10 Guides to design the business card the right way

10 Guides to design the business card the right way

Our guide lays out 10 Guides to business card print design the right way issues you should be aware of when trying to lay out the business card yourself.

1. Why use our 10 Business card print design guide?

Avoids reprints
Saves you money and time
Looks more professional the first time out.
Avoids guesswork

2. How do you initially set up the business card from Photoshop?

The most important business card print design guide is the initial setup of business cards. If you are in Photoshop, be sure to start by setting your document to a 3.625″ x 2.125″ or 3.75″x2.25″ size. You need to find out the exact size from your print shop of choice. Then set your file resolution to 300 dpi.

Note. You need to set the file resolution at the beginning of the file creation, not afterward. If you change the resolution afterward likely it will remain to look blurry when you print the business card.

3. The importance of using the back side of cards in marketing with business cards.

Be sure to use the backside of business cards to further promote your business.

On the 3.5×2 business cards, you have 7 sq. in. on the front and 7 more sq. in space on the backside of the card, a total of 14 sq. in. marketing ad space. That’s similar to a quarter-page ad in a magazine that costs about $300. On the backside of business cards, you can add marketing messages, product example pictures, promotional coupons, discounts, pictures, location maps, QR codes, sequential numbering, or any message that can convey your potential customers to come and visit your store followed by your website promotions.

Make sure your message is concise and effective. If you are not sure how to go about marketing with your business card you can consult with us or another graphic designer who understands marketing with cards. <Read more> 10 Business card print design guide.

4. Explains why shouldn’t use Photoshop’s default black color in printing.

We recommend the use of C=60, Y=40, M=40, and K=100 on the black colors. With any other combination of processes, colors may not get the true black color you are expecting every time. Don’t use the Photoshop default black color to print the dark solid black. It will print flat or muddy black. On the black text, use C=0, Y=0, M=0, and K=100. <Read more>

5. How to make the correct blue color

No matter how much mess with the computer’s default blue color never seems to print the correct color value. Either prints blue-purplish reflex blue or the blue color looks muddy.

To avoid all the mishaps in printing and get on the grip with the blue color management, change your color mode settings to CMYK, and then set your color values to 70/30/0/0 on your CYMK setting. This blue is a medium blue. Adjust the K value to darken the blue tone as desired. This setting should take out any purple tint in the blue. <Read more>

6. How to tell the image resolution quality by just looking at the computer monitor?

You can predetermine the resolution quality of how the business card will look before sends off to the print shop by simply increasing your monitor to 300-400% magnification and then analyzing your image. That’s how likely to print when you print it out. If the image looks clean and sharp then you are good to print. If the image looks blurry then you need to replace the image or enhance the image quality if possible.

Analyze the text quality first. In most cases, they should look sharp at a 3-400% view. Don’t compromise on the text quality at any time.

Analyze the images next. If your image breaks up badly then you need to replace the image for sure. If unable to determine the resolution quality simply print it out on any printer so you can verify the print quality. For test purposes, you can use any black-and-white printer to test out the printed results.

If you save the file as .pdf likely to hold up the print quality with the letters on the business card at any size.
If you save the file as a .jpg file likely will not hold up the print quality on the letters when enlarged, however, it may work on the business card since the size of the card is only 3.5×2 inches. It all depends on how the business card originated from the start.

7. How to cut the business cards

We recommend not cutting the business cards yourself. No matter how much you try with a cutter of some sort it will not look professional. The only real way to cut the business card is with a business slitter which requires a proper page setup. <Read more>

8. Why shouldn’t create business cards online using the template

Creating your business cards online can be a frustrating experience for many people.

There are plenty of business cards online sites where you can create your business cards online (DIY) for a fraction of the cost. Every one of them claims they can get you the cards for under $10. Then the question comes next, is this business card good enough for my business? Is this card thick enough? Can I place my logo? Can I add my graphic? What about my photo image? Do I have time to mess with another business card designing interface that can’t seem to understand? How do I place the logo that I got from my web designer?

The answer is “Yes” you can do all of those things, but it’s “Not, that simple.” Here is why?

Background template. Most online custom business card design tool is dictated by a fancy background leaving you with very little room to write on the card. They sold you a background template that you somehow need to work around the design issues.
Logo. Just ask yourself, what is more, important to you, a logo of your business on the card, or the fancy background that dominates half the card? Do you want a very small logo on the card or a logo that properly represents the business brand you are trying to achieve? In many cases, just type in your business name on the card and call it a day. Is that how you want to present your business?
Add other Graphics or photo images. How can you place the photo image over the background image without having a white background of the photo image? In most cases, you can’t place another image over the background. You will need a graphic professional’s help who understands how these business cards’ online designing tool works.
Card Thickness. Many business cards online sites offer 10pt 12pt papers. That’s far below today’s industry standard of 14pt or 16pt papers. You are getting low-grade paper printed from a digital printer which is considered low-quality printing by many print professionals. If you want the standard cards you need to pay extra along with the professional graphic designing fee.

9. How to avoid Avery template paper to print out the business cards.

Simply, don’t use Avery’s business card template papers to print your business card unless this is your last option for that important meeting. In today’s standard, this looks very unprofessional no matter how you do it. Instead of handing out a bad card, just tell the truth by saying to your potential customer, you don’t have a business card to hand out today, and then ask them for an email. This way your potential customer can’t judge you by the cover.

Here is why you should not use Avery’s business card template paper to print.

Avery’s paper uses 60-80lb card stock paper. Today’s standard starts at 120 lb paper.
You should not print the cards with more than 20-30% coverage area. Printing a larger inked area will soak the paper with ink.
You can’t print the business cards with the bleed.
Most laser printers at the office are simply not good enough quality.
You have to deal with the perforated edges afterward.
Your ink and the printer maintenance during the printing can cost you time and money.
A box of Avery business cards costs around $20.

Importantly, professionally printed cards have a much better chance of getting recognized and respected than printed cards at the home office. <Read more>

10. Who has the best business card templates online?

Comes to business card templates or Premade business card designs, Canva and Zazzle have the best template card designs online. Each of the card templates is designed by quality graphic designers who have a very good understanding of their market. Canva.com and Zazzle.com also have some of the best online card layout tools available by providing intuitive design tools for all computer user levels. Although prices are a little higher than Vista.com we believe you will be happier with Canva and Zazzle’s template cards on any given day.

As we have noted in the previous post, most templates online can not add your logo file to the layout all that well. Unless you are using the white background template, it’s almost impossible to add your logo and make them seamless on the template card layout using the online layout tools. <Read more>

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