1. Black & Gold Chevron Pattern Business Card
2. Abstract Fuchsia Pink Watercolor Double-Sided Standard Business Cards
3. Elegant Faux Gold Striped Modern Light Pink Business Cards
4. White Subtle Glitter Business Card
5. Cool Business Card for Interior Designers and Home Decor Bloggers
6. Vintage Typewriter Double-Sided Business Cards for Journalists and Copywriters
7. Cool Vintage Skull Etching Black Business Card
8. Travel Agent Double-Sided Standard Business Cards

Every creative biz owner knows this much for sure: business cards are a MUST.

But what if you’re just getting started and can’t afford to hire a fancy graphic designer and have no design skills or tech know-how yourself?

Here are some biz card tips + cool Business card designs for you to use:

What to include on your business cards:

Your Business Cards should contain all of your necessary contact info plus something to help remind people who you are and why they should care.

Best practices for business card design and layout can depend on your industry and type of business, but at the very least you probably want your card to include your company name, a brief byline about what you do (in case it isn’t obvious from your business name), and how to contact you (website address, email, physical location and phone number).

• contact information (name, phone number, email, website and social media profiles)
• job description, job title or tagline (let people know what you do)
• something to make it memorable (one quirky interest or use a double-sided card to display a photo of you or your work on one side)

If you’re an artist or fashion designer, you might invest in double sided cards and have one side be for text and use the other side to show an image of your best or most popular work. You might alternately use the second side for a gift certificate code, coupon, or other promotional offer.

1. Retro Red Camera Photography Business Cards
2. Elegant Cherry Blossoms Business Cards
3. Retro Photographer Double-Sided Business Cards
4. Retro Honeycomb Handmade Designer Business Cards
5. Colorful Confetti Double-Sided Business Cards
6. Rustic Arrow on Tan Business Cards
7. Modern & Hip Black Chevron Pattern Business Cards
8. Hello Nice to Meet You – Vintage Retro Stylish Business Cards
9. Cool Abstract Multi-color Watercolors Modern Double-Sided Business Cards
10. Cool Chalkboard Circle Simple Business Cards

How to make your business cards look amazing:

Steer clear of those ubiquitous templates that come “free” with a lot of cheap printing services. I would strongly advise AGAINST using these if at all possible.

If you start attending networking events or swapping cards with other business owners frequently, you’ll quickly start to notice the same template biz cards over and over again. They all blend together after awhile and you’ll find yourself unable to remember one person’s templated card from another.

There’s nothing remarkable about any of those cards, which might leave others with the impression that there’s nothing too remarkable about your business.

You can either design the card yourself if you feel comfortable doing so, pay a graphic designer to do it for you, or seek out a beautifully designed card like one of the biz cards featured here. You’ll be glad you did.

Trust me, it IS possible to find cool, creative business cards without spending a ton on a graphic designer. I promise.

One of my favorite places to get inspired is Zazzle.

Zazzle is really cool because they are a print-on-demand company which offers designers the opportunity to share their art and designs with the world, on tons of different products. (I’ve got a shop there myself.)

Just about everything on their site is customizable in some way, as designs can be printed on a variety of products, styles and varieties. Zazzle’s business cards are no exception, as you can edit the personal information as well as choose from a variety of different paper options.

Just starting out? You can order as few business cards as 20 at a time, and once you grow big, you can restock as many as 10,000 business cards at a time.

How to make your business cards stand out from the pack:

Want to stand out in a sea of boring business cards?

Mention something funny or remarkable about yourself.

My boyfriend David, a New Orleans camera operator, got into the habit long ago of including a funny personal interest on both his resumes and business cards. Some may disagree with this unusual approach, but it’s made him memorable to many and has been a great ice-breaker. On his current business cards, after his name it reads: “filmmaker / screenwriter / eater of sushi”:

How to use business cards to get more business:

“Business cards” can be used for more than just transmitting your contact details. Additional uses for business cards might include custom appointment cards, referral cards, or gift cards, like the ones seen below.

Appointment cards and referral cards are traditionally used for businesses like hair salons and spas, but think about the ways in which you could grow your business through referrals or scheduling appointments with your customers in advance.

1. Pink and Olive Green Double-Sided Appointment Cards
2. Faux Gold Leaf Circles Double-Sided Appointment Card
3. Nice Hair! Double-Sided Mini Referral Cards
4. Striped Double-Sided Gift Cards
5. Funny Alpaca Appointment Cards for Hairstylist
6. Spa & Massage Salon Loyalty Card / Punch Card Large Business Cards

How to keep track of your business cards:

Once you’ve got your snazzy new business cards, you’ve got to put them to use! Carry them with you everywhere and hand them out!

Keep some extra cards in your purse or wallet at all times! If you switch purses or bags often, stock up all your bags with some cards so that you don’t forget them. It’s sad how many times I’ve been to business networking events and someone has forgotten their business cards. Really people??? Really??

Zazzle offers customizable metal business card holders, so you can even make your card holder match your business cards! If you have a physical location or an office, make sure to get a little display rack for your business cards.

What do YOU include on your business cards?

The business cards seen here are just a few of the fun options I’ve found on Zazzle. I’ve also gathered a whole collection featuring my favorite Zazzle biz card designs.

A business card is your chance to showcase you personal brand and/or your business.

What type of business are YOU in? Please reach out on Twitter or Instagram and let me know!

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