7/20/14 - How to Make Your Business Card Stand Out

http://blog.brazencareerist.com/2014/06/04/make-business-card-stand/?utm_source=feedly&utm_reader=feedly&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=make-business-card-stand

By Levo League

The business card is the ultimate staple to your professional appearance. The power to whip out your perfectly crafted business card to new connections made everywhere from between the work cubicles to industry events is not only a boost in confidence, but takes your networking abilities to the next level.

But there are plenty of situations where the person you want to remember you has been handed over a dozen business cards—so how do you make yours stand out from the crowd?

Have a Signature Color
Have a specific color tone to your website? Love a specific color combo? As long as it doesn’t hurt the eyes, let your business card build your personal brand in a memorable way through color. The right use of color can take a simple, standard business card and upgrade it both in design and its ability to stand out from the crowd.

Plus, psychologists have found that color improves memory performance, since it adds an extra “memory tag” onto the item. Having a perfect color combo, whether that’s pairing complementary colors or a bright color on white, literally helps your business card stand out when it’s received, and when that receiver thinks back to the best business cards.

Organize, But Not in a Boring Way
We’ve all seen the standard, a quick list of information in size nine font that looks like it belongs in the depths of corporate America. With companies like Vista Print and Moo cards, you’re able to take the basic design and customize it to feature your key information beyond the normal standard. Why stuff your entire address in there in tiny font when you could fit your Twitter handle and website in an easy-to-read size?

The design and organization of your card speaks volumes, beyond just having an eye-catching card. Jaime Petkanics from The Prepary definitely feels this way. “A well-designed card with key information clearly laid out is much more important than something really creative or flashy in my opinion. I love a super fancy business card as much as the next person. But in reality, the content of your conversation while networking is going to make you stand out more than any business card can!”

Have a Catchphrase or Quote that Matches You
My business card has multiple versions of the backside, and one of them has the phrase “Do What You Love.” It speaks to what I blog about at thenenja.com. So many of us have slogans, quotes or proverbs that match what we work toward on a professional and personal level, and it’s a great way to add life to your business card without just placing your logo on the back. You can often design business cards to have multiple designs on one side, so you could have business cards that alternate your favorite phrases, have your logo, etc.

Plus, having that catchphrase will help bring your personal beliefs to life, adding a personal touch to your card beyond the best place to find you and your work. And who knows? Maybe the person you hand it to happens to also love that quote, philosopher, or idea behind what you’ve added to your card. And voila, instant connection.

Nena Farrell is a soon-to-be holder of a BA in journalism from San Francisco State University. Nena runs a career and tech-focused blog (with a few SF foodie reviews) at thenenja.com.

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