Business cards are great marketing tools. They give you the chance to leave a mark on a potential client, explain who you are and how to contact you, and sometimes even get you a free lunch when you toss them into those restaurant bowls. What’s not to love?
What tends to happen, however, is that we collect so many cards that we can’t keep them all. Most go into the trash or, at best, into a little drawer never to be seen again – at least until spring cleaning, when they end up in the trash anyway. Sounds familiar? Well, guess what: If you do it, so do the people to whom you give your card.
The trick is learning to catch their attention from the get-go. What better way there is than to give them a creative, interesting card they won’t want to just toss into a drawer? The idea is to look at several different elements of the process, which are:
- texture
- material
- form
- usage
- message
Here are 10 examples of people who went the extra mile in creating amazing business cards.
1. 3-D Transparent
The transparent plastic of the card is nothing new, and many people have chosen that format for more interesting marketing tools. But the 3-D texture of the lettering is very different and used to great effect here. The colors and font all work well with the overall concept, and all the information you would normally find has been applied. There is also a kind of frosted look to the plastic that adds to the finished product.
2. LEGO
What better way to promote LEGO employees than making them into the toys themselves? This brilliant idea creates block people in the form of the employees and prints their name on the front. The back could easily hold an email address and phone number if printed small enough. This is a really fun idea, and anyone would be happy to keep them on their desk. That makes it a better concept because people will be sure to think of them first when needing something done.
3. Google Search
Everyone uses Google, which is doubtlessly what Dallas-based family business Laser Printing Inc. thought when it made these awesome little cards. Made of paper and so cheap to create, they just used the classic search engine design. Notice the URL, phone number and a small description right there for you to read – all while showing off what it can do through its own business. I want to see Google-calendar-styles print calendars as well. Very smart.
4. Pop-Up Card
Joe Shumbat of Actual Size Creative came up with this excellent idea to relate to the name of his company while giving something new to the idea of a business card. He made a little miniature version of himself and made it a pop-up cutout on the front. The cards are made from a thicker board than usual, making them more durable for longer lasting cards, as well.
5. Bobby Pins
Yuka Suzuki came up with this cute idea to promote her services as a hair and makeup artist. Using bobby pins, which are well known for being cheap and useful, she makes hair for the little figures on her cards. The effect is cool, and since it gives people something they can use, it will stick fresh in their mind – more so than the old corporate gift of a keychain or pen would.
6. Wood Engravings
This lumber company took a material that it has plenty of and made it work as a marketing tool. The cards are all made of solid wood that have been engraved with company information. It includes a rundown of the services it provides. Notice how it made Thomas Wood Products really stand out, as well.
7. Fortune Cookies
An example of how your business cards can actually be edible, U.K.-based designer Daniel Butler chose to put his information on a strip of paper in the center of fortune cookies. Fun, tasty and affordable, they’re passed out to impressed would-be clients so they can get Butler’s name and also a little snack.
8. Fun Sayings
These brightly colored cards all have amusing sayings. For example, “We’re the people you made fun of in school. No hard feelings,” “Would you like to be our client? Please? Pretty please?” and, “We ooze creativity. We should probably get that checked out.” They are quite cheeky and a blast to read. They are also something that the client will probably show others.
9. Meat Cards
Another edible card idea, this one actually puts the message on slices of beef jerky. On the downside, this means the cards won’t last long. But as a plus, a lot of people like jerky, and they will probably remember the experience and use your services as a result – unless they are vegetarians, in which case, you might have lost a potential customer.
10. Dog Tags
The National Greyhound Adoption Program helps to find homes for abandoned or abused greyhounds. So its use of dog tags as business cards is very unique and clever, if a little expensive. But if you handed these out to higher-up clients and organizations, you could go far.
Conclusion
There are thousands of creative and cool business cards out there. Show us your favorites; link them in the comments!
Jennifer Moline writes for the PsPrint Blog about card printing, graphic design and small-business marketing. She also thinks that movie opening titles should have an Oscar category of their own.
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