10 Business Card Trends for 2018

10 Business Card Trends for 2018

First impressions are crucial.

According to researches, it takes just seven seconds for us to form a first impression of someone or something which doesn’t really give us time to shine. This is why everything we do in those seven seconds has to count.

This is especially true when it comes to business, as people are bombarded with brand messages and advertising every single day. When consumers are faced with up 5,000 ads a day, it’s easy for every contact with a business to feel forced.

Good Business Cards

These little slips of the card have long been part of the introduction process between businesses and people, but when we’re bombarded with more brand messages than ever before, it’s important for them to make a good and lasting impression.

Before we dig into the trends that brands are using in 2018 to make their business cards stand out, let’s quickly look at the key things a business card needs to do. For them to create a memorable (in a good way) first impression, they need to:

  1. Draw in someone’s attention quickly. When people leave events with fistfuls of cards, you want yours to be the most eye-catching.
  2. Convey the right information. The whole purpose of a business card is so that someone can easily get in touch with you, so it’s important to have the right information on there.
  3. Leave a lasting impression. When someone gets home and rifles through their collection of cards, you want them to remember yours and the story behind them getting it from you.

1. Minimalism

Let’s remember the main goal of a business card: to give the recipient information about a business.

There needs to be an email address, phone number, website, and another other prevalent details. But when you’ve got all this to contend with, cards can start to look a bit “busy” and messy.

This is why lots of brands have reverted back to a minimalist design.

two business cards on a white surface.

Keeping things simple means the recipient can get all the details they need without having to sift through unnecessary graphics loud colors that take away from the card’s real purpose. Minimalist cards also have an air of sophistication about them, which builds respect and authority for brands.

2. Heavy Cardstock

Gone are the days of flimsy business cards, and instead we’re moving towards a time of thicker cardstock.

a close up of a business card on a table.

Why does it matter how thick the card is? You might be wondering.

Ultra-thick cardstock shows quality and substance, and by sharing cards like this you’re essentially saying your brand has the same qualities. This year, business owners are going thick to give a longer-lasting impression to their clients and customers.

3. Die-cutting

There’s a really quick and easy way to make your business card stand out, and that’s by creating it in a non-traditional rectangle shape. You might have noticed recently that a lot of businesses are turning to square designs or portrait layouts rather than landscape ones, but things are about to get a whole lot more creative.

a close up of a business card on a table.

With die-cut cards, brands can turn their business cards into any shape they want, meaning they’re only limited by their imagination.

Not only will this help you stand out amongst a melee of boring rectangular cards, but it also means you can really reflect your branding in your card.

4. Interactive Design

Just like die-cut cards are taking off, so too are interactive designs. Think cards that fold into boxes or paper airplanes, or cards that double up as cutlery - the possibilities are endless!

a person lighting a match with a match stick.

In 2018, expect to see shape-shifting designs that are multi-purpose. This creative aspect of business card design means you can really stand out, but it also means that if your card is more than just a business card (like an airplane or a box), people are less likely to dump it the day after you give it to them.

5. Big and Bold Typefaces

Big and bold is back.

Standing out is more than just metaphorically shouting loudly in someone’s face, but having bold text can mean the difference between someone overlooking your card in favor of another businesses’ or remembering yours.

Not only does using a big and bold typeface draw the recipient’s eye to all the essential information, but you can also use the typeface to tie into employee branding.

a close up of a business card on a table.

Say, for example, each employee or each department uses a different background design or a different icon to reflect what they do, but then there’s an overriding big, bold typeface that ties them altogether.

This gives the company a streamlined look, ensures the cards all stand out, but personalizes them to the individual or the department.

6. Clever Puns and Symbols

With so many businesses doing the rounds these days, it’s difficult for consumers to feel a connection with any one in particular.

This is because very few brands really nail the “human” element of running a business. We’re all just people and, as people, we like to laugh, so injecting a hearty dose of humor into your business cards can make the world of difference.

You don’t want to go too “out there”, but a simple pun related to your business or industry, or a fun symbol that will put a smile on someone’s face will help keep you at the forefront of their mind.

7. Smart Card

The digital world has evolved so much in the last decade, that it makes sense some of the aspects of a business card have made their way online.

a cell phone sitting on top of a wooden table.

This year, business cards are set to bridge the gap between the real world and the digital one thanks to new “smart” capabilities. Expect to see barcode-studded businesses cards that recipients can scan to get all the information they need sent straight to their phone.

8. Textured Cards

The great thing about business cards is that you can actually, physically touch them - something that’s increasingly becoming a novelty in this digitally-inspired aged.

a close up of a business card on a table.

Businesses can really tap into this touch element by creating textured business cards. Not only does this mean that your cards will stand out amongst other, smoother ones, but it also adds a sense of elegance if a card is embossed or has a raised design on it.

9. Painted Edges

Think about it:

When someone goes to an event and they pick up a fistful of business cards, those business cards usually sit for ages in a pile on their desk until they eventually get round to sifting through them or - more likely - throw them away.

Now imagine if your business card had a bright green, or pink, or blue border. When it’s in that pile nestled snugly amongst all the other business cards, it’s not going to be “just another one in the stack”.

Instead, it’s going to stand out.

a stack of business cards sitting on top of a table.

This year, businesses are getting more creative than ever with their business card designs, and this modern, vibrant trend is so simple but set to be so big. By simply painting the edges of your cards, you’re keeping things professional but also giving your card the chance to shine in a pile.

10. Display Your Brand Message

Your brand message is one of the most important things your business cards should show off. You want recipients to immediately know what they can expect from you and what kind of company you are.

To do this, brands are creating more consistent cards that feature their logos, company colors, and any relevant straplines.

Again, this plays into employee branding, where a consistent brand message is showcased across every employee’s business card despite having personalized aspects to them.

And, let’s face it, businesses that heavily incorporate their colors and logos are more likely to be remembered.

Business Cards Are Your Physical First Impression

We don’t need to remind you again just how important first impressions are.

When each brand has a hefty number of competitors, those initial seven seconds can mean the difference between gaining a customer for life and losing a customer forever.

The business card might be an understated and overlooked way of doing this, but handing a visual and, most importantly, physical reminder of your business to someone can be incredibly powerful - particularly in this day and age when everything seems to be done digitally.

By tapping into some of the key business card trends of 2018 and applying them to your own designs, you can really make your business cards stand out while keeping your branding on point and making those first seven seconds count.

Whether you decide to emboss your logo, paint the edges of your cards a vibrant shade of teal, or simply go minimal, these little tweaks can help make your business card stand out in a sea of others.

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