Editor’s note: This is a recurring post with regularly updated card details. Prepaid business credit cards are designed for small business owners who can’t qualify for or don’t want a typical business credit card. They require fewer qualifications than business cards while also limiting the owner’s risk. If you are looking for a small business idea (or even a micro-business) to kickstart your path to entrepreneurship, you are in the right place. This list of 101 small business ideas includes everything from personal services, to retail opportunities, to environmental services, to pet-related ideas, to technology businesses. Now that you’ve been sufficiently warned, here are 5 of the best credit cards for small business owners. The Small Business Friendly Ink Business Preferred Credit Card. Nerdwallet likes this one a lot because it offers one of the best sign-up bonuses of any card on the market today. The business financing or credit industry has a standard of what a legitimate business should look like, if you don’t meet that standard you are going to be shut out of many financing options. So the next smart step is to build business credit. The four tiers of financing There are four tiers of financing available to small business owners. Sean Peek is a writer, small business owner and SEO specialist. He began his career in digital marketing as a freelance writer in 2013 and has over five years of experience in the B2B space.

1. 3 Business Card Ideas For Small Business Owners Search
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What Should Be On A Business Card For Small Businesses

Business Cards
Updated June 19, 2020 • 7 minute read

Should you put anything on the back of a business card? Is it important to list your website url?

Just because you only have a few inches of real estate to work with doesn’t mean you still can’t get your message across and do it in a way that doesn’t require packing every possible bit of information about your business.

Your business card is often the first place prospective customers look when they’re searching for contact information for your small business. Having a professional looking business card forms a first impression that can mean the difference between them picking up the phone or throwing your business card in the trash.

Table of Contents Quick Links:

1. Logo and Tagline

If you want your business card (and your business) to really get noticed, it all starts with great design and quality printing. Your brand should be immediately recognizable. That means should always include the name of your business, logo, and tagline (if applicable) somewhere on your card. Need help creating a tagline for your business? Check out this article.

2. Job Title

One of the questions I see the most frequently from small business owners is whether to list a title on their business card and, if so, what exactly to include.

There are a lot (and I mean a lot) of opinions and discussions around the topic of what job title to use on a business card when you own a small business.

Typically, job titles fall into 3 categories--no title, organizational role (ex. CEO or President), or function (ex, Director of Sales and Marketing).

Here's my take...

• For small businesses with only 1 or 2 employees, referring to yourself as President seems a bit blowhardy.
• If you want people to have a clearer understanding of your day-to-day responsibilities, then something more functionally specific makes more sense (ex. Business Development Manager).
• If you're trying to establish credibility with prospective contacts who prefer to deal directly with the owner, then go that route

3. Contact Information

Back in the day, businesses had one (or at most two) telephone numbers. Now you’ll often see business cards that include an 800 number, a direct line, a cellphone, and possibly even a home number. Totally ridiculous! Your customers shouldn’t have to play a game of telephone tag.

Why not keep it simple? Include the one or two numbers where your customers will be able to reach you. That’s all, that’s it!

Related: How to Design a Business Card

Along with your phone number, always be sure to include your email address. Notice I said “your” email address and not some generic “info@yourcompany.com.” Nothing says “Please don’t contact me—I really don’t care about you” more than pointing people to an anonymous inbox.

Do you need to include a physical address?

That depends on your business. If you have an ecommerce store with no brick and mortar storefront, operate out of your home, or there's no reason customers would need to visit you, leave it off. Otherwise, it's entirely up to you. However, I have spoken with a number of folks over the years who feel a physical address helps validate the legitimacy of a business.

On the front you'll typically want to include 1) a contact name 2) email 3) phone number 4) address and 5) website--all the information prospective customers will need if they want to get in touch.

Of course I can’t talk about business card content without mentioning the fax. Of all the superfluous information you could possibly include, this has to be at the top of the heap. With the ability to scan and email documents, listing a fax number generally isn’t necessary (unless you know your customers are going to use it).

4. QR Codes (Never!)

Let's just nip this one in the bud right now. Including a QR code on your business card isn't going to make you look hip or cool.

The fact of the matter is most people aren’t actually going to “do” anything with your business card until they get in front of a computer or tablet. At that point, it’s going to take just as much time for them to pull out their phone, waste time scanning a QR code, connect to the web, and check it out as it would for them to just type in your url.

5. Links to Social Media Profiles

If your small business is on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, and Google+, it doesn’t take long before you wind up with a proliferation of social media profiles on your business card. Instead of giving people different ways to connect, you end up overwhelming them with a sea of social media icons and links.

Focus on the 1-2 primary social media channels your customers actually use and leave all of the other links for your website.

6. Services (Sparingly)

If you have the room including a short list of services can definitely help reinforce your offerings with current and prospective customers.

Notice I said short. Trying to list everything under the sun will only junk things up. I know when I get business cards that have a massive laundry list of services my eyes usually just glaze over.

