old and make it new.
A fresh take on already existing design can be accomplished by following some of the current trends. Your poster printing will be most effective if the subtext is modern. An outdated design will hurt the image of your business, but a trendy design can boost your image. Be careful, however, that you do not become cliche. Use a trend that has not been over-used or that has existed for a long period of time.
Culture
Any form of communication is most effective if it corresponds with the culture in which it takes place. Color and images will mean different things in different cultures. The color combination of red, white, and blue will mean patriotism to an American. This can create a strong tie to the poster because of the already existing cultural tie to those colors. If you keep cultural differences in mind, you can make your poster printing even more effective.
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Going Beyond a Standard Brochure Printing
Brochure printing is a marketing standard for many businesses for good reason. Brochure printing is an efficient way to share information with consumers, build your brand recognition, and give consumers reason to pursue further contact. With so many brochures being circulated in your targeted audience, how do you make yours stand out? Here are a few suggestions for going beyond a standard brochure printing.
Color is one design element you can use to make your brochure printing stand out in the crowd.
- Enhance the colors used in logos to make them stand out.
- Use brightly colored, close-up images.
- Use a colored stock for your brochure printing.
- For an ultra chic and modern brochure printing, use a white on black format.
- Use a black and white format with single-color highlights to pop certain elements – try brilliant jewel tones. (more…)
Simple Typography Rules for an Impressive Catalog Design
Typography is a large part of the visual appeal of your catalog, so using attractive typography in your catalog design is vital to a stunning finished product. An impressive catalog printing design will include a font type that is both easy to read and visually appealing to readers. With this in mind, here are some simple typography rules for an impressive catalog design.
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Unique but Proven Tips for Powerful Business Cards
Business cards are powerful marketing tools, and what makes them really valuable is when potential customers desire to save them for later reference. So how do you get folks to want to keep your card around? The answer is with fantastic design. Here are a few unique and some not so unique but proven tips for powerful business cards that customers can’t help but keep around.
- Add customer testimonials to the back of your card to add credibility to your business cards.
- Print your “private” cell phone number on the back of your business card for special customers.
- Reprint your business cards each time any of your information changes – use the opportunity to hand out your “new” business card.
- Print on both sides of your business cards - the back of your card is valuable real estate.
- Business cards with lots of bright colors stand out so add color to your card – use color paper stock or add color in the form of an image or graphics.
- Get a folded business card to share valuable info about your business with prospects – folded business cards quadruple your marketing space and cost less than larger folded items such as brochures.
- Build your brand identity – make sure your logo and company info are on all business cards, then spread them throughout town, building your brand recognition and identity.
- Because business cards are easy and fun, design and print new ones often – it will not cost much and it will give you a new something to give your customers when you visit.
- Add a fun fact about your business or industry – choose one that will be memorable and create involvement with customers.
- Do include your website or email address for online contact – online contact is one of the most popular methods that customers utilize to find out more about their vendor options.
- Create a strong tag line that features your business’s unique selling point for your business cards and other printed marketing materials.
- Send out a monthly newsletter to your list of current customers and include a business card.
- Carry your business cards with you everywhere and always be ready to hand one out.
- Keep the design of your business cards simple and professional for optimum results.
- Double your business cards as appointment or referral cards.
One of the foundations of a strong marketing package are your business cards, so take the time and even spend a little extra money hiring a designer. You want to insure that your business cards remain a foundational piece that work for your company even after your conversation with prospects has ended.
