Card design software makes it easy to design your cards. While printers can print cards from software including Microsoft Word or Adobe Photoshop, the process will be significantly easier using software designed for ID cards.

If you print business cards, banners, and other advertising materials; it can help you engage companies looking to print ad material. However, not all companies would like to pick run-of-the-mill designs for their business cards. They rather would like some out-of-the-box designs.

If you let customers design their business cards themselves by integrating a business card design software, you can engage customers better.

• Which Software is Used For Visiting Card Design?
• What is The Best Software For Business Card Design?
• What Are Some Business Card Design Tips?
• What Are The Features of Greeting Cards?
• What Software is Used to Make Business Cards?
• What Should a Business Card Include?
• Why Are Greeting Cards Important?
• What Are The Purpose of Greeting Cards?
• Can You Design Business Cards on Microsoft Word?
• How do I Make a Business Card Template in Illustrator?
• What Are Digital Business Cards?
• Why Do I Need A Digital Business Card?
• Which App is Best For Creating Visiting Card?
• What Are The Dimensions of a Business Card?
• How do You Design a Good Business Card?
• What Are The Types of Greeting Cards?
• What Materials Are Used For Card Design?

Which Software is Used For Visiting Card Design?

Business card software enables the creation, customization, collection and management of business card contact information. Let’s see some card design software below.

1. Adobe

Transform your ideas into stunning visual stories. Create impactful social graphics, web pages, and short videos in minutes with Adobe Spark. Pick a photo, add text, and apply design filters or animations to instantly stand out from the crowd.

Read Also: How to Start a Print-on-Demand Business in 5 Steps

Turn words and images into beautiful, magazine-style web stories that will impress readers on any device. Easily add photos, video clips, icons, or your own voice.

2. Logaster

Founded in 2008, Logaster is a software organization based in the United Kingdom that offers a piece of software called Logaster. Logaster offers business hours and online support. Logaster features training via documentation. The Logaster software suite is SaaS, iPhone, iPad, and Android software. Logaster is business card software and includes features such as design templates, image editor

3. MOO

Print your ideas to life with MOO. Whatever your print vision, we offer as much or little support as you need to make it happen. Our award-winning team of print experts is here for you and we care about quality as much as you do. We start at a premium and go all the way to extra-fancy, with impressively thick paper stocks like Luxe and shiny, metallic Pearlescent.

4. CamCard

Scan, manage, sync and exchange business cards. Use CamCard to capture all your business cards, and all the contact information can be quickly & accurately read and saved to your smartphone. Exchange electronic business cards securely when meeting new people at meetings, tradeshows, seminars and other business social occasions.

5. CardWorks

Create and print your own business cards with CardWorks Business Card Software. Easily create your own business cards with a wide range of business card templates. All standard sizes of business cards supported. Export your business card files and have them professionally printed or print them yourself.

6. Easil

Easil is the drag-and-drop design tool that empowers your whole team to create visual content so good, it looks like a pro designed it. Easil is the DIY design secret weapon that your whole team will love. With our Brand Kit that lets you store and access the right colors, fonts, logos and imagery in one place, the ability to create a catalog of exclusive brand templates, 1 Million+ free stock images, plus many more.

7. Brandly

Brandly is the only business card online solution that offers a brand portal to manage, edit, and order business cards with easy workflows and free shipping on every order. Because Brandly dramatically reduces the efforts and cost of getting high-quality business cards for teams and employees, it is best for teams and enterprises, who order business cards frequently or in large quantities.

8. Business Card Maker

Business Card Maker easy software to design custom business cards. Build your company corporate style by creating professional business cards. Add all the important info about your company to the card: logo, address, working hours, telephone, emails and social media contacts. Please your regular clients with printable discount and loyalty cards.

9. Desygner

Use our beautiful templates to present your business in a professional way. Choose from an ever-growing library of designs created to suit different trends, industries and styles. Want something dark, light, classic or sleek? You’ll find it. And you can change it any way you want. Get unlimited access to millions of free images, thousands of fonts and pre-made banners that you can use however you want.

10. BusinessCards MX

BusinessCards MX is an advanced business card maker. BusinessCards MX gives you the flexibility to generate your self-created, dynamic business cards. Now you have a tool that will allow you to design and even print your own business cards in no time. The simple interface and the flexible applications of the tool allow even a novice user to master the tool without any efforts.

What is The Best Software For Business Card Design?

Because business cards can be relatively simple to design, there are many ways you can do it yourself online. And an added bonus: there are plenty of free business card makers out there if you’re on a tight budget.

1. Free Business Card Maker

Free Business Card Maker is a tool from Shopify that takes all your contact information, as well as your logo, and turns it into a simple, printable business card. It only takes a few seconds to generate a design, and you can print it right away.

2. PsPrint

PsPrint is a highly customizable online business card maker. It takes longer to create a business card with this tool, but you can add text, images, objects, borders, shading, and just about anything else you can think of.

3. Jukebox

With Jukebox, you can create your own free business card design from scratch or choose from a variety of templates. You can modify each one to include your name and contact information, as well as your brand colors.

4. Business Card Star

Business Card Star is one of the best business card makers, and it offers a large collection of business card layouts to choose from. All the layouts are categorized by style, such as ““corporate” or “ornate,” and can be customized with your branding and contact information.