7. Multiple Websites (Never!)

If you have a business website, an ecommerce site, a blog, and three social media profiles—you’re much better off pointing prospective customers to one url where they can then access all of your other information. In other words, don’t junk it up.

Business Card Best Practices

Don’t be afraid to use both sides of your business card. Doing so gives you more space so you allow your content to breath and also make it easier to digest for current and prospective customers. For starters, add your small business logo and tagline to the back side of your card. Then use the front side for your name and title, physical address (if you have a brick-and-mortar storefront), your phone number (one is almost always enough), and your email address and website.

Two popular options for ordering custom business cards online are MOO.com and Vistaprint. Vistaprint is definitely cheaper running promotions for 500 business cards for $9.99, but speaking from personal experience the print quality of MOO business cards can't be beat.

Designing Your Business Cards

MOO.com and Vistaprint both make ordering business cards online super easy. You can browse their business card design templates or upload your own design/logo.

Have additional questions about what to include on a business card for your small business? Leave a comment below or send them to me directly.

As a disclaimer, I use affiliate links for some of the products listed. They are all products I absolutely love and trust and would recommend regardless of whether they have an affiliate program.

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Hey just checking in to make sure you're ok with all of this craziness in the word!

That's a great tip. Those notes definitely come in handy once you start following up with those new contacts.

I used to always print both sides of the card and had an area designated for 'notes' on the other side. You would think it was obvious to use the back of the card for notes about your meeting, but people really liked it.

Nice. I almost (almost) ordered cards that were paper on one side, wood on the other. So I get where you are going with those. Show stoppers.

Um ... well ... funny you should use the term 'over-the-top'. You see, my existing cards (which have blown every recipient away -- in a GOOD way) are black metal with silver ink. I just put an order in to switch things up. The new cards will be engraved brushed copper. (BRUSHED, not polished. Polished looked and felt to be way too much, and actually a bit too hard to read the engraving with all the reflection.)

Yes. If you can't trust your gut, trust the voice of your great Aunt. As I read your comment, it really struck home as I've always been the exact same way. Here's the great thing about business cards...you're not sending them out to everyone you've ever met. You're likely handing them out in small batches. So, if you get the sense that someone thinks you're too over the top with them based on how they react, you can cut bait and reprint. One plug for Moo while we're talking about business cards--more than anything that's ever been on my cards--I've noticed more people pause as they feel the texture/quality. Definitely one of the best business card decisions I've made personally.

Please promise me this--circle back soon to let me know how the cards are going. I know it sounds silly, but I don't always get closure on this stuff and it's something I'd definitely love to know.

Best of luck!

Thanks for the quick replay, Shawn! You know, as I get older I'm finding it increasingly difficult to hear what my 'gut' is actually saying these days, if that makes any sense. But looking back over my past 50 years of life, one recurring theme keeps smacking me in the face: my entire life I've played things too 'safe'; I've not taken the risks that I should have ... I've demurred and acceded when I should have put myself forward. Opportunities that practically threw themselves at me were ignored because I felt I wasn't 'ready' or 'good enough' or hadn't yet 'paid my dues'. And now more than ever I'm hearing the voice of my great Aunt who used to tell me, 'Matthew, you need to get used to tooting your own horn, because no one -- NO ONE -- is going to do it for you.' I think I've just answered my own question. ;)

Hey Matt - Great question. What's your gut tell you? It sounds like you think it might be a bit much to do it but I could definitely see the benefit of adding the additional details. One way to think about it--if you only list writer, producer, broadcaster, that could pretty much apply to anyone with a similar background. Adding the credits would likely help you stand out. Do you have any trusted colleagues in the industry you can check with? I'm never usually short on opinions, but I don't have any direct experience in this space. And I'm a big believer in trusting your gut. Does that help?

Hi Shawn (Pittsburgh native here - recognized your area code). I'm redesigning my business cards and I have a really specific question. I'm a freelance network television writer and producer as well as a freelance radio news anchor (and soon to be podcast host). My business cards are primarily for media consulting and financial writing gigs in the corporate world. The recipients are typically C-level executives. I'm a huge fan of minimalism: the front of my card has only my name (inside the outline of a television screen), and the back (also inside the outline of a television screen) has my name, plus the line 'WRITER - PRODUCER - BROADCASTER' ... and another line with my phone number and email address. However, in an effort to really distinguish myself and add credibility, I've been tempted to add a line that includes my major television writing and producing credits (just the networks' letters), plus a line listing my Emmy Award for one of those networks. My question: Would it be gauche to add those two lines with credits and the Emmy award?

Hi Kat - Great question. 1) it depends on how you want to present yourself as investors. Are you a tandem always? Are there times where you'll operate more independently? 2) knowing your audience, do you anticipate they would think it's tacky? To your point--contact information could get a little jumbled--especially if you want to make it quick and easy to reach one of you specifically. For example, I just got a business card from a business the other day. Sent an email to the general email address. The person I was trying to reach never got it. Likely went to their other store location. Womp womp.

