Too often, business cards fail to project the right image of the businesses to new clients. The greatest problem lies in the area of printing. However, your business card is one of the important marketing tools you have. It is your image, your identity. So, how can you afford taking risks with it?

Here are the 4 most common mistakes businesses make when they are printing their business cards:

Using Poor Quality Cards:

This is especially the problem with “home-made” business cards. Even after taking painstaking care with the design – the layout, the font and the color – the creator fails to choose the right paper. The result: feather-light unattractive cards that reflect poorly on the company.

Also, many businesses always prefer to use regular coatings just to save a few dollars. They simply do not realize that glossy, matte and textured coatings not only make their cards look professional but they also drastically improve the durability of the business cards. In addition, glossy papers are absolutely necessary if the card contains pictures or lots of colors. Note, however, that glossy papers are not compatible with laser printers.

Using Oversized Cards

Sometimes, in order to make their cards unique, a few businesses have tried to experiment with their cards’ sizes. In most cases, they have increased the size, believing that the bigger size will make the cards, and thus the businesses, more memorable. The result: oversized business cards that do not fit in wallets and most business card holders.

In others, they have tried smaller sizes, and thus have used smaller font sizes to include all the necessary information on the smaller format. The result: too small print that is hard to read unless one is using a magnifying glass.

By rule, business cards should of the standard size 3.5 by 2 inch. Anything smaller does not make sense; anything bigger finds its way to the trash bin.

Using Printers Inappropriately

Just like you should not use glossy coating in a laser printer, you should also avoid using too many colors when printing on a monochrome printer. However, many businesses fail to recognize this simple printer fact. The result: no difference between colors such as red and orange on the printout.

Not Using Online Business Card Printers

Due to the printing technologies which are available that make it easier and more affordable for anyone to design and then print a business card, many businesses have decided to print their own cards. However, online business card printers are available that give your business cards an edge over your competitors’.

The wide range of features provided at online printing companies will fulfill your business card printing needs and give you the maximum benefit at acceptable pricing.

Always be careful when you are choosing your online business card printer. After all, your business cards can either break or make new business deals!

Using a business card template
One common mistake people make when they produce their business card is to use a business card template when making the design. Business card templates, are of course easy to use and lets you create business cards quickly. This is all, well and good, but the mark of the true professional is to have their own custom business card design. It conveys the right message of attention to detail and professionalism. Using business card templates are a mark of an amateur. So don’t use templates so that you won’t look like one. Besides, business card templates are boring anyway.

Using the wrong kind of font and font size
People can get carried away a bit with their fonts. They think the more intricate the text design, the more beautiful a business card is. Wake up, this is wrong. This is not a school art project. The font for a business card should be clearly readable and at the right size. A common business card mistake is to use a too intricate script or handwriting font. They may look nice, but people want to know your name not your signature. Also, some people use fonts that are too small. Of course small fonts are no problems for the younger professionals out there. However, I have seen many a “veteran” businessman squinting at a new colleague’s call card. Make your business card friendly and have the font size at a standard value where all people from different age groups can read your name unaided.

Mismanagement of color choices
Colors are nice, but they should be used with taste. The worst possible business card mistakes are with color business cards with bad or wild color combinations. That lime green business card with violent pink lettering won’t be too welcome unless the circumstances are special. Always match your colors so that they are complimentary. Do not be “too loud” and pick garish bright colors that basically slice at the eye. I have seen a lot of color business cards fail because the color they picked seemed o informal for an investor’s taste.

Incorrect or “corrected” custom business cards
Have you ever finished your business card printing only to discover a major flaw that has been duplicated in all the copies? The worst mistake you can do here is to manually slash the offending mistake and write the correct information by hand. Do not do this. This is mark of being unprofessional. A true businessman would always proof read his/her custom business card before giving the go ahead for printing.

Printing your business card at home
Well, sometimes you really can’t blame anyone from cutting corners and saving money on business card printing. However, printing your business cards at home is a major “no no.” Those “homemade” business cards are always easy to tell by their amateurish look. Looking like a novice is hardly the image you should foster. “Newbies” may get a chance since they are a new and fresh business contact, but some people might look at an amateur business card as a sign of weakness and exploit it. So if you can, please avoid making your business card at home unless you have the skills to do so.

Great! Those are the common mistakes people make when making their business cards. Always try to avoid these when you create your own custom business card. Ask you business card printing company for more help when you start the custom business card printing process.