11 Eye-Catching Business Card Design Trends (+10 Templates)
A business card is still one of the best ways to promote yourself and your business. It’s the key to making the most out of every opportunity. Handing out a business card can help turn a good first impression into a business relationship. And the design that you choose for your business card says a lot about your services, your business, and the unique qualities that make you stand out from the crowd.
Unfortunately, 88% of business cards are thrown out almost as soon as they are received. Other times they slowly decay in a forgotten pocket of someone’s wallet until they finally get cleaned out and put in the garbage. But typically, a well-designed business card will make the cut.
Here’s the ideal scenario:
You connect with someone and hand them a unique and attractive business card. As soon as it reaches their fingers, they notice your business card and are impressed by your attention to detail. They also have an instant snapshot of who you are and what it might be like to work with you. You shake hands and forget about the encounter.
In the following days or weeks, your new connection experiences an issue that needs solving or comes into a situation where they need services like yours. Your excellent business card design comes to mind, and they instantly recall the positive interaction you shared weeks before.
They reach out; you close the deal.
A great business card design is critical to achieving this level of brand recognition. We’ve gathered 11 of the best business card design trends to inspire your creativity and show you how to create a vibe with your card design. Plus, we’ve included business card templates to get you started.
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Top 11 Business Card Design Trends
Since business cards are still an important networking and marketing tool, keeping up with the latest trends is essential to ensure your business card stands out and makes a great impression.
Business card design trends in 2023 are all about artistic functionality. Not only should business cards have great design, but they should also offer value to your connections and contact info.
Here are the top 11 business card design trends:
Sustainable business cards ideas
Eco-friendly companies and those with environmental values print business cards on more sustainable materials. It’s common knowledge that most business cards end up in the garbage. There is less waste with sustainable business cards, making a powerful statement.
Sustainable business card materials include cork, recycled paper, and seeded paper. You don’t have to change your business card design to start using sustainable materials. Simply print your business card design on sustainable cardstock alternatives.
Multi-use business cards
Who says a business card can’t be functional? Business cards that offer your connections another way to use them are a creative way to get people to keep your business card. Plus, they’ll be reminded of your services whenever they whip it out.
There are many ways to create a business card that is just as useful for your connections as for you. You’ve seen branded pens, notepads, and other office supplies. But why not think a little more outside of the box?
For example, you can turn your business card into a handy multi-tool, print it on a seed packet, or even make a business card that doubles as a coaster. The key to creating an excellent multi-use business card is to use a design that reflects your company values and services and is valid specifically for your target customers.
Textured business cards
Digital connections are an essential part of building brand recognition and improving sales. But textured business cards offer customers something LinkedIn messages can’t: a tactile experience.
The human sense of touch is often lost in today’s digital world. We watch videos online and read about product specs, so in-person connections are not as prolific as they once were. Features such as raised lettering