I believe the front should contain the contact details plus a simple strapline or description (couple of words) of what the business does. You often remember people by the service you might need or wish to refer.

On the back, I usually recommend a QR code, preferably with the contact details for immediate upload to a mobile phone’s directory (see http://www.miltoncontact.co.uk/qr-codes-book-MCL).

Ultimately, the business card also says something about the person or company who asked for it to be designed – It is your personal choice then whether you feel that it bodes well or not for a future working relationship 🙂

http://homebusinessaccountant.blogspot.com/2009/07/business-cards-with-pizazz.html

I am just re-branding my company because some bugger has pinched my logo and trademarked it apparently.

so i have the new name and all of the stationery to think about.

I’ve just finished the business cards and have designed them double sided. however the only thing on the back is my very minimalist logo sat in the bottom right on a white background. Plenty of room to write notes or a message if need be.

Leaving the back of your business card blank in my opinion is a waste of space for the millions of people who do not write on business cards. however the space is there if needs be.

The product at the end both looks great back and front and there is acres of space for little notes.

“PUT THE BUSINESS CARD DOWN AND STEP AWAY FROM THE CAMERA WITH YOUR HANDS UP!”

He definitely had too many jelly beans!

I have two businesses and in both cases the cards are double-sided.

Otherwise the back of the card is good space wasted!!

M

Both work well. Really depends on your business and when/where you use them.

I personally prefer double sided, with a design that stands out.

Paper choice a nice card thats not going to fall apart, and keep it standard size please, other wise it wont fit in my folder. And Lamainated bits of paper is a no-no looks so unproffessional.

other than that its yours to do what you like with.

Aren’t there any companies that provide cards that have two cards attached, with a binding on the side or something?. This way, they would be the same size as a standard card, you could have one card as the business card with plenty of room on the front and back to have info about the person and the company, and another blank card for the reciever to write what they want on. As i’m sure Duane isn’t the only one who wants somewhere to write about a bald bloke from Manchester etc!

Just a point that isn’t mentioned, we attend a lot of networking groups, we’re quite a friendly bunch and our services are relatively unique in our area so we have a lot of people ask for a handful of our cards to pass on. Our cards are then being handed out to people who haven’t met us and don’t really know our services, and the quality of the card plus the list of services on the back does help alot of those people follow us up.

If you go to networking meetings and get lots of cards at once I can see why you would want write on the back some more info for later use. But, if you go to a 1-on-1 meeting or you’re a tradesman/consultant then showcasing your products / services on the reverse is great way to showcase your work.

I have a friend who’s a interior designer (http://paulcarter.co.uk/). He’d used blank business cards on the reverse for years so the last time he wanted some more I advised him to put a shot of a finished room on the reverse. Since he uses vibrant colours in his designs his cards really stand out. In fact it worked so well he phoned me a couple of weeks after the last lot were delivered to say someone had picked one up from a shop counter and he’d just got a £8000 order as a result.

I think the main thing is that you have a quality card as it’s probably the first thing that prospective clients get to ‘feel’ about your company. As you say you don’t need one that fits in your CD drive or is a different size to everyone elses but for god’s sake don’t get one printed at a motorway service station or worse still vistaprint with an advert on the back.

That video is hilarious.

You would not leave a blank space in your brochure so people could right notes on it!! A business card is not a free notebook, it is a device to give the recipient information about an individual (and his/her business).

Like I said to you when you studied mine a couple of weeks back – it tells you what we do and sends some basic marketing messages. As well as all the key contact information. What is wrong with that?

How many times do you get given cards (especially at networking meetings) which tell you nothing about what the business does? Then you don’t remember!

Use the space I say to send key messages, then you don’t need to use it as a notebook as the information is already there!

That said, I tend to keep my cards (now) boggo basic on the front. My company name, my name, direct phone number and email address. That’s it.
One the back I have the company address and main office contact details, along with our one liner strapline.

I used to have a brochure card until a marketing consultant (quoted above) slated me in our first meeting!

D’oh

But thats it. They’re still cheap to produce, standard size, and so forth. I wonder if to some extent this depends on the circumstances in which you give cards to people – I’m normally talking to them, and it’s simply a way to pass a portable copy of contact details, so that the discussion can be continued.

Maybe its a confidence issue too? Do super flashy business cards represent a belief that your people skills are not sufficient to make an adequate impression?

(I’m just theorising Mark, not having a pop at you!!)

Dunno. Either way, I think it’s pretty crazy how complicated some get..!

Can’t say I agree with your ‘nothing on the back’ policy though…

I do agree that business cards that leave no room for notes are a big no-no. The same goes for those that are plastic or dark coloured and so unsuitable for notes. Like you I invariably write a few words indicating where and when we met and anything I’ve promised to do by way of follow up. So I need room to do this.

My card isn’t perfect (certainly not given your comments above). And yes it does more than convey the basic name, title, company and contact details.

It’s conventional business card size and the front is as you would expect – although there’s also a small photo of me – to help new contacts recall which of all the people they met to associate with the card. Whilst some people only collect a couple of cards a day, others collect dozens (especially if they attend networking events).

The back of my card has some space for notes and a list of other places you can find me on the web. There are my 3 blogs, my linkedin profile, my twitter name and my ecademy profile. Also my personal website – as distinct from the Tax Advice Network which is the branding on the card and of which I am Chairman.

Inside the card (yes, I’m sorry it opens up having been folded in half) there are 2 more sides. The inside left contains a mini profile of me and the inside right contains 3 distinct messages for Accountants, Tax Advisers and Taxpayers respectively.

Until recently I’d only received positive feedback – I will be making a few changes (next time round) although some how I still think you may not like my card – as and I when I get to give you one! 😉

You can pick which flavour you want and there is plenty of room to write on.