5. DeGraeve.com

DeGraeve.com offers a simple, one-page business card maker. You can choose which lines of text to bold or enlarge, and you’ll be able to preview the design as you edit.

6. Canva

Canva, which is often used to create social media images, can also make business cards. Choose from one of the suggested layouts or build your own from scratch. Business cards take longer to make with this tool, but they can be completely customized.

7. FreeLogoServices

FreeLogoServices offers both a logo maker and a variety of business card templates. Templates can be customized, and they’re sorted by industry to help you find the best layout for your business. Each element on a business card can be changed or moved around.

8. Business Card Land

Business Card Land has a simple business card maker with only a few steps involved. First, choose your layout Next, fill in a form with all your contact information. And finally, customize the colors on your template to match your brand.

9. Design Mantic

Design Mantic offers a collection of modern templates for you to choose from. Once you’ve picked a design, you can add your personal information, upload your logo, and change the font or text color before printing.

10. Business Card Maker

Business Card Maker offers a collection of free colorful business card layouts. Each one can be edited with a few simple clicks. You can upload your logo and move the text boxes around before saving your file.

What Are Some Business Card Design Tips?

Keep the design simple

A business card has one purpose: to help people contact you. If your design is too complex, it will be harder for the person holding your card to find the information they need. They should be able to quickly glance at your card and learn everything they need to know to contact you.

Use a single image

In most cases, a simple design means sticking to one image, typically your logo. The image you choose should quickly and clearly convey your brand. Anything else is just a distraction.

Remember important information

Your business card need to have a clear design, but the content it contains is just as important. Make sure that any important information, such as your name and contact information, is included and easy to find.

Choose an easy-to-read font

In the name of clear communication, your font choice should be simple. While you can use a more elaborate font for your logo, information like your name, phone number, and email address should be easy to read—even for people with slight vision problems.

Invest in high-quality

Finally, your business card is like a mini version of your business. If your business card is low quality, people will assume your business is low quality too. No matter what, make sure you work with a good printer and use a high-resolution version of your logo. And use the best card stock you can afford!

Keep the design simple

A business card has one purpose: to help people contact you. If your design is too complex, it will be harder for the person holding your card to find the information they need. They should be able to quickly glance at your card and learn everything they need to know to contact you.

Use a single image

In most cases, a simple design means sticking to one image, typically your logo. The image you choose should quickly and clearly convey your brand. Anything else is just a distraction.

Remember important information

Your business card need to have a clear design, but the content it contains is just as important. Make sure that any important information, such as your name and contact information, is included and easy to find.

Choose an easy-to-read font

In the name of clear communication, your font choice should be simple. While you can use a more elaborate font for your logo, information like your name, phone number, and email address should be easy to read—even for people with slight vision problems.

Invest in high-quality

Finally, your business card is like a mini version of your business. If your business card is low quality, people will assume your business is low quality too. No matter what, make sure you work with a good printer and use a high-resolution version of your logo. And use the best card stock you can afford!

What Are The Features of Greeting Cards?

We are going to discuss the must-have features while choosing a greeting card design software or any product design software to make your web store more interactive and fun for your customers. Not only interactive, but this also makes your web store a creative place for your customers where they can customize your products and give them a personal spin.

1. Multiple Design Areas

The design is a tricky subject matter. It usually has multiple elements that come together to form a perfect picture. Even though your customer base might not be the artists and designers but they will know a thing or two about designs. Thanks to social media scrolling.

So, you wouldn’t want to disappoint them with a designer tool that restricts them in a single designing area. Giving multiple design areas would give customers the impression that you understand their designing needs. Moreover, the multiple design areas is a must if you want to at least be on the level playing field with your competitors.

2. Clipart Library

Confining the designs to certain elements won’t be appreciated by any of your web customers. Giving them options is what will make you a hit with your targeted audience.

So, while choosing a product designer tool to be integrated with your eCommerce store, make sure that they have an advanced clipart management feature. A feature that will allow your users to add an effect, crop or resize.

Give your customers the full authority over their designs which will make them feel proud and at the end a happy and satisfied customer.

Added tip: Make sure your tool has a social media upload feature that will ultimately benefit you by being a means of word-of-mouth marketing.

3. Custom Image Upload

Imagine a greeting card that says “The Best Dad in the World.”

And now imagine a greeting card with a lovely image of a dad holding his baby for the first time which says “The Best Dad in the World.”

Which one would you want to receive?

Everyone’s inclination would be towards the card with an emotional image. Because people value sentiments and emotions.

And you can give them exactly what they like with a greeting card maker software equipped with a custom image upload feature.

A feature that will let your users upload custom images to give the card a personal touch.

4. Print Color Management

Being in the online printing business is not a cake walk. You have to stand in the shoes of your customers, follow printing trends religiously and have to keep an eye out for the latest quotes and images.

And if that is not too much you will have to provide them with the options of different colors for the designs. Because one color doesn’t suit everyone.

To provide that you will have to have a feature in your designing tool that will manage print colors for the wide range of products that you are listed on your website.

5. Group & Move Objects

Now, if you are a person with a vision for your business, then your goal must be to close deals with big accounts and large-scale enterprises. And to do so for your online printing business, you will have to give these big accounts what they are looking for.

But what is it that they are looking for?

Well, for starters they would want to have a designing tool with advanced design features like group & move objects, remove background, masking effect, and the brush tool.

