Business cards might not sound like the cutting edge of graphic design, but you’d be surprised at how adventurous people are being. Some of today’s designs look like they belong in the far future, for example the ingenious card for a cargo company that folds into a cardboard box.
Look at these examples of incredible business card designs, for some inspiring ideas. A business card printed on paper money is especially maverick, as is the dog trainer’s card printed on actual dog biscuits.
Until now business cards were just a way of swapping contact details, but it makes sense that they have the potential to communicate so much more to a customer or colleague. If first impressions are everything, then why are so many professionals happy to give out bog-standard, uninspiring business cards?
Potential clients could look at these cards and make a quick judgment based on design, without even realising it. As the current job climate is so harsh, no wonder more and more people are thinking of unusual and clever ideas to make their business cards stand out from the crowd.
Your business card is an opportunity to tell people about you in a few seconds. Follow the example of the creative mechanical engineer who designed his business card to transform into a mini paper catapult, or the hair and make-up artists who gave out cards with Kirby grips slotted in them to look like the hair of a cartoon girl.
Perhaps the future of business cards lies in cards becoming more technologically advanced. Cards will become less about the material and more about the virtual. Technology is becoming cheaper and cheaper: perhaps one day businesses will give out tiny screens that switch on to reveal contact details or sound recording devices that relay important information by way of a voice message.
It sounds gimmicky, but in this challenging job market gimmicks might just work. You don’t have to go over the top, but you should make sure your business card is well-designed. Potential clients will judge you and your business on the quality of your business card, so make you use a professional to print off your design. Some print companies will even let you upload you own design, for example Instantprint have a design and print function. That way you know you’ll be using a unique design that will look fresh and interesting.