10,000,000,000 business card are estimated to be printed annually. 

That’s a lot of zeros. People can’t get enough of them even though the practice of keeping and giving away business cards have been around for centuries.

Calling cards were first used and distributed in the 17th century to announce the arrival of affluent people in a certain town. Back then, it was custom to design business cards with gold and elaborate typography. This is certainly what young people would call a “weird flex.” As time passed, cards were beginning to be used for social gatherings and build first impressions. This application is not too far from how business cards are used today. The compact handouts began changing to what it is today all thanks to the industrial revolution. 

Today’s culture values these assets for a wide variety of social settings. You can see them being handed around in business summits or other more casual events like comic conventions. People from all walks of life find value in giving away information about themselves in a short yet personal way.

On average, a modern business card measures 3.5 x 2 inches. The size is handy enough to fit standard wallet sizes, making it easier to keep. However, this limits the amount of information you can put in it. Overloading text and graphic elements on your card can ruin the design and make your output look poorly designed. 

A study has found that business card recipients that are given “cheap-looking” handouts will pay it no mind.  You want to avoid cluttered and ineffective design strategies. Otherwise, your message will not reach 39% of recipients with a discerning eye for design.

The takeaway? Incorporate good design with only the necessary information to create a concise output. 

Hold back on adding unnecessary fluff on your calling card in the meantime and take time to learn what your business card actually needs to provide. The information you need to put in your card varies depending on what you are planning to use the card for. It’s not a one size fits all situation. 

That’s why today, we’re answering the biggest questions about business card content and something extra:

  • What to Put on a Business Card for Networking?
  • What to Put on a Business Card When Unemployed?
  • How Do Good Business Card Examples Look?
  • Bonus tip

Business Card for Networking 

For every 2,000 handouts, a brand sees a 2.5% increase in sales. 

That’s how powerful business cards are, regardless of how much people say that business cards are only good for the trash bin. Exchanging one with another professional is an easy way to introduce yourself and what you do. 

Calling cards for networking are just one of the many effective marketing collaterals used by brands to communicate who they are. Successful handouts contain the following information: 

Company logo

This creative piece of design symbolizes the company through art. Logos are used to identify a business and set them from the competition. 

Putting this on marketing collaterals will help audiences recognize your brand. If you still don’t have a logo for your business.

Personal information

Add your name and the company name of your employer or organization. This is the most important part of any card which means it’s non-negotiable. Personal information helps people learn what to call you.

Tagline

It never hurts to add a hook. Company quotes or taglines are catchy phrases that communicate your brand identity and message. Incorporating this in your design can help attract customers by your wordsmith-like wit.

Job Title

So what exactly do you do? Are you in marketing, logistics, or design? Let your recipient know what your core competency is. This will allow them to get to know you better. If you play your cards right and make a remarkable first impression, they might even offer you a role or become a hot lead in the future.

Communication channels

Inform your recipients how they can contact you, whether it be through business email, fax, or phone. The contact details you provide will come in handy for them once they find a need for your company’s goods or services. 

Oh, and make sure you have a professional email address. If your full name is no longer available as an address, try using your initials and see what works. It would be challenging to build a credible brand if your email goes something like P0kamon_Master4_LOL_@thisisafakeemail.com.

You can also add links to your social media accounts and generate engagement from there.

Website

This is also a good time for you to promote your company website and drive more traffic to it. If you’re feeling savvy, you can add a QR code to give recipients another way to go to your website besides typing it on their mobile browser. While it is optional, the machine-readable print makes it faster for your recipient to head over to your website by simply scanning your card. 

Some people like it because it adds ease of use, but some people don’t like it because it takes up too much space. It all depends on what you want for your brand. 

Business Cards for Job Seekers

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There’s a slight difference between calling cards for job seekers compared with company cards. 

This type carries similar information as that of a networking business card such as the following:

  • Personal Information 
  • Job Title or Profession
  • Website or Portfolio (QR code is optional)
  • Social media

The only difference in terms of content is that, for job seekers, personal calling cards are best designed with more visuals. Job search business cards are easy-to-remember and even easier to keep around. These traits are valuable because you’ll never know when an opportunity will present itself.

A picture of you in a clean background

People recommend treating this as your resume in a nutshell and adding a headshot. Your image will make it more personable and let them remember what you look like in the future. 

Personal logo

You can also put your personal brand logo on it if you have one. It is not required of you, but it’s great if you take one and develop one to use for branding your work. Creating your own brand logo can be done in just three steps. It’s that easy.

Having a personal business card is recommended for job seekers. It also applies to those in the gig economy such as writers, tutors, developers, photographers, mural artists, and more.

Examples

We know that some readers absorb lessons better with a visual aid. Take a look at these stunning examples of well-designed and concise business cards. 

These handouts not only contain complete information that their recipients would love to have. It also does this in a strong visual way that gives off a strong sense of professionalism and authority. The following examples are cards for personal job seeking and networking use.

Bonus tip

You’ve spent most of your time reading this learning about what information your asset should contain, but we haven’t talked about where you need to print your design on. This process can make or break your output easily by making it look low-cost. 

What you can do to prevent that from happening is to use paper material with a heavy weight. The industry standard starts at 14-point card stock up to 16-point card stock. Weighty paper is a safe choice, but some go the extra mile by using plastic to create indestructible business cards. 

Conclusion

It’s common for people to assume that only the overly corporate guys from Mad Men carry business cards. In truth, anyone from any trade should always have one ready. Not just corporate individuals. 

We know that there’s a lot of talk going on about how LinkedIn is the new business card. However, it can never really beat the personal connection and ease given by printed assets.

Our team of designers helps people in various industries get a business card that will help them drive results through compelling design. 

For years, we’ve helped professionals get the right design. Picafi has sparked collaborations between brands, resulting in successful projects.