For established and emerging brands, business cards are a compact, cost-effective, and multi-faceted tool that meets the fundamental needs of marketing. It provides an easy way to advertise a business, gives brand recognition, and a quick means to take action. In fact, a business card can potentially increase 25% of overall sales for every 2000 business cards handed out.
When a business card holds so much significance with brand promotion, you must design it properly. To genuinely engage your audience, you must refrain from including garish color combinations and design elements to grab attention.
In this article, we'll talk about some of the best business card designs that will become a key differentiator in your marketing efforts for 2023. So let's dig in.
Modern Business Card Design Trends in 2023
The 2023 business card design trends have arrived with exciting aesthetic revivals and unique levels of creativity. Compared to the past year, these trends will shape the business card world and dominate in 2023.
1 Minimalism
The phrase "less is more" was popularised by German architect Ludwig Mies Van Der Rohe. If you think about it, this famous aphorism applies to all creation areas, including business cards.
A minimalistic look bears a lot of meaning. When you share a business card without clutter, you will only stand out and pass on the necessary information. Here are some major perks of going minimal with your business cards:
Simple and clean design instills the feeling of 'everything in its' place' and the belief that you know what you're doing.
Gives an impression that you're free of complications and that complex attributes are excluded.
Exudes confidence and provokes the audience's curiosity, encouraging them to engage with you.
Here’s an example of a business card designed by Kayron de Paula for Ellun, a solar panel company. The sleek and minimal card design gives a positive image with the usage of bright colors and attractive typography. Plus, by adding QR codes to the business card, the company has provided more information without making the card look cluttered.
2 Personalization
Giving a personalized business card may seem like an old-fashioned method. But in 2023, you will witness the revival of its mass appeal; such types of cards are unique, and the benefits are pretty amazing. Here are some reasons why adding a personalized aspect will be far from just being memorable.
A great option for networking events as it’ll make a terrific impression when you hand them out.
Creates deeper connections with potential prospects.
Personalization will fortify your brand image and make a good impression on customers in the evaluative processes.
For example, check out this business card designed by ALAND for professor Eric Yim who has many titles in various organizations. This is a meaningful business card made of harmless materials such as recycled paper from milk paper boxes. The designer has used two typography - vertical for Chinese and horizontal for English. A portrait of the professor is added next to the QR code to personalize the business card further.
3 Unique shapes and materials
Using unique shapes and materials for business cards is a top trend that can help a business stand out and make a lasting impression on potential clients or customers. Some popular shapes and materials for business cards in 2023 include circular, folded, and die-cut shapes on recycled or repurposed materials, wood, and other eco-friendly materials.
Businesses can use these unique shapes and materials to communicate their brand or product, for example, a landscaping company can use rough, rustic paper for their business card. In addition to being aesthetically pleasing, a one-of-a-kind business card signals that you’re a one-of-a-kind business. Here’s why choosing such unique shapes will serve a much bigger purpose than self-promotion.
Great way to set yourself apart and provide value to whoever you hand your card to.
Creative shapes are personable and therefore make you more approachable
Gives you a chance to scrap the bland and hand out cards people will want to hold on to.
Let's take a look at this unique business card Brainchild Creative created for Oroco, a pet supply store that sells niche items for dogs and cats. The illustration and colors on this card are simple yet eye-catching. In addition, it also has a QR code that will redirect to the Wechat contact information of the company.
4 QR codes and interactive elements
Based on the above modern business card designs, we know that a QR code is an inevitable part of any business card, whether digital or paper.
And if you are a brand or an individual looking to go digital, then digital business cards with QR codes or powered by NFC technology could be ideal.
QR codes and interactive elements are becoming more popular in business card design in 2023. They have opened a powerful digital sphere where businesses can interact with prospective clients smartly.
Compared to a traditional paper-based business card, they can access more information about the company or even see a video or animation that further communicates its brand or product.
Here are some reasons why QR code business cards will be trending this year:
It will entice customers to interact with your brand and offer better consumer experiences.
Numerous customization possibilities.
Easy to distribute/share with clients and customers.
Signals prospects that you are adaptable and keep pace with changes in technology.
Technology is backed with robust security features for added security.
Here's a simple reference of QR code digital business card templates from Beaconstac. You can add all the relevant contact information, such as your email ID, social media handles, brand logo, and many more. The best part of digital business cards is that you can share them easily through a simple scan, via email, text or even Apple or Google Wallets (like Beaconstac offers).
Design Tips for Creating a Modern Business Card
Here are 5 tips and tricks for creating stunning business cards that will make a lasting impression.
5 Choosing the right font
The font is an often overlooked element that can significantly impact how you and your brand are perceived. Beyond the brand image, another important reason for choosing the right font is readability. So the right font choices will ensure you and your business always put the best foot forward into your marketplace.
Font options like Sans Serif, Helvetica, Futura, Avenir Rounded, calligraphic fonts, and vintage-style fonts are easy-to-read and some of the most popular choices.
6 Using color effectively
Colors influence how one feels and create a subconscious connection to what you see. This means they will engage us and prompt us to take action. So what is the best color for your digital business card? Well, it depends on your industry and your brand.
For example, if you're selling kids' toys, a black business card will not be suitable; red and yellow might be appropriate. Also, a neon color card will not instill a sense of trust if you're a psychotherapist. Teal could be a better choice.
So, if you already have a brand, you can choose the color scheme used in your brand collateral. If you're still working on your brand's visual identity, you can get professional help to narrow down your color options.
7 Creating a clear and easy-to-read layout
The key to the conversion-based design is to keep things simple and clear. A simple layout will make your card clutter-free and allow you to digest the information easily.
Furthermore, if you’re planning to create an electronic business card, a straightforward layout will make it easy for prospects to scan it. Plus, such types of cards will be more straightforward to design than a card with a background that requires complicated slicing. So keeping things simple will bring noticeable impacts to your overall business card design.
8 Incorporating your brand
Every brand has a unique logo representing the business with a powerful symbolic association in the mind of people. So incorporating brand elements such as a logo and tagline will ensure you’re associated with the brand. Additionally, it’ll add a sleek visual element to your business card and break up the text elements.
If you’re using a digital business card, a simple scan of a QR code or clicking on a link will show your business card with your brand logo and other information.
9 Easy-to-scan QR codes
When creating a physical business card, make sure you add only the important information and choose a standard card size (3.5 x 2 inches) unless you are adopting a unique shape. The biggest benefit of using a common size is the affordability of printing. Plus, people can easily grasp your information and save your contact information.
Whereas in digital business cards, you can add as much information as you want without making it look cluttered. However, do not overload it with unnecessary information. When you overload your e-business card with information, it’ll be hard for prospects to absorb the needed information.
Conclusion
A business card is an excellent way to help businesses of any size to make a great first impression. With a minimalistic design and rational use of colors and elements, you can set yourself apart, establish great connections, and build a network of lifelong business relationships. Remember to check out the best digital business card reviews, as this can help you find a solution that stands out and makes a lasting impression on potential clients.
We hope the tips and tricks shared in our article will help you think outside the box and lay out your business card's most important design elements. Even if you're a non-designer or have minimum experience with designing, the above tips will instantly ease the process.
Author bio:
An avid reader, and writer, Maria is an ardent knowledge-seeker of anything technology and marketing. She is a fervent supporter of environmental and eco-friendly activities. Maria also aims to write and spread the word on the latest innovation concerning technology and beyond.