Business Card Styles | Colortech, Inc. Creative Solutions

Business cards have a variety of purposes, the obvious being to give colleagues easy access to your contact information. There are all kinds of business card styles to work with, and while there are standard styles, there are also plenty of other ways to express creativity. These cards are also great for striking up a conversation! Below are some ways you can customize your cards to make them stand out and be memorable. You can always contact someone in our creative department if you need some ideas as well.

Size

A business card in a square shape.

The standard size for a business card is 3.5 x 2 inches. One way to change them up is to make them square-shaped! When this is done, they usually are about 2.5 x 2.5 inches in order to still fit inside people’s wallets or pockets. In fact, they may actually fit better.

However, don’t forget that because you have less design space, you have less room for your information. You may have to reduce the amount you have while also being sure that what you have is still legible.

Stock

Business card with gold foil used as part of its stock. Business card with embossing of a company logo.

Different types of matte and glossy stocks are typical for printing business cards. All that comes down to is personal preference. In addition, some companies offer more tactile options such as gold/silver foils, embossing, or a raised spot gloss (which is a thick shininess in certain spots). These look cool but will more than likely always be an additional cost. Some companies also won’t offer these due to increased prices and extra labor involved. Colortech works with them on a case-by-case basis due to just how much these can cost. Feel free to reach out to someone on our team to ask if your idea is possible with our current press’ capabilities.

So, why bother asking if it can be done? Depending on your company, these cards can exude elegance and are beautiful to look at, sure to strike up a conversation. They will also leave a lasting impression in the way that only a luxurious feeling stock can do.

One or two-sided?

A vertical business card that is two-sided.

One or two-sided business cards are both pretty normal routes to take. Which one should you go with, you wonder?

While going one way or the other isn’t out of the ordinary, what you choose can still make a statement in itself. If you do decide to go two-sided, we recommend keeping it simple on one side (such as only having your logo) and then having all your information on the other side.

However, if you keep it one-sided, there are a few advantages to this as well. Keeping one side blank allows you or your clients to write notes or ideas on that side. If they are storing your card somewhere, it is also a good idea to keep all important info on one side anyway, as this is what they will always see when opening your file.

Vertical or horizontal?

Vertical and horizontal versions of a business card.

Now, should you go with a horizontal or a vertically oriented card?

Horizontal business cards tend to be the standard when it comes to displaying and storing away. You also have more room to write out your information. On the other hand, vertical cards may allow shorter bits of information to stand out more, and you are forced to be selective with the info you share. With that, however, if your business name, logo, or email address do not properly fit in the space, this can be annoying to work around and to view. Your information should always be legible to the eye on a business card.

Due solely to the risks involved with vertical cards, this is one of the business card styles we recommend being cautious over. However, if you can pull it off, you will certainly stand out amongst your competitors.

Shape

A business card with rounded corners instead of the typical square.

We see a decent amount of rounded-corner cards along with the standard rectangular ones. Rounded corners can offer a modern approach to your branding by adding a little bit of extra detail. They may also last longer due to having smoother edges, offering less potential damage. They will be a bit more expensive due to needing to use a die cut to trim the corners down, so keep that in mind.

In the end, remember that what you decide to create for your business cards is entirely up to your preferences. What will look best for your brand and leave the best impression on your clients?

Reach out to estimating@colortechinc.com to get a FREE quote on your next set of business cards! We can work with a variety of business card styles to make you and your business as memorable as possible.