Aside from using a traditional business card printer

Business Cards are small cards which are used to inform the reader about an individual or business. Originally used in 17th Century France between members of the aristocracy, the business card has since become widely used to promote and to inform. Traditional cards tended to be printed solely in monochrome; today there is a spectrum of different designs and colours available to suit the purposes of its owner.
In general, business cards are printed on card stock which is 12pt thick, 45kg or 350 g/m², depending on which measurement you use. However, there are cards which are made from plastic, rubber, metal, magnetic material, and many other unconventional forms of media.
While it is possible to use your own Business card templates to print off designs at home or to use a Business card printer, the preferred method tends to either to have the cards professionally printed or to print them using software found either online or offline.
Previously, the process of full-colour printing was somewhat expensive, however it is now widely used in the process of creating business card templates and designs since batch and digital printing rather than the use of a business card printer has begun to be more widely used.
Business cards which are printed in colour tend to be printed using the CMYK (cyan, magenta, yellow and black) four colour printing process, which involves layering colour to add depth and interest.
Aside from using a traditional business card printer, cards can also be made using a digital copier, which bakes toner onto the surface of the cards. They can also be covered with aqueous coatings, laminated or covered with UV coating to protect the card and to make it more durable.
Folding or “tent” style business card templates are also a popular design. These cards fold to make the standard size. Double sided cards are also more common as printing technology has improved, and they are often printed in two languages to accommodate the needs of the growing global market.
Recently, technological advances have developed further still and it is now possible to get compact disc business cards known as business card CDs which are the same size as a normal business card, but which are designed so that they fit into the CD-ROM drive of a computer.
The IBCC, or the International Business Card Collectors, is one of several hundred known clubs involved in the collection of celebrity, antique or novel cards. Looking at card designs used by famous people throughout history can be a good way of stripping away confusion regarding design and using simplicity as an example. Dr Albert Einstein’s business card for example, is printed in a large capital typeface on simple brown cardstock.

Choose a card stock which works well with your design

There are thousands of Business Cards being handed out on a daily basis, whether for business purposes, or to inform the receiver of more casual events such as parties. Whatever the occasion, it is important to choose Business card templateswhich fit the purpose of the card and which send the appropriate message, along with a design which is guaranteed to stand out from the crowd.
First and foremost, it is perhaps worth noting that business cards are a networking tool. Prior to the advent of social networking sites and the prominent use of the internet, these small pieces of card were considered important in terms of business and general etiquette, and they still are, since the upsurge in technology seems to have highlighted this –anyone can send a person an instant message, but to physically hand someone a card is a considerably more thoughtful process the receiver is bound to appreciate.
There are a number of different methods of creating business cards. You can use a Business card printer, you can print off designs from your own desktop or PC using a range of card making software which is available on the market or you can design and create your cards online from a selection of business card templates. This option tends to be favoured by most, as it tends to be the least messy, the least expensive and the most effective.
Taking care of the key information should be the first priority –after all, this is the purpose of business cards, they can look highly attractive but their main purpose is to inform. So remember to include all the necessary contact information you need, your name or the name of your organization, and perhaps a small tagline informing the reader of what services you provide. Try to make this memorable. Jack White of the White Stripes originally started an upholstery business called Third Man prior to teaming up with Meg White to form the band. His tagline? “Your furniture is not dead”. Double sided printing
If your design is graphically arresting, use black and white. Colour is also a good way of drawing the eye to a card and making it more visually appealing. With this in mind it is perhaps a good idea, regardless of whether you are using a business card printer or some other method, to ensure that your cards are easy to read, with large lettering in a legible font –not everyone can read very complex flowery script. Double sided printing also allows you to get the most out of your business card templates, as you can add significantly more information to them than you would do with a single-sided card.
Choose a card stock which works well with your design. When printing from home or using a business card printer this is something which needs to be taken into account as when paper is too thick, it can jam in the printer. Don’t simply limit yourself to the same uniform shape of card either; however it should be able to fit comfortably in a wallet.

Business cards can be created using a variety of different methods

The earliest use of Business Cards can be traced back to France in the 17th Century, where visite billettes, cards about the same size as playing cards, were used in rich households to signal the arrival of an aristocratic visitor. Now, they are generally used as a promotional tool, to inform the receiver of a person or companies’ services or simply between those in business as a formal gesture. Some musicians even carry around cards with them to promote their act.
Business cards can be created using a variety of different methods; by designing and making them at home using a computer, by designing them online or by using a Business card printer.
Using a business card printer, while giving you a number of various layout options, does not allow the maker to design their own Business card templates, thus limiting the range of design choices. In addition, they can take up a considerable amount of time. Another method is to create designs using a laptop or desktop PC. A range of different software programs and online tools can help with this process. These can then be printed off with a desktop printer, however issues such as cutting the card and using different thicknesses of card can make the whole process tricky, and in addition printer ink can prove to be costly depending on how many cards you need and how regularly they need to be printed. However, if you are of an artistic nature, then pre-designed business card templates can be integrated with your own hand-drawn designs to create something special. There are also websites which allow you to draw up designs online using a variety of different tools and applications. This method is generally favoured by those who are limited by time restrictions, as it can be done anywhere where there is internet connectivity. There are preset business card templates which can be used as the basis for more complex designs. These tools are also rather similar to the design applications used by professional design companies to create designs. This method is also highly convenient in that the cards are then sent directly by post following online payment. Although in general this method is easier, a business card printer can be used for instances where a less professional finish is needed.
The impression that your business cards give should all depend on what they are being used for. Ideally, they should be unfussy, clearly readable and they should have a design which is tailored to their purpose. For example, if you were a legal advisor, you may wish to use colours which suggest professionalism and trustworthiness, such as grey or duck-egg blue, and perhaps a classic or contemporary, simple design. However, if for example an artist were to promote his or her work through using cards, they may wish to have them printed on a piece of heavy grade paper with a design made by the artist personally. The design of the cards given out depends largely on their purpose.