My husband and I just started a real estate investment business. Is it tacky or unprofessional to put both our names on the cards? They currently state 'Jon & Kat Luckey' with 'Real Estate Investors' underneath that.. Realizing we maybe should have our own.. Thoughts? They would both have the same company name, email, and phone number which all go to me atm...

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Thanks for the comment, Reba. I don't know that I'd go so far as 'never' but nothing has been able to replace them yet. Likely due to the connection and tangible reminder you mentioned.

A good business card is not just a tool for giving your information out to prospects but an opportunity to connect with a new prospect on a personal level. For that reason, good business cards will never be replaced by any of the digital networking tools at our disposal, because digital tools lack the human factor of the equation.

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Hi Ben - Thanks for asking. I'm 100% against QR codes unless someone can provide a compelling case to convince me otherwise and so far that hasn't happened. With cinematography, would the people you are trying to reach use it? Usually when you see a QR code, it's a tell that the person is trying to look like they're up on the latest technology but the opposite is true.

Hi, just curious about your thoughts on the QR codes again. I'm a cinematographer and I thought it might be useful to provide a QR link to my demo reel. Could this be an exception, or do you have other ideas for my situation. Appreciate your input. Thank you for the article.
Ben

Thanks for the comment, Don. Yes. Totally agree. Websites are still the hub for most businesses and the place you want to drive people not only for simplicity but also because that's where they are more likely to buy.

If there is a strong social component to your business, then perhaps. Otherwise, I would use your main website (and perhaps email signature) as the conduit to the various social destinations you might have. LESS IS MORE.

Hi Dina - Two titles are fine. If you think your customers and contacts need both and you can do it in a way that doesn't cause confusion or make your business card difficult to read/scan, go for it.

Thank you for this great information
please advice, what about putting two titles at the card
such as (Customer Service Manager
G.M Deputy)

Hi Gary - Do the 3 different contact names also work in different job functions/have different titles? Tell me more about what you are trying to accomplish. Is there a reason why you would want all of the information on one card versus having a unique card for each employee?

Hi Shawn,
What do you think about more than one Contact name & number on a card for a small business? It would be for a separate office with 3 contact names.

I'm a big fan of using both sides of the card. Do you think it would be helpful for contacts to have the names and specialties of all of the Drs and therapists on one card? Depending on the number of contacts, it might be hard to include everything without junking it up.
Would individual emails all be necessary? Is that the way patients typically get in touch? Or would they call?

Thank you for sharing your ideas on the net!!!
How do you feel about all associates listed on the same card? I like your idea of basic info on one side and personal on the other Listing of Dr's and therapist and their specialty/email on one side. Logo, address, phone and tag line on the other?

Thanks! I did and we are definitely a House of Brands. We've decided to have both business cards, one for the brand and another for the business when we start developing the other brands. Very helpful advice!

You are very welcome. Let me know which way you decide to go. If you google 'Branded House' vs. 'House of Brands' you'll see a really helpful illustration of P&G (house of brands) vs. Virgin (branded house).

Thank you!

It depends on how you want to position your business. Are you a branded house? Or a house of brands? One option would be to do both--start incorporating your new business name as the umbrella and add brands underneath as you continue to grow.

Shawn, I bought a brand that is 32 years old, but started a new company to manage it and I'm looking to create more brands in the future under the same company. should I make the business cards with the brand name I actually have, or with the company name? Thanks!

@Guest, the overwhelming majority of times business cards are used in a professional context, not a personal one. People want to know who they are dealing with. Professionally that means knowing not only the company but also knowing the credentials of the person representing the company.
I understand where you are coming from. In the past, my position on the matter where closer to yours. But keep in mind that if I'm just shipping simple packages, 'Brown' and what 'Brown can do for you' (UPS commercial from the past) might be enough. But if the nature of our business dealing involves something more substantial, just 'Brown' isn't gonna cut it.

definitely exception to the rule. QR codes incredibly inefficient for the very reasons previously stated. They exist merely to dupe clients into thinking they'll look cool and at the other end, people use them because they mistakenly think it makes them look cool, as opposed to looking like a mental patient taking pictures of already printed docs..

Listings are tough. It's easy to get caught up in trying to get your business listed everywhere but in most cases a few directories will drive most of the traffic. Have you looked at https://moz.com/local?

Are you seeing engagement from Facebook?

Speaking of tracking--do you have Google Analytics and Google Webmaster Tools tied to your site?

Don't worry we definitely won't be putting a qr code on them. We have so many things our company is listed on that it would take up a lot of space to put them all. We want out Facebook base to expand since that is where we put up a lot of offers/specials and tips for our customers. Most of our business is word of mouth or people seeing our vehicles. We get most of our online business from BBB or Yelp but we have only been tracking it since we bought this company in January.

