What information should business cards include?

Unlike the unique design of your business card—which can vary greatly depending on your business, expertise, market positioning, and the overall impression you hope to create—there are clear, best-practice conventions for the information you should include.

Here’s what information you should feature on a business card, regardless of your industry.

The front of your business card should include:

1. Your company logo.

Your logo is the symbol or wordmark that clearly communicates information about your business—a good logo will subtly reiterate what you do, how you do it, and who you do it for—so it should definitely feature on the front of your card.

2. Your company name.

If your logo is a symbol (like the Nike ‘swoosh’, the McDonald’s ‘M’, or another type of purely visual cue), then it’s usually worth including the name of your business too.

3. Your company’s positioning statement or tagane.

While business cards are primarily informational tools, remember that one of your objectives is to create a memorable impression for prospective customers. A good tagline will offer more information about what you do, while showcasing some of the personality of how you conduct business. It’s more than a purely functional statement. For example, if you’re a freelance digital graphic designer, why not try something like ‘for beautiful websites people love to use’ rather than simply ‘website design services’.

4. Plenty of ‘white space’.

This doesn’t necessarily mean your business card has to be white in colour; it’s more about having enough space between the elements on the card so they’re easy to read, recognise, and understand. Remember, you have two goals here: convey who you are and how you can be contacted. If the design feels overly cluttered, it’s much more difficult to achieve either of these goals, let alone both at once.

Optional extras could include:

• An image or visual that is relevant to your line of work. If you’re a photographer, you might like to include one of your most impressive photos with a glossy finish. If you’re an illustrator or artist, maybe an abstract element will help to showcase your creativity.
• Associations or accreditation information. Maybe you have a specific professional accreditation that is crucial to your industry? Maybe you’re a certified dealer of a particular type of product? If there’s a small visual indicator of trust and authentication that’s relevant to you (like a ‘tick’ symbol from a peak body), it may be worth highlighting when you’re meeting new contacts.

The back of your business card should include:

1. Your logo, again.

Usually, the back of a business card will feature a slightly modified or muted version of the logo you include on the front. It might be slightly smaller, one component of the overall logo design (for example, the first letter of a wordmark), or altered in some other way (a different colour, or similar). Regardless of your design approach, featuring your logo on the front and back is a good strategy for brand recognition and continuity of design across each face of the business card.

2. Your name.

This one’s pretty straightforward: include (at least) your first and last name, or any other variants that will help prospective customers to identify you.

3. Your role or job title.

You might have a specific title associated with your role; before you put that exact same title on your business card, consider whether prospective customers will understand the terminology. If you have a vague title, will people recall how you can help them two or three weeks after a face-to-face consultation?

4. Your physical office address(es).

If you travel between multiple office locations, list the details of the location where you spend the most time. Or if you work in the field, without a singular professional address aside from your home (as a landscape gardener or electrician, for example), consider listing the details of a P.O. box. Depending on your circumstances, it’s usually best to avoid listing a residential address on your business card.

5. Your phone number.

If you work in an environment with multiple phonelines, Include your direct line number, rather than a generic office contact. If you’ve had an in-person interaction that warrants handing out a business card, people are likely looking to contact you, rather than just your business in general: make it easy for them!

6. Your personal email address.

Make sure your account and domain name are appropriate and relevant to your business. For example, [email protected] is completely fine as a personal account, but might not create the best impression for prospective clients. On the other hand, [email protected] or [email protected] are far too impersonal. If you’ve made a personal connection with a customer, provide them with a personal contact.

7. Your company’s website address.

If you have one, your website will probably contain useful information for prospective clients. They might be looking for pricing information, examples of your previous work, testimonials, service information, or anything else to validate their decision to work with you. Whatever they’re looking for, your website can assist in the sales process without any effort on your behalf. Win/win!

Optional extras could include:

• A small map or instructions to help people find your location. Perhaps you work in a converted warehouse with very little signage on your building? Or, you might be located around a confusing corner in a multi-story complex? If people frequently find it hard to access your office, it might be worth providing a tip to help them get in contact; that’s the point of a business card, after all.
• Social media account information. If you maintain other platforms in addition to your website, it’s worth ensuring your prospective clients know about them. Just remember to consider how long you plan on maintaining each account, or if you plan to add or change the accounts you’re active on. It’s not easy to update these details once you’ve printed a run of business cards.

If you’ve got the details, we can handle the design. Our team of experienced design specialists are on hand to bring your business card to life. Plus, with same day quoting and rapid delivery anywhere in Australia, you’ll be ready to expand your professional network in no time.

Check out our full range of business card, get a quote now, or call 1300 663 120.