Apart from these, you will also want to provide the facility to order in bulk which again is the feature that your designer tool will have to provide.

6. Brush Tool

As mentioned in the above point, an advanced feature like a brush tool is a necessity to get an edge over your competitors.

A brush tool is a tool that every artist and designer cherishes as this feature will give them the freedom to add a customized spin to their designs.

This will not only make your current customer base happy but will also help you expand your business by targeting more customer segments.

7. Hot Folder

This is a customized solution provided by our own tool called Brush Your Ideas. It might seem like a marketing trick to promote our own tool as a solution and to an extent it is. But the main reason we mentioned our tool in this article is the unique feature that we have developed for people like you!

The owners of the online printing business.

What this amazing feature does is that it creates a folder in your computer drive according to the preferences set by you in our tool.

But the magic happens inside of the folder.

The folder will contain all the orders, its data along with the images and other necessary data of the particular date(s) set by you.

What Software is Used to Make Business Cards?

A business card is one of the most basic advertising tools that you can use to get the word out about your business. The card not only informs your customer, but it also makes you look more professional and established. Some business owners choose to order business cards from professional printing shops, but if you want, you can print a batch with one of several software programs on the market.

Microsoft Word

One of the simplest software programs you can use to make your own business cards at home is Microsoft Word. This is because many brand name business card printing paper kits at office supply stores are formatted to match Word templates. Just create a new document and find the appropriate paper identification number under your mail merge options for “envelopes and labels.”

When you have finished adding your business card details, insert the business card paper in your printer tray and print the document. As an alternative, you can also download a business card template from the Microsoft website to use with Word.

Quark Xpress

Another program you can use to produce business cards at home is Quark Xpress. Though Quark Xpress is a bit more complicated to use compared with Word, and is best for someone with graphic design or layout experience, it sometimes produces a better print quality for your business cards than word processing programs.

Format the template for your business cards by setting horizontal and vertical guide lines throughout the document to create card boxes. The size of a standard business card is 2 inches by 3.5 inches. After inserting your business card details into each box, you can print the document on sheets of glossy card stock paper.

Separate each business card from the sheet using a paper cutter or an artist’s knife. Quark also has a separate design software program, Quark Promote, specifically for creating small business marketing materials like business cards that uses templates.

Businesscardland

If you want an online software program to lay out your business cards at home, Businesscardland has this capability. Select a design from the options, set the size and enter the information you want on your cards. Select colors for your text and background, and then click the “Make PDF” option. Print the cards on business card sheets or glossy card stock paper.

What Should a Business Card Include?

When designed correctly, your business card reminds people of the first time you met and encourages those who are interested in your products or services to get back in touch or visit your website for more information.

Knowing what to add and what to leave out helps create a card that’s both eye-catching and well-balanced. Try not to only focus on the graphic elements and text you want to add, but consider the space around them too.

This is often referred to as ‘negative space.’ By also thinking about the space around your text and logo, you achieve balance and give each element room to breathe. Good, clean design communicates that you’re organized and professional.

1. Logo

Your logo is a visual representation of what your company does and what you stand for. It should epitomize your business and is a keepsake for your customers to remember you by. When you have a logo, it makes your company feel like it’s credible, professional and trustworthy.

Three common types of logo include:

Written name: Often referred to as a wordmark, this is a written representation of your brand. Many iconic brands use wordmarks, likeGoogle and Visa.

Monogram or letter mark: These logos are composed of the initial letters of your business organized in creatively. Abbreviating is a good idea if you have a long name, like International Business Machines (IBM).

Symbol: This is a pictorial representation of your business. It may be a shape related to your area of expertise or an abstract form that represents your brand. It can stand alone and support your written business name. The swoosh and the apple are two of the most widely recognized.

Use a high-quality image at 300dpi (dots per inch) to make sure the edges appear crisp when printed. Your logo should ideally work in black and white (for basic applications) and be scalable (from stamp sized reproductions all the way up to posters or banners). Try not to add text too close to the logo or scale it too big. And remember to let it breathe. That’s what makes it stand out. If it looks cramped, scale the logo down a bit and increase the amount of space around it.

2. Company Name

Give this plenty of space and make it prominent. It’s arguably the most important piece of information on your card, as it’s what people are most likely to remember. Generally speaking, the name of your business should be the largest piece of text on your card.

3. Tagline

Try to summarize what you offer in six words or less. “Brand Strategy for All” communicates that Smith Consulting provides branding services to a diverse mix of clients and doesn’t specialize in one sector. It’s professional, honest and focuses on the core service.

4. Your name

Give this text field prominence to help people remember your name and create a personal connection to your business.

5. Job title

This serves as a good memory jogger. Not everyone’s good with names and some people are more likely to remember you for your area of expertise.

6. Logo

This example shows the logo repeated on the backside to reinforce your brand. The above example shows why it’s important to make sure a logo works in black and white as this application uses only one color, whereas the logo on the front includes a color gradient.

7. Website

You can drop the http://, it’s not necessary and takes up space. It’s important that there’s consistency between the design of your business card and your website, so bear that in mind if you’re designing a card when you already have a website or vice versa.

8. Contact details (email, phone number, address)

Contact information is usually aligned left, right or centered. If you have a preferred method of contact—such as phone number or email address—emphasize it with a larger size or prominent placement.