Just don't put a QR code on the back. There are much effective ways to use the space.

Based on your comment, I do think Business Manager is the way to go.

Since you paid for the BBB designation, I would showcase it.

Do you also have your business listed in other relevant online directories/Google My Business?

Shawn,
Thank you for the suggestion. I think I'm going to go with business manager as my title since I'm the one doing most of the networking and dealing with all of our vendors and everything. I think I will also use your suggestion and just do a small batch of ones that have the coupon for the referral and see how that goes. We just joined the BBB a month ago and have already had 5 customers do business with us that found us there so I might add it.
Thank you again, Danielle

Danielle - How do your customers refer to you and/or what roles/support are they looking for when they contact each of you specifically? I was going to suggest Field Manager and Office Manager/Business Manager since you didn't want to list owner, but see you don't like Office Manager.

Referrals can definitely work great. You could always experiment with a small batch and then track their reaction and how many get redeemed. Great idea.

Do you know how many customers find you via the BBB? It probably won't hurt unless it's junking up your card.

My husband and I own an air conditioning and heating company. We have 3 technicians and one other person in the office but he is the main guy in the field and I am the main person in our office. What would you suggest our titles be? I don't want to put owner on mine because this is mainly a 'mans business' and if they feel they need to climb the ladder they would rather talk to him, which is ok with me, but I also don't want to put office manager on my card either.
What would you think of offering something on the back of our card? Like refer a friend and get a $25 visa gift card or is that tacky and unprofessional? Or could we put something on there that a lot of people tend to overlook in our industry like helping improve their indoor air quality? There are a lot of a/c businesses out in Arizona and we would like to try to stand out but be professional.
Also do you recommend putting our BBB seal on the cards?
We always put our license number and state that we are bonded and insured since people tend to shy away from contractors that aren't.

Jvalin - That depends on whether you want people to visit your site or email you. One thing I personally don't like is writing the information on the card. If it's important, order new cards. If you can get by, you can add to the next order.

I forgot to include website in my business card, but included the email. I believe its pretty much straight forward to understand what needs to be put before the domain name. Any suggestions or do I need to order new cards

I forgot to put my website and included email address, do I need to order a new card?

Hey, nice article! I believe business cards are an amazing tool for small businesses. In fact I have recently started a business of my own where I help companies get more sales and conversion through business cards! I am really excited about helping people bring in more sales. If anyone wants to check it out and learn about it you can email me at givemebusinesscards@gmail.com . I would give the link to the website but I don't want to post my link on someone else website.

Hi Diana - Cell phones are definitely optional. It depends on how accessible your employees need to be and how accessible you want them to be. I see a lot of mobile numbers on business cards from sales people but there are also more cells listed overall.

As a small business, should we put an employee's personal cell phone number on his business card? We don't for sales people as we purchase their phones and they get a business number. This person is an operations director and is in the office most of the time. They occasionally travel to see customers. What do you think?

No worries at all.

Kimberly - Thanks for asking. Totally personal preference. If you are in a relationship-focused business, a picture can work--it's just something I rarely see and, when I do, it's almost always for Realtors. And most of the headshots are almost always not great.

yikes. Please disregard types. :(

I notice you dont advise including a photo, unless you are sell real estate. Why do you say that? I am an attorney at a small law firm (civil litigation) and the owner uses a photo on his business card, but I dont really care either way. I just care that its professional, appropriate and to-point.

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This ins interesting Great Ideas for Designing business card Thanks for sharing this information.. Awesome

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Thanks for closing the loop. Given all of the reasons you pointed out, that definitely sounds like your best alternative. I know I struggle with them. But maybe I'm 'older people.'

Thanks for your opinion.

In the end we decided to put both on the card. Many of our clients are older people and our eyes aren't getting any better. For the reasons you pointed out, it makes it a little more user friendly, especially for those who aren't accustomed to or can't see those tiny letters under the numbers on their phones. And with the vanity number, it's still memorable.

Congratulations. It sounds like you have been busy!

A question for the ages. I think you are both right. As a consumer of vanity numbers, I know I find myself finger picking, squinting at the phone, and repeating the alphabet out loud. Vanity numbers are memorable and catchy, but personally I always spend a lot more time trying to decipher the numbers. But it seems to be working for Southwest Airlines 1-800-I-FLY-SWA and other companies.

If the vanity number is super important, I would suggest starting with just that number. These won't be the last batch of business cards you'll ever print, so you can always compare response rate when you spell the number out.

But I agree. Clean is always better than clutter.

Thanks for the article, Shawn. My business partner and I have redesigned our small business in the past week. New name, new website, new logo and instead of using our personal cell phones, we purchased a vanity number which will transfer the call to us individually or simultaneously depending on the extension the caller hits.

