Image Is Everything!
What Do Potential Clients Think About You?
In a typical business meet and greet, what are the first things you do? Shake hands. Introduce yourself. Exchange business cards.
These are the conscious actions. Subconsciously, two people that are meeting are immediately evaluating each other and establishing first impressions. Things like: your demeanor, mannerisms, and body language and even your grooming and accessories are been assessed by the other party.
Making the right impression, right there and then, is critical to developing a lasting business connection. Your business card is a vital part of this right impression – acting both as a physical tool to be exchanged consciously, as well as providing a subconscious impression to the other party when they look at the business card. When the card is re-read at a later time, the subconscious impressions at that first meeting will surface again and be reinforced.
A professionally designed and printed business card will have the following four critical components.
1. Brand identity/ logo that stands out
Your business logo / identity should stand out immediately on your business card. This is your company’s image to the outside world and should be unique and easily identifiable. Your business card designer will have created this logo or obtained the logo from an existing style guide.
2. Appropriate design layout
A business card will also contain vital information such as your name and position, contact details including address, telephone, fax, email, website and mobile phone numbers.
The layout of all this information is critical. Your business name, your name and title should be the three important things that stand out so will be in larger and bolded fonts. Contact details can be in small size fonts or might even be placed at the back of the card.
Some business cards will utilise the back of the card for adding extra information like your business services / products and even add a space to write in the ‘next appointment’ details for potential clients. While this is all ok, make sure your card does not become cluttered and contain too much information, which will present a messy and overwhelming image to persons reading your card.
3. Appropriate colouring
Besides the layout, the colouring of images/fonts/logos need to match your style guide and the brand essence of your company. Colour promotes subconscious emotions like calm, energy, action, anger etc. Choose colours that are appropriate for your industry and follow any existing style guide to ensure your business card promotes the right ‘feel’ to your clients and suppliers.
4. Material that matches your brand
Lastly but importantly, the stock material you use to print your card on needs to be considered as part of the design process. Material type (paper/plastic/matt/glossy) and any extra embossing/engraving of fonts and images can all convey your company image.
Business cards are a critical part of your business image - especially during initial meet and greets. Always use an experienced professional to design a proper business card. It is worth it, as you will never get a second chance to make a great first impression.
© Creative Gem Design Studio