If you operate out of a brick and mortar location, adding your address is vital to increase foot traffic. If you work virtually or on site, you can leave it out to save space. Phone number and email address are crucial, as these are how most people will contact you.

Megan Morahan, a creative director at Vistaprint, points out that when it comes to adding text: less is more.

“It should be easily digestible for whoever is receiving it,” she says. “The less info you put on there, the better.”

The same goes for typefaces, try to stick to two to keep things looking clean and tidy.

Why Are Greeting Cards Important?

Think about picking up your mail, there’s a bright card envelope among the bills, and instantly your day is brighter. It brings the knowledge that someone cares enough about you to take the time to pick out and mail a special message to you. Whether it’s a birthday, anniversary or the annual holiday card, it is sure to bring a smile to your face. E-mail would be difficult to illicit the same emotional response.

The birthday card with it’s tradition of sentiment and goodwill can lift your employee’s morale just knowing you cared enough to remember. The sincerity and comfort of a sympathy card can express feelings you may have difficulty expressing verbally. An annual holiday greeting card sent to family and friends allows you to keep in touch and reminds everyone that you are thinking of them.

A greeting card expresses all the human emotions, joy, thanks, sympathy, humor, love and admiration. It allows us to connect on an emotional level with the people who have touched our lives. Sending personalized greeting cards allows us a vast variety of sentiments that allow us to express our caring to family, friends, customers, clients and employees.

So the next time you are debating shooting off a quick e-mail or sending an actual greeting card, you may want to ask yourself which one conveys the kind of message you wish to send.

What Are The Purpose of Greeting Cards?

Greeting card, an illustrated message that expresses, either seriously or humorously, affection, good will, gratitude, sympathy, or other sentiments. Greeting cards are usually sent by mail in observance of a special day or event and can be divided into two general classifications: seasonal and everyday.

Seasonal cards include those for Christmas, Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Easter, graduation, Halloween, and St. Patrick’s Day. Everyday cards include those commemorating birthdays, anniversaries, or births; cards of condolence, congratulations, or friendship; as well as get-well cards, gift cards, bon voyage cards, and thank you cards.

Modern greeting cards are usually of stiff paper or cardboard, but some are made of cloth, leather, celluloid, vellum, metal, or even wood, clay, cork, or other materials. Size is determined by common usage, the availability of suitable envelopes, ease of mailing, and the system of grading according to price and quality.

A greeting card expresses all the human emotions, joy, thanks, sympathy, humor, love and admiration. It allows us to connect on an emotional level with the people who have touched our lives. Sending personalized greeting cards allows us a vast variety of sentiments that allow us to express our caring to family, friends, customers, clients and employees.

Can You Design Business Cards on Microsoft Word?

You can use Word to create business cards from a template or from scratch. However, if you have Microsoft Publisher installed, that’s your best bet for making business cards.

If you’re going to use Word to create your business cards, your next best bet is to start with a template from Office.com. With a template, you can include graphics on your business card–for example, your company logo. Just be sure to note what size card the template uses.

If you want to do it all yourself and you want only text on your business card, you can use purchased business card cardstock and the Envelopes and Labels dialog box. You’re going to create a label that’s the size of your business cards.

If you’re using Word 2010 or Word 2007, start by checking the size and the product number of the business cards that you’ve purchased. You can even write it down.

Next, click the Mailings tab, and then click Labels.

Now, click Options.

In the Label vendor box, click the manufacturer of your business cards. Under Product number, choose the business card number you want, and then click OK.

(If the product number you want is not listed, one of the listed labels still may be the size paper you want.)

In the Address box, type the company and contact information you want to display on your business card.

Special tip: Press SHIFT+ENTER between the lines that are in the same block (for example, your name and address). That will keep all the lines in the same paragraph, and make it easier to indent them or change their vertical position.

Select the text. Right-click to show the shortcut menu, and then choose the formatting and alignment options you want.

You can change the font and size.

You can change the alignment or indent the text.

Under Print, leave the default selected, Full page of the same label.

Now you can print your business cards by clicking Print (be sure to load your business card cardstock into the printer first). Or you can click New Document and then save your business cards for printing later.

How do I Make a Business Card Template in Illustrator?

We’ll be using the impressive and highly touted graphic design program Adobe Illustrator.

First thing we will need to do to set up print-ready business cards using Illustrator is to create a new artboard and set up the size. To create a new artboard, select File -> New from the menu at the top.

The dimensions should be 3.75″ x 2.25″ and that includes the 1/8″ bleed on each edge. We need to ensure that the raster effects is set to 300 dpi and color mode is set to CMYK. Once we have all this set, just hit OK.

Next, we need to add our guides that will show where the Bleed, Trim and the Critical Area are.

BLEED AREA: 1/8” on each edge . Where all the background, images, color should extend out to.

TRIM AREA: Showing where the card is going to be cut.

CRITICAL MARGIN: 1/8” from the trim line. Keep important graphics and text within this margin to prevent anything to be close to the edge or trimmed off.

(To create a new guide you need to click on the Ruler area on the edge of the Illustrator artboard and drag into the document. If you don’t see the Rulers please select View -> Show Rulers to activate them)

Once the guides are all set we are ready to start the design. Remember the parameters explained above to avoid any important image or logo being cut off. It is time for you to have fun and be creative with your design.