The last part is where my question is... We're in the process of designing new business cards now that we have the new logo from our graphics designer. We're debating on how the phone number should be presented. I feel that having the vanity number and the number spelled out is too much clutter and defeats the purpose of the vanity number. My partner feels that having the number spelled out makes it simpler to use.

IE: I want 1800 ABCDEFG
He wants 1800 ABCDEFG / 1800 222 3334

What is your opinion?

Hi Shawn,

Again a wornderful and great post you have here. I also shared this content on my blog if you don't mind. http://wp.me/p5yV5X-cy

Cheers,
Anthony

You definitely don't want to do anything illegal when it comes to business cards. If they need to include an LLC number, definitely something that should be on there. Possibly in bold.

For not having LLC number (it's construction company)

Thanks for the comment, Kathleen. Great catch!

Hate to tell you this, but as a proofreader and editor, I found an error in the paragraph under 'Business Card Best Practices'-it's 'breathe' not 'breath'. If you correct that, it would be better for you.

3 Business Card Ideas For Small Business Owners Search

Happy to help. I'm not sure why LinkedIn doesn't push that more. I use the link shortener a lot when I'm referring someone to a shared connection.

Thanks Shawn - your excellent advice has pointed me in the direction of simplifying my linkedin address (which I didn't know you could do) to uk.linkedin.com/in/kevinallen9...
What a star!

I was going to mention messy urls in the first comment but didn't want to get into the weeds with boring details. That's definitely a concern. At some point, it's easier for someone to just search for your name than it is trying to retype a complicated and lengthy address. Do you have the option of simplifying your profile url? I know I did that at one point which made it a little cleaner www.linkedin.com/in/grahamshaw...

Thanks Shawn. How about the format of the LinkedIn link - mine for example is uk.linkedin.com/pub/kevin-alle... which is rather messy!

Hi Kevin - Yes. If you want LinkedIn to be one of the primary ways contacts connect with you, then it makes sense to include a link. Savvy networkers will likely look to LinkedIn either way--but that's likely only a small fraction of the people you'll meet. Including a prompt might be just want they need to take action.

Hi Shawn - How about including a LinkedIn address with the logo?

I'm not a huge fan of quotes in general so I'm a little bit biased. However, you could always experiment and see if the humor/quote resonates. That's the good thing about business cards--they're generally inexpensive which means you can play around more than if you were doing a large run of brochures.

Shawn, how do you feel about humor on a card. A humorous quote on the back or tagline. Nothing outrageous, just a touch of humor. My gut says 'go for it'. It's who I am, life is short. My head says 'no way', too risky. My client base are blue collar business owners who don't always appreciate a corporate approach. It's a sticky wicket for sure.

Two sided card. One for each?

The sidebar banner definitely does look a lot better--thanks for sharing that example.

Interaction makes sense since I'm guessing the bulk of folks on Google+ are business focused and/or tech enthusiasts whereas Facebook is more 'personal' in nature.

We are getting some traction with a few clients, it takes time.. & depends on industry abit, also we find that the +1's and interaction is higher per # of users compared to facebook for sure. I personally have just started deeper research and plan to use the app on my phone more this week...getting into the conversation & imo the design is better than facebooks. You can get a sidebar banner for your site that has your circle profile image and a feature for people to add you to circles right there on the banner ( like the facebook LIKES button on sites ) this site has one lower right sidebar. http://rebekahradice.com/

Makes sense. Are you getting a lot of traction on G+?

Yes, I am looking at mock-ups now with the icons only and it makes so much more sense. Free's up room on the card -the icons signify someone who knows how to use the 4 I choose FB, TW, LI, G+ that they can get me there if they try. I want contact via phone or email & I'll gladly respond to someone who makes a connection thru social. thanks!

Jeff - So you're asking if it makes sense to include the social media icons without including the direct links to the social media profiles? Of course you can do that although it can also make sense to include the direct links to make it as easy and clear as possible for people to find you.

Overall, it depends on how you would like people to contact you. If you'd prefer they call, that's the focus. If you want them to visit your website, point them in that direction.

Does that answer your question?

Curious to your opinion on Social Media Icons with no addresses. Like my company can be found in 2 sec on any social media site as I own my company name for all... but that would look silly, even the website, email, twitter, facebook, local number & toll free is adding up to be over kill - I was thinking just puttin the icons alone of the more prominent places I'm active ? I've seen it done and appears to be clean looking... down in lower left corner or something much like you would see in the footer on a website. thx

Thanks, Jeremy. That definitely seems to be the exception and not the norm. For every 10 businesses I hear from that are using or have tried QR codes, maybe one can point to data that shows they're actually being used.

good info but suggesting that QR codes are a bad idea... well is a bad idea. The use of a QR code is extremely beneficial. I have had several very large clients use my QR at conferences and then pitch them the next at a meeting directly related to them seeing my website from the QR. jeremy

You might need a separate carrying case for those. 32 pt is some serious business. If you're ordering from Moo, consider using the link at the end of the post pointing to ready-made business card designs. They're an affiliate. No pressure.

