Are business cards still useful?

Everyone has a phone in their pocket, and sharing a number takes two seconds. Even so, I can't say business card orders have dropped. The card's job has just changed.

A business card used to be a page in an address book. Now it's more like a handshake. The card you hand over as the meeting ends and you get up from the table becomes the only physical thing left from that meeting. When someone takes it and turns it over in their hand, they feel the thickness of the paper, the surface, how clean the print is.

The paper speaks as much as the design

Print the same design on thin coated paper and on 350 gsm card with matt lamination, put them side by side, and they don't look like they're from the same company. If the budget is tight, I suggest cutting the quantity, not the paper. Two hundred and fifty good cards instead of five hundred thin ones is the better choice for most small businesses.

You shouldn't overdo extras like spot UV, embossing or foil either. A small touch of spot UV on the logo makes the card stand out. Apply it everywhere and the effect is lost.

Don't leave the back blank, but don't fill it up

The back of the card usually either stays completely blank or gets filled with a list of services. I usually give the back over to the brand colour or a single mark. That way, even if the card is lying face down on the table, you can tell whose it is.

Should we add a QR code?

We can, but with some thought about where it goes. If the QR code leads to your website or your WhatsApp line, it's useful. If it just goes to your Instagram profile, writing your username on the card is usually enough. If we do add one, it should be at least 2 cm in size with a clear quiet zone around it, otherwise the phone struggles to read it.

Cut down the information

A name, a title, one phone number, one email and a web address are enough on a card. A fax number, three different phone numbers and a full address make the card cluttered. If the address matters, a short version or a map link works better.

After the logo, the business card is the thing that changes hands the most. That's why, in corporate identity projects, I never leave the business card until the last minute.