Remember to save your file often while working to avoid losing your work unexpectedly. To save, just click File –> Save As and select the .AI extension (Illustrator file). That is the file you will use to modify your document or send to a designer in case we ever need to make changes to our artwork.

Once we are happy with our design we can get the file ready for print. First thing to do is select all (Select -> All) and convert all text and fonts to outlines by clicking on Type -> Create Outlines. That is going to change the texts from an original font to a shape, disabling editing options.

Click File –> Save As and this time we will select the extension .PDF from the dropdown menu. We recommend adding the word “PRINT” to the filename to distinguish it from your editable file. Click Save. In the pop up window you can check some options such as “View PDF after saving”. You want to make sure, as well, “Under Compression” there is no “Down Sample: and under “Marks and Bleeds” you won’t need to change any settings since we set up the bleeds when starting the project. Once all is correctly set up, hit OK and your print file will be now saved.

And there you go, we’ve got our business card files all setup and ready for print.

What Are Digital Business Cards?

A digital business card, also known as an electronic or virtual business card, is a way to share and save contact information in real-time quickly. They are customized with your unique information and can be as detailed or general as you wish. 

When you are ready to share it, you would provide a URL, a QR Code, or embed it on your webpage. The recipient would click the link or scan the QR Code and access all your contact information. 

Some free digital business card apps require the recipient to have the same app, but others allow you to share your contact information without being dependent on the mobile app. 

Why Do I Need A Digital Business Card? 

Digital business cards are the best way to move your brand forward. In this digital era, your virtual business card will enhance your networking interactions and demonstrate that you are willing to adapt to changing times. 

1. They Are Convenient 

You’ll always have your business cards on hand as long as you have your phone or computer within reach. Since everything is electronic, you don’t need to worry about a low card supply or leaving them at home. 

Digital cards also have the convenience of being extremely editable, meaning they are always up-to-date with your latest contact information. If you switch jobs, change your phone number, or want to add more information, you can do that with a few keystrokes. 

2. They Are Cost-effective

Because you can easily find free digital business card templates and create them yourself, there’s no need to pay hundreds of dollars on paper cards that will probably get thrown away or lost by the recipient. This allows you to redirect this budget to another part of your business. 

If you are looking for a more premium virtual business card, some apps allow you to upgrade your card design to include custom URLs, QR Codes, unique colors, and more. 

3. They Offer Seamless Follow-Ups

We know that most of the paper business cards we hand out are tossed into a drawer or vessel, never to be revisited. Even if the person has a business card scanner, it may cause your contact information to get lost in the shuffle. 

When you share a digital business card, it goes directly to the receiver’s inbox, making it easy to integrate into their workflow. 

Virtual business cards make following up simple and more efficient, which leads to the development of more robust connections. They also integrate well with a CRM system. 

4. They Allow For Contactless Sharing

Because online meetups and virtual events are part of our everyday life, virtual business cards are a staple for professional online networking. 

You can share electronic business cards with anyone over email, text, or social media. You can even hold up a QR Code during a video call, and anyone in attendance can scan with a mobile device and access your contact information. 

As we regain a sense of normalcy, digital business cards will retain functionality because they are germ-free and require no physical contact to exchange.  

5. They Make A Statement

When you share a digital business card, you are making a statement about yourself and your brand. You are communicating that you are up-to-date with the latest technological advancements, and you care about making the recipients’ lives a little easier. 

By having a virtual card at the read, you will stand out from the crowd and inspire a new trend in your industry, especially if you are the first to pioneer them

Which App is Best For Creating Visiting Card?

SnapDat

SnapDat is a free digital business card app that easily integrates with iPhone Address book. SnapDat business cards “SnapCards” can be shared through email or via the app. The app allows you to create multiple digital business cards for different purposes. And it’s convenient for both personal and business use.

CamCard

CamCard is among the best business card apps, and for a good reason. It is intuitive as it is able to read and scan cards in over 15 languages. It also allows you to import information from social media feeds. While you can try it for free, the app will set you back $5 per user per month for the Team package and $12 per user per month for the business package.

Knowee

Knowee offers several key features including, clickable links and thumbnails, an in-depth storage system, and you can also make direct calls from the card. The app has free Basic and Premium plans for a year, while the Business plan costs between 74 cents and $3.55 per user per month.

Inigo

This app allows you to manage your digital business cards in your app’s back office and create templates that you can deploy to your team’s smartphones. Inigo works with both Apple and Android devices. The standard version, appropriate for teams, is $5.49 per month, billed annually. A free version is also available.

Haystack

This is a modern business card solution that allows anyone to receive your cards even if they don’t have the app installed. Haystack also allows you to scan, share, update and store contact info with a simple scan of the card. You can also easily create your card from scratch. This app costs $4 per month for Premium plan and $199 per month for Enterprise plan. A Forever Free plan is also available.

eVaunt

This application allows you to create digital business cards with a responsive design that’s optimized for mobile devices and a unique web page address. eVaunt also allows you to embed a Google Map, upload a profile photo as well as display social networking icons.

OneCard

This is one of the best electronic cards out there. The platform allows you to create a digital hub giving your customers the option to choose how they connect with you. For instance, you can have a small bio telling a little more about yourself. You can also have a video introduction as well as all your social networks in one place. OneCard has a free plan, but if you are looking for pro options then you will have to part with $12 per month or $120 per year.

