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Colorful Business Cards that Are Easy -- and Inexpensive
Are you ready to break away from the standard black and white business card? Want to add a bit of color to your life -- or at least your business life?
You may be afraid color on your biz card is too expensive. Fear not! Here are some inexpensive ideas to brighten up your biz card look.
Colored Card Stock Stands Out in a Crowd
Does your business card frequently end up in a stack with a bunch of others? Perhaps you attend a lot of trade shows, and you're constantly handing your card to a contact who's already got a fist full. How will your card grab attention when they're back at the office sorting through the stack? Try bright colored card stock.
Most professional print shops will print on any color card stock for the same cost as the standard white. The printing shouldn't cost more -- only the paper. And if you plan to print your cards yourself on your DeskJet or LaserJet printer, using colored card stock easily adds color to your do-it-yourself card.
An 8 1/2" x 11" sheet of standard card stock costs between 10 and 15 cents. With 10 cards on a sheet, that's only $10 - 15 for 1,000 cards!
Here's an example of a simple design that comes alive on bright yellow card stock. Bright colors don't work for every business -- be sure to consider your business image when you choose your colors.
Accent Colors Make a Statement
Another option is to spend the extra money for a two-color print job. In printer's lingo, two-colors generally means black plus one other color. It's a little more expensive, starting at around $40 to as high as $130 for 1000 cards, depending on your design and color choices, but it may be worth it for your business.
Here's the same subtle design, with a red accent. In business, red often stands for aggressiveness and success. Even this understated use of color makes a statement.
Or maybe you have a logo that communicates an important message about your business. Color can draw attention to your logo, as in this third example. The logo communicates forward thinking -- the boat is headed into the horizon, to face new challenges. And blue is a color of solidity and strength.
You can also produce simple 2-color print jobs on you own color DeskJet or LaserJet printer. Take a look at Idea Cafe's Recipe for Homemade Business Cards for more on how to use your desktop publishing equipment to make your own business cards.
Photos and Four-Color Designs
If your business demands your photo on your card, you face new challenges, such as how to import your photo into your computer and into your design. Also, a color photo requires a four-color print job, which can cost as much as $300 for 1,000 cards.
Idea Cafe Resources
To decide whether you need your photo on your card, read:
Your Picture IS Worth 1,000 Words -- Putting Your Photo on Your Business Card
For info on importing photos into your computer, start with From the Darkroom to the Desktop -- How to Digitize Your Photos, and from there, explore our whole series on digitizing photos.
And sample these tasty morsels for more on using color in your business and marketing materials:
What Color Are Your Customers?
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