I am going to try the new Luxe Card by Moo at 32pt : - I'll likely order only a small amount as I only hand out 6-12 per month at most.

24 pt? Nice. I think my moo cards are 16 pt and even then, the quality difference is noticeable--you can see it when people hold the card for the first time.

I totally agree about skimping. If you print your business cards in the basement and/or you can see still see the perforation marks, that's probably not the best reflection of your business or your brand.

I always buy 24 pt or higher, its such a small cost yearly to leave a decent impression. While everyone else buys $20 business cards, mine feel like a credit card, high quality, different !! ...cheap business cards say thats the way you run your business and live your life.

Thank you for the great input. I always love to real world use cases and data.

If I make it back to Malaysia again, I would be happy to give a talk.

Thank you Shawn :)

Your analysis does help with my design on my business card.

Well, Malaysia will always welcome you, if you decided to drop by again to give talks, perhaps? :)

Cheers.

All great points. There's a need for what QR codes do--bridging the physical and virtual world. It just seems like there wasn't enough education when they first came out to really reinforce the value. Having to download something to scan is another barrier. Employees who aren't able to encourage participation seems to be another hindrance in my experience.

I love the thought you're putting into your business cards.

I visited Malaysia a few years ago.

Percentage of having people to email is higher than call a contact is most probably because of it is easier to express or describe the service that you were looking for, with/ without attachment. Furthermore, I'm from Malaysia and I do accept project from foreign country. It would cost them for the call, as well as the timezone differences would make it harder for them to call.

QR codes is rather look 'fancy' to have and show that 'wow, you use some technology thingy...' but it is not practical.

My card would rather easy to understand what business am I in. The logo itself is depicting I'm doing IT and the color that I used is similar with Windows 8 style. No, I didn't put what are my services because I found that would make the card perception like a 'Jack-Of-All-Goods'. So, yes, I'm using 'psychology' to let people feel that I'm doing business, and I really mean to do business with them. Furthermore, is a very common perception that the receiver would think you only provide those service that listed.

Thanks for sharing the data. I wonder how that compares to the % of people that email or call a contact after receiving a business card--I'm guessing that's also really low.

Your data is really telling. It's not that they scanned the code and didn't find what they were looking for--386 out of 405 never scanned it.

I have been doing business in the IT industry for 7 years and I have QR codes on my card. The QR code is to link to my website and I did a statistic to track. Out of 406 cards distributed to-date, only less than 5% eventually care about the QR codes.

Just my 2 cents.

Thanks, Matthew.

That's great Shawn. Thankyou so much for your insight.

It was something you were concerned about and--as you pointed out--having cards with the wrong location could also cause concerns for some folks. In fact, when it comes to business cards nothing looks work than scratching out a phone number or address--at least for me.

You have a few different options.

Don't list an address. If you don't have a storefront, it doesn't serve much purpose beyond giving the appearance that you are legitimate.

List a state or region. 'Serving Eastern Pennsylvania'

List an address and risk an outdated address.

Hi Shawn, that was quick! I haven't got the cards yet. Usually people dont ask because my address has always been there. However this time as we were thinking of moving again I thought I would leave it to the client to find my address on my website. However I feel I should have kept it on the cards to be honest. We have only moved around in the same state.

Thanks for the question, Matthew. You could. Some people still like to see a physical address even though so much information is available online. Have you had customers ask where you're located? Do you move around in the same area (state or region)? Or are you all over the place?

Hi Shawn. I run a cleaning company and for the first time have left the address off. We move a lot you see and its a pain having to reorder with new address. Do you think I will lose credibility without an address on my cards?

You're welcome :)

Thank you for the kind words, Monique.

Thank you Shawn :)

Monique - The answer has a lot of moving parts. If you know an intellectual property attorney, I would suggest contacting them first so they can walk you through your options. Shopify also has a really helpful post on the topic for ecommerce businesses http://www.shopify.com/blog/74...

Thank you Shawn, you are wonderfully practical and intelligent.

When you create your own logo for your card, do you have to register a logo?

This is applicable to www.phoneinlookup.com in business transactions since if we would like to find a potential business partner, we can make use of this technology along with whitepages and yellowpages.

Sure thing. Any time. Happy to help.

Thank you, Shawn.

I'm sure they'd appreciate one card vs. two, but if you handle different areas of the business and have different contact information, I would think it would be more helpful to keep them separate.

You could always make a mockup and share it with a few of your best customers and ask for feedback...'Would combining everything into one be helpful...one less business card to keep track of, etc., etc., etc.)

We do have separate cards now and there are no issues. It was an idea we are throwing around, but not completely sold on it. I am afraid it is too busy and will take away from the design of our card. I am not sure how this will make it more convenient for customers. Maybe we should keep the separate cards.

