Recently, I observed a friendly debate between colleagues discussing the pros and cons of creating a business card that relied on die cuts, embossing or spot UV coatings. Is a business card really a good investment? Will it make the difference between being thrown away and being treasured?

My opinion? It’s up to the designer and the client. While there are definitely budget constraints that should be taken into effect I do believe that money spent on designing a dynamic business card is well invested.

Unfortunately for many clients and designers, spending a large amount of money for a small business card isn’t practical. What can you do then?

Let the design ‘fake’ it !

1.    Create visual interest: So what if you can’t afford to have a die-cut? By using geometic or assymetrical shapes in a bold an vibrant way, even  a “square” card can come alive!

2.    Round off: Use rounded lines of text along with graphics to create a “warped” feel to the card.

3.    Cut them yourself: If you create a design that will allow it, make your business cards works of art. If the budget is tight, cutting the edges of your business cards a little crooked with an appropriate design is great way to get noticed! (Be sure the design makes it obvious that this intentional and not a mistake!)

4.    Have an assortment of designs. This is incredibly valuable if they are designed in such a way that people want to “collect them all”. You might also try this with a double-sided card and allow the back of all the cards to create a different image when layed out together!

5.    Go vertical: Who says a business card should be horizontal? Try out some vertical designs. They don’t cost any extra but allow a great opportunity to stand out.

6.    Choose Excellent Photography:  They say a picture is worth a thousand words. That is definitely the case when you choose a photo with a clear texture feel to it. Changes are the card will be picked up and “touched” repeatedly.

7.    Create an illusion: With a few simple tricks up your sleeve with the design you can create a simple illusion of one corner being die cut or embossed.

8.    Create an antique look: With some simple edging  and burning techniques you can create a realistic, rustic look.

9.    Create cool angles: By tilting your company name and contact information, you can create a simple yet effective and memorable card.

10.     Make it a piece of art: Adding a sketch, a watercolor painting or a simple drawing can make your business card completely unique.

Hope you were inspired! Thanks to Daily Poetics for these great business card finds!

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