Clinck

Available for both Android and iOS, this free digital business card app allows you to create, store and send your contacts to all interested parties. Clinck allows you to add a personal message, photo, logo or LinkedIn profile, together with clickable links to your website.

What Are The Dimensions of a Business Card?

If you’re wondering about business card dimensions, the typical business card is 3.5 x 2 inches. (That is 3.5 inches long, and 2 inches tall.)

When you design your card, the total area of the design is often slightly larger because it will include a bit of “bleed area”. This is a technical term used to describe the border around the edge of the card that certain backgrounds or design features can “bleed” into to ensure any design features cover the entire card when the final cut is made.

The bleed should not include any important information that could possibly get cut off. This means that the printable area of a business card (which makes up the majority of the card space) is actually less than the final size of 3.5” by 2”.  

How do You Design a Good Business Card?

Here, we’re giving you 10 essential tips on how to design a business card that best represents you (and your business!).

1. Find a template that reflects your brand’s personality.

Your business card says a lot about you and your small business…so, choose a design that reflects your brand. Maybe you’re an interior decorator who specializes in modern styling and loves clean lines – reflect that with a template that’s clean and simple. Or, perhaps you’re a dog walker with an outgoing personality – reflect the fun nature of your business with a colorful, less formal card.

2. Find the right typeface.

If there’s a font you’ve been using on your website or other marketing materials, bring that into your business card. The font you choose should represent your brand – maybe an elegant script if you’re an etiquette coach, or typewriter-inspired font if you’re a writer – and be easy to read.

All of your text should be at least 8 pts., but more important information (like your name or business name) can be printed in larger size, a different typeface, or in bold.

Tristan’s recommendation? “A good rule of thumb is to make the company name larger than a 12pt font, and never use any font sizes smaller than 8pt.”

3. Settle on a size and shape.

The size and orientation of your business card affects text size and the amount of information you can include…and also makes a statement about your brand. Are you a conventional, no-frills enterprise or a bold non-conformist?

Most business cards are rectangular, about the size of a credit card, and laid out horizontally. People are familiar with this format, so it’s a safe choice…but if you want to stand out, consider using a square shape, rounded corners, or vertical orientation.

4. Organize your information.

Speaking of information…your business card should give customers everything they need to contact you, find you online, or locate your storefront. Aside from your name and job title, add your business name, telephone number, website, email address, and social media handles. Make sure you include all of this information on your business card so customers can easily contact you the way they feel most comfortable.

When you’re adding your information to your business card template, consider the way you lay it out. Each piece of info should be clearly distinguishable, but flow nicely with one another.

5. Do double duty.

Make your business card work twice as hard for you and your small business. Use the reverse side for appointment reminders, loyalty stamps, or as a blank canvas to showcase something about your business. For example, if you run a restaurant or cocktail bar, include a short recipe for a signature dish or drink. Do you sell handmade goods? Use business cards as tags for jewelry, clothing, accessories, and other crafts.

Another way to make your business card stick is by turning it into a magnet. This technique works particularly well for businesses offering recurring services like plumbing, gardening, pet sitting, hairdressing, car services, restaurants, and more. Customers will stick them on their refrigerators for easy, top-of-mind access to your contact information.

6. Maximize your logo.

Tristan says, “Your card is more than just your contact information – it’s a representation of you and your brand. Before you think of creating new business cards, there are two crucial design components to consider: your finalized logo and your brand colors. These elements are the most important parts of your visual branding, and will help influence other areas of the card design process.”

A business card is *all* about the logo – consider dedicating one side of your card solely to your logo. As a visual representation of your business, it deserves a prominent place that will instantly catch the eye of potential clients.

7. Leave some white space.

Don’t clutter your card with too much text – if there are too many elements on the card, they’ll all compete for the reader’s attention and nothing will stand out. (And remember – you can utilize both sides of the card!) Design-wise, a little white space is easier on the eyes…and it can help draw attention to the most important details.

Plus, you might want to add a note before you hand off your card to someone – leaving a little room gives you space to jot down your new phone extension or give potential customers the name of a colleague.

8. Add something special.

According to Tristan, “special finishes can go a long way in making a lasting impression on potential customers, partners, and clients.”

One easy way to make your card stand out is to add an unusual design element or special print treatment. Foil accents add a touch of sophisticated shine, while embossed gloss creates a raised, glossy coating, giving your cards a hard-to-forget 3D feel.

Paper stock is another way to add something special to your business card. Extra-thick paper adds an instantly luxurious touch, while recycled kraft paper lends an organic feel.

Make sure these special features are appropriate for your branding – if you’re in a less glamorous line of work, it might feel odd to add a shimmery foil accent to your business card.

9. Include a call to action.

A CTA isn’t a business card requirement, but it can encourage potential clients to take that next step. Whether it’s a special offer, a useful tip, or a discount code, create an incentive around your business to energize customers.

Consider using a QR code as part of your call to action. As people are increasingly comfortable with scanning QR codes, adding one to your business card is a great one-click way to send people to your website, subscribe them to your mailing list, or give them a special promotion. We suggest placing the code on the back of your business card – this ensures it’s easy to scan, and won’t take away from your logo on the front.

