A guide to business card layouts
Business cards are among the best tools that professionals can have as they grow in their career. The way in which their layouts appear could affect the amount of information a recipient gets, thereby limiting or increasing opportunities for the professional who issues them.
Variety
Business cards are cards that provide the professional details of an individual. They usually contain details such as a person’s name, company, professional designation, address and company logo with recent designs and also including the company’s area of specialisation on the backside of the card. Their purpose is to create business opportunities to help the recipient to easily remember or contact the giver by simply referring to the card. Business card layouts vary depending on the amount of information that the professional using them wants to include. Different countries tend to adapt different standards with the primary distinction based on card size. The main international standard is the rectangular ISO 216 size that translates to an A8 dimension of 52 × 74 mm. This standard is popular in developing countries that are newly embracing the corporate culture. Most developed countries that have older corporate cultures use other sizes such as the north western European standard of 85 × 55 found in countries like UK, France and Germany.
Size matters
The size of the card greatly determines the shape of the layout but in general, the best business cards are rectangular with a horizontal layout. The professional's name is placed as the most prominent item.
This is usually at the centre or top half of the card in bold letter with designation and qualifications slightly below in normal text. The contact information is in the lower half of the business card at the left or right ends with the easiest or preferred contact mode in bold or larger text.
The company name or logo is also prominently at the top left or right of the card next to the name of the professional or above it. This ensures that the first thing a recipient will notice is either the company name/logo or the professional’s name.
If there is a company logo, there will not be a picture of the professional since this introduces too many graphic elements in a very small space. In addition, companies that want to market their products often require their employees to have a list of goods or services on the back of the business card.
A final wordIn summary, the purpose of a business card is to provide receivers with the vital information that they need to conduct future business with a professional. The basic details are therefore the most important characteristics.