Very helpful. If I'm a customer and I get a card with both names on it and two email addresses, two phone numbers, etc., that could definitely get too busy/confusing. It could also be a pain on your end to answer the phone if the call is for the other employee.

Are you using separate business cards now? If so, how is it working? Do you think it would be more convenient/clear for your customers to combine everything into one?

No, we each have a cell number and email address. We do have a shared email address, but we don't use it that often. Customers usually copy both of us on emails or either contact the first one they met. We do handle different aspects of the business, but can discuss either with clients.

That's a great question, Julie. How do you handle contact information? One central phone number? Email address? Tell me more.

What is your opinion on having two peoples names on one business card? We are a small company and always together when we meet with clients.

Joe - Just to make sure I understand--are you asking about an image of a sunrise on the business card? If so, that would depend on your brand and the images and messaging you'd like to be associated with.

Shawn - Again thank you so much for your valuable tips. What do you think of putting a real sunraise background?

Joe - Business Management LLC doesn't scream 'Real Estate' to me. I would definitely consider adding a tagline or descriptor. See if you notice any difference in number of leads from in-person networking events and tweak accordingly.

It reminds me of a local business. The name of the company was XYZ Construction. He had a vehicle cling and said people always thought he built decks--which was totally not his focus. They just assumed construction meant 'residential construction.' That created immediate confusion and is something he could have cleared up either with the business name, the tagline, and/or the overall branding.

Shawn - thank you for your reply. My company name is Business Management LLC. and we own rental town homes, some time we sale some and buy another. So my question is should I put for instance 'Real estate' underneath the company name? Just to make it easy to remember especially with foreign customers/investors.

Joe - Thanks for the question. Are people confused or unclear when you give them a card? My answer depends on the name of your business, whether you have a tagline, and most importantly if you get the sense that people aren't making the connection.

Hi Shawn,
I need your help and your suggestion on this. I own a real estate LLC company for (town homes), and on my business card I put the company name, and was wondering if I need to put something like (real estate) under my company name? what do you suggest?
Thanks in advance.

Joe

Custom Printing Business card is a critical marketing tool for any business type. They contain business information about you and your company. A Business Card gives the basic information of your business to your potential customers in a simple and compact way.

Thanks for the comment, Marc. I agree in theory but I've yet to have anyone show real numbers from scans of QR codes on a business card from any of my conversations. And believe me, it's something I talk about a lot.

I agree with everything except the QR code. In our mobile, instant gratification society, people will and do scan the QR code BEFORE they get back to their PC. This is especially true of Gen X, GenY and Millenials.

Great idea. Or a negative way.

Okay, Shawn, thanks for the replies. Other readers should let us know if they remember anyone in a very positive way because of their cards and follow up for that reason.

I don't know about that. Depending on the business, a cheap card could form a negative impression that costs you customers.

I'm sure someone has studied the impact of expensive vs. inexpensive business cards.

Well, I notice that I'm impressed by an impressive card but I can only think of one case where that led me to remember the card long term. And I wd have remembered that organization anyway. So I don't think an well done card is going to get you any more mileage than a cheap one. Some sociologist should do a study.

Thanks for the comment RecruitingANIMAL. It's definitely more about quality--design, brand identity, content, overall look and feel. Sometimes that means they're more expensive.

Expensive business cards are very impressive but they don't help people remember you.

3 Business Card Ideas For Small Business Owners Start Up

Good luck!

I will..... I plan to worrrrrk them business cards..... lol

Thanks, Tabitha. I really appreciate it. Good luck with your business cards and postcards--you'll have to let me know how they work.

Thank you very much! You're the best and I pray you strive in all your business ventures. You were prompt in your responses to everyone here and to me prompt followup makes the BEST BUSINESS PRACTICE.......I'm learning from the best..... :-) Thanks again....

That could work. Trust and credibility are hugely important with home care--a photo could help personalize the business.

Thank you...... I was thinking of having business cards and make some business postcards with more about the services we render. On the back of the post card I was thinking about adding my photo and a little about the company. I'm starting a home care agency. I don't know if it's the best approach, but I want to share a touch of who we are as a company because people tend to call other people who they know or can relate to......What do you think??

Tabitha - Great question. Typically, I only recommend photos on business cards for Realtors. Over the years, I've seen them in a few other industries/sectors, but they still seem to be the exception (less than 5%) and not the norm.

That was funny. I totally agree with everything;)...

Should you include a professional photo of yourself on your business cards?

So you're the one of three people scanning QR codes? Kidding. But I think you'll agree they really haven't lived up to their potential.

With business cards, I really don't see the point. At least for me, I take them back and then either add the information to my contacts or type in their url. Scanning doesn't save a ton of time. I was actually having the same discussion with a colleague who was trying to prove me wrong--the smartphone wouldn't focus on the QR code correctly, she couldn't get a network connection, and it just didn't work.

Do you have a QR code on your business card? And if so, do you find a lot of contacts scan it?

I must be one of the rare few who actually scan QR codes on my smartphone when I come across them :P
Are they really that terrible to have on a business card?

Thanks for asking, Ganesh. It depends on what you're trying to accomplish. Since it's not directly related to your business, I'm guessing you're thinking it could help form more of a personal connection with your audience? Without seeing the site and the blog, I would recommend just focusing on your primary business website.

Hi Shawn
In case I have a personal blog, which is kind of but not directly related to my business (which in this case is an online store), would you recommend putting the blog url on the card as well? Does it make the company look smaller or more like a mom-and-pop shop (which it does not intend to be)?
Thanks
Ganesh

Exactly, Raj. When it comes to confirming a business is legit, PO boxes don't bring much to the table. If it helps, I don't have a physical address on my cards and in three years, I've only had one person make a comment about it.

Hi Shawn - The only reason to 'see' an address I think is to confirm the biz is legit. A quick Google of my address will show a prospect that it's residential. I should add that my typical customer is not local to this area so maybe it matters less? I kind of think perception of a PO Box might be less than an actual address and of course less convenient for me

Raj - Thanks for asking. Do you feel as though your customers want to see a physical address? I've actually had that come up in the past.

In your case, it's definitely optional. Although I'd say a PO Box doesn't add much if any value unless people are sending you mail and packages.

Home based business - My business does not require commercial space for meetings, payments, etc. Should I get a virtual address, PO Box, leave blank or go ahead and use my home address (which I have up to now)?

I have mixed feelings on including a photo. Although it's incredibly practical, I just don't see that much at all unless it's a business card from a Realtor.

Taglines are a definite must exactly for the reason you stated!

Thanks for the comment, Sukhpreet!

For not listing LLC or for not listing industry-specific licensure (ex. financial services, counseling, etc.)?

Very nice points raised here. Besides these, the business cards should also have your photo and a tagline. Photo would give out a short, one-sentence description of your blog/business. This would not only make it stand out but also trigger in the recipient a memory of when/where they met you. A tagline is important for a variety of reasons, the most important of which is to provide a concise description of what you focus on and why your blog/business is relevant/important.

Thanks Shawn! Because i design and print business cards for small business very often and recently one of my clients was told that because there is no licences on the card it's illegal and he can get in trouble...

Great question, Lex. That's totally up to you. There are no hard and fast rules on LLC, etc. If you think it's something you need to communicate to your customers, go for it. If not, keep it simple and clean.

What kind of legal information (LLC numbers, etc.) do you have to have on the business card?

Thanks, Mike. How would you like to present yourself and your title? Owner, Business Development Lead? Something else?

There are plenty of options that can be a lot more descriptive.

My all-time favorite still has to be 'Ambassador of Buzz' for someone working in PR. Two seconds into our conversation, I knew that title was spot on!

Shawn can you recommend some titles that would be appropriate for small business owners that don t come across as to impersonal like 'Director' or 'CEO' Personally I like to know who I am dealing with whether its a sales rep, customers service rep or manager etc. but such positions usually dont exist for owner operated or new startups. Thanks!

Thanks for the comment. Given your views, I would definitely recommend not including a title. You feel very strongly about not including one, and ultimately it's your call.

I despise titles. I am who I am and that's it. The fact that I am the CEO of a Mining Company should not make a difference. If you are going to respect me because of a piece of paper, then there is something wrong with you.

Yet, now that I have to reprint business cards people are saying I have to put a title. Director seems idiotic, since anyone can be one. Executive Director, Managing Director and all of the rest seems the same to me.

How important is a job title on a business card today? I find it frivolous, stupid and childish. You need a way to contact me. Period. Here's your way. And my name if you should forget it - I put it all on a little piece of scrap paper for you.

I have read your reply to someone else's comment below. But regarding my views, would you still recommend I put a title?

Your advice in this regard will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks for asking, Arlene. Of course. What's appropriate for a job title depends on how your business is structured and how you want to present yourself on your card. Options include President (I would only go that route with multiple employees but that's just me), Founder or co-founder (popular with startups), or Owner.

Should you use a 'job title' on your business card and if so what is appropriate?

I'm not sure. You can always check. They have the mini cards and one that's slightly larger on a recycled cardstock that is substantial. People always seem to notice the texture when I give them out.

Can you do that at MOO? I didn't see custom card stock or anything other than the two sizes in their templates. I guess I should e-mail or call with a design.

I had mini cards from MOO for my book and people really seemed to like them and the smaller size. Square 1 Bank in North Carolina had a really cool square card. The cards I use now are slightly larger and thicker and they seem to stand out.

Any thoughts on using a different size or shape?
I was thinking about square with the side being the size of the traditional small side of a business card.

Liz - Thanks for the comment. I was actually thinking you might be in one of the industries that could actually justify including a fax number. Now QR codes are an entirely different story.

Please disregard my fax number on my card!