10. Proofread…and then proofread again.

Is there anything worse than opening a freshly-printed box of business cards (or menus, or flyers) to see that there’s a typo? Before you place your order, ask a colleague or friend to double-check your business cards for spelling errors.

If you want to be *extra* sure that your card is perfectly proofed, enlist the help of a copyediting professional. Since there is such a small amount of text on a business card, it should be a relatively quick, low-cost task.

What Are The Types of Greeting Cards?

Anniversary card

These can be given from one half of a couple to another to celebrate a whole host of different anniversaries. Think these are just for married couples? Think again! There’s ‘first met’ anniversaries, ‘engagement’ anniversaries, ‘first date’ anniversaries and more!

Baby shower card

Holding a baby shower can be a little risky – sometimes a baby decides to be born before the baby shower! However, if you’re going to a baby shower, before or after the baby arrives, a card for the baby shower can be a wonderful greeting and a treasured memento. 

Birthday card

Probably one of the most traditional days to create a card, birthdays are the ideal opportunity to go all out with your papercraft creations and really celebrate the day someone was born in style! Birthday cards normally work best if they’re really personal and tailored specifically to that person. 

Bon voyage card

The perfect way to say goodbye to family or friends off on an adventure! Whether your friend is backpacking around the world or your parents are starting a new life abroad, a ‘bon voyage’ card is perfect for showing how excited (and totally not jealous) you are about their travels.

Christening card

While most children being Christened are probably too young to appreciate a card and would far rather eat one, a Christening card can create a wonderful memento for that person to look upon in years to come. Pastel colours, plus whites and golds are often the best colour options for Christening cards.

Christmas card

Sometimes you just can’t beat a gorgeous Christmas card! Whether you’re a traditionalist, love a modern twist, go CAS with whites and blues or can’t resist a shaker card, Christmas is the perfect excuse to go all out with your card making. It’s one of the few occasions where this type of greeting card can be created for many different people, so you can always make a Christmas card template that works for you and embellish and alter to your heart’s content for individual recipients.

Congratulations card

A cute congratulations card can really make someone’s day. Say your daughter or son has just received an unconditional offer to go to their chosen university, how better to show how proud you are than with a handmade card celebrating their amazing achievement? Give it a few days after the event, when the high from having everyone congratulating them in person has calmed down and we guarantee they’ll be smiling again in no time. 

Easter card

Just like with Christmas, Easter is the perfect time to go all out and make cards exactly how you like to and simply embellish to suit the recipient. Whether traditional Easter cards or cute pastels, even bright complementary colours are your style, Easter is the perfect time to have some fun with your papercraft. 

Engagement card

We simply love to celebrate love here at MC&P, so say a heartfelt congratulations to the happy couple with a lovely little engagement card. Getting engaged is such an exciting event, whether you’re 18 or 80, so having a handmade card to cherish that special moment forever will be most welcomed by the love birds. 

Farewell card

For a beloved colleague, friend or neighbour who’s moving on to pastures new, a farewell card is both a chance to show your appreciation of the person and help stay in contact. While in this day and age most people communicate via the internet, it doesn’t hurt to have a hard-copy available to keep up contact once the robots inevitably take over computers and the world…

Father’s Day card

The perfect time to tell an important father figure in your life how much you love them. Whether it’s your own Dad or step-Dad, a beloved Uncle who is like a Father to you, or even the Father of your children, it’s the one day of the year to tell him just how special he is. 

Friendship card

Friendship cards mean you can have so much fun simply celebrating a friendship! You can’t choose your family but you can choose your friends, so use a friendship card to show them all the reasons why you choose them to be a special part of your life. Did you know that in 2011 the United Nations officially recognized 30th July as International Friendship Day? Now you do!

Get well soon card

Being unwell is one of the most difficult experiences of a person’s life, whether it’s the flu or a life-changing condition. Physical or mental health alike, a ‘get well soon’ card is a beautiful way to tell someone you’re thinking of them and wishing them well. Always take care with these cards, as ill health can be a sensitive subject, but a heartfelt card with a lovely long message can sometimes be just what a person needs to cheer them up at the worst time. 

Good luck card

A good luck card is so versatile, it can be used for a whole host of different events and opportunities. Sending someone a good luck card because of an event outside of the usual card making celebrations (we don’t think there’s a universal type of greeting card for ‘good luck on your first skydive!) gives you freedom to really play around and enjoy making a card for a very specific occasion. 

Graduation card

When we say ‘graduation’, it doesn’t just mean someone finishing university. You can have graduation ceremonies when finishing pre-school now! No matter the age or institution, graduating is a momentous moment for anyone, so show them how pleased you are with a personalized graduation card.

Halloween card

Celebrate the most spooktacular of days with a fang-tastic Halloween card that will really lift their spirits! Plus, as you may have noticed, Halloween is one of the punniest events of the year, so trick or treat yo’self and go all-out on a Halloween card that celebrates all that’s boo-tiful about the season. If you’ve got it, haunt it!

Hen/stag do card

While hen and stag dos are notoriously all about drinking too much and partying through the night, that makes it the perfect chance to give a card and create what might be the only lasting memory of the night!

Love card

We just love a love card and it’s the perfect opportunity to tell someone how you feel without waiting for an occasion. Whether it’s love for a best friend, a sibling, a cousin, an aunt-who’s-not-actually-an-aunt-by-blood-but-still-an-aunt, your children or even Karen next door – sometimes you just need to tell someone how much you love them. 

