You can never undo or change a first impression, so you must get it right. In social situations, the stress of a first impression can cause anxiety. In professional situations, you can relax and let your business card make your first impression. If your card has the right design and information, you’ll leave the person with a useful card and a great impression of you and your business. However, if your card doesn’t have the correct information and is overwhelming to look at, you may not leave them with a good impression. Keep reading to learn about the details you shouldn’t put on your business cards so you can leave recipients eager to contact you.
Inaccurate or Old Information
After you’ve designed your first business card, it’s easy to copy and paste the information every time you need to print more cards. However, that habit can sometimes lead card recipients astray. If you forget to add your new phone number or update that your office no longer has a fax machine, you’ll accidentally give out misinformation. This is frustrating for people who want to contact you and frustrating for you as well. You’re putting the work in to go out, meet people, and hand out cards. Reap the rewards of that work by ensuring everything on your card is accurate and up to date.
Unnecessary Information
If the entirety of the first impression comes down to your business card, you may feel that you need to fill it with every piece of information imaginable about your business. Card recipients may find all this information overwhelming, so it’s better to stick to the basics. Include your company’s name, physical or mailing address, website, and general contact information. If the business card is specific to you, include your name and contact information, along with a picture, so recipients can remember who you are.
If you have space, you can include your company’s tagline or social media handles, but that information isn’t necessary. Ask yourself what a potential customer needs to know about your business. If the information you want to include isn’t something they need to know or something you’d only share with an acquaintance or friend, then don’t include it.
Overwhelming Designs
Your card should catch the recipient’s eye to help you stand out. There’s a fine line between eye-catching and visually overwhelming, however. Find the balance with a color scheme that’s bright but not flashy. For example, you can design a metal business card with a colorful logo. The metal material will help dull the color, so it’s still bright but not overpowering. You can also order die-cut cards in muted colors so the unique shape stands out without overwhelming the viewer with color too.
The details you shouldn’t put on your business cards are inaccurate, old, and unnecessary pieces of information. You also shouldn’t overwhelm card recipients with too many design elements. Visually balance your card for a great first impression.