Mother’s Day card

Not to be outdone by Father’s Day, Mother’s Day is a wonderful day to celebrate anyone in your life that’s an amazing mum. Your own mum, her mum, her mum’s mum, her mum’s mum’s mum… you get the idea! Maybe your step-mum, maybe your daughter who has just had her first child, Mother’s Day makes for a glorious day of card making for all the inspirational mothers around. 

New baby card

New life, what an amazing thing! So, make a greeting card to capture the moment for both the new baby and new parents. Whether it’s someone’s first baby or their ninth – new babies are always worth a celebratory greeting card! Use this to offer any help you can too – just a little note to mention you’re happy to come cook dinner for the new parents once in a while or do the washing up will make your card even more thoughtful and special. 

New home card

Another super exciting time for people means it’s time to make a super exciting card! It’s always so satisfying when you first move and your new home is spotless (and you’re totally definitely 100% going to keep it like that this time…), leaving you plenty of space to line up all of your ‘new home’ cards. So make sure your handmade labour of love gets centre stage on the mantelpiece! 

New job card

Out with the old, in with the new… new job that is! Whether it’s your sibling’s first part-time job alongside college or your best friend finally left that dead-end job and got the one of their dreams, a ‘new job’ card is just the kind of greetings card to keep their spirits up as they enter a new phase of life!

New year card

Fireworks are flying, there’s confetti everywhere and you’re not quite sure if this is your fifth or sixth glass of Prosecco… Happy New Year though! Commemorate the most exciting change of the year with a card that can celebrate everything that someone has done and anticipating another fabulous year to come…

Retirement card

A retirement card is a great opportunity for lots of people to come together and write their favourite memories about a coworker and a friend. So if you’re papercrafting a retirement card, make sure it’s a big one with plenty of room inside for fond memories and well wishes. 

School card

Whether it’s starting school for the first time, a new school completely or just a new year, a ‘back to school’ card is a kind and subtle gesture to let a possibly nervous student know that you’re thinking of them. It could be your own children, nieces, nephews or your siblings. It could even be your mum doing a college course she always wanted to try! There’s never a wrong time to let someone know that you’re thinking of them.

Sorry card

As the wonderful Elton John taught us, ‘sorry’ seems to be the hardest word to say. So why not do it through a heartfelt and personal card that really shows how you feel? Humans are fickle creatures and not always very good at expressing emotions, especially if they’re the one in the wrong. So swallow your pride and show it through a keepsake handmade card. It’s hard not to forgive that much thought and effort. 

Sympathy card

Greetings cards that express sympathy for the loss of a loved one can be very tricky to make. You don’t want to go over the top, but you want to show that you care. Put yourself in their shoes if you’re making a sympathy card and that will help guide you in creating a piece of papercraft that shows you’re thinking of them without making things more difficult during an already difficult time. 

Teacher card

The guides of future generations definitely deserve their own type of greeting card on this list. Teaching is an incredibly difficult and important job, so be they a primary school, secondary school, college, university teacher or beyond, a handmade ‘thank you’ card from you or your children is always worth the effort. 

Thank you card

Saying ‘thank you’ can sometimes be as difficult as saying sorry. But, it can also be the most wonderful gift for someone to receive. So whether you’re grateful to a friend, a health worker, a mentor or even a stranger who helped you when you fell down outside the supermarket, a small gesture in the form of a handmade card is the perfect way to show your gratitude.

Thinking of you card

As we’ve already mentioned, humans are funny creatures and, more often than not, terrible at expressing their feelings. If you know someone is going through a difficult time, perhaps they’re not ready to talk about it yet, a gentle ‘thinking of you’ type of greetings card is an ideal way to show someone you care without overwhelming them.

This type of greetings card can be a good alternative to a ‘sympathy’ card if you feel like the ‘sympathy’ card isn’t quite right for the situation or the recipient. 

Valentine’s Day card

The most romantic day of the year! Love it or hate it, Valentine’s Day is here to stay, so why not embrace the day with your whole heart! Plus, if you’re worried about Valentine’s Day being too ‘tacky’ or ‘commercial’, a handmade card is the right way to show your love without buying into the commercial side of the holiday. Just remember, pinks and reds are obligatory!

Wedding card

Give a lifelong gift with a handmade wedding card, showing the happy couple just how happy you are for them and their love. Planning a wedding these days can be so stressful, so a handmade card to show your appreciation for the wonderful day is ideal. 

What Materials Are Used For Card Design?

Common cardmaking materials include: cardstock, stencils, markers, vellum, tissue paper, glue, rulers and t-squares, rickrack, foil, sequins, beads, ribbon, acetate, paper embossing, die cutting machines and more. Other materials that can be used in cardmaking are brads, eyelets, tea bag medallions, and buttons.

Read Also: 10 Laser Engraving Ideas and Tips to Start Your Laser Engraving Business

Brads can be used to hold the four corners of one piece of cardstock on top of another to create a layered effect. Eyelets can be used to draw a piece of string or ribbon from one side of the card to another. Teabag medallions are a type of origami that makes a wonderful decoration for the front of a card. Pretty shaped buttons make nice additions to a design.

Other ways of decorating cards include using rubber or polymer stamps to add images or sentiments to the card which can then be colored or decorated using a wide variety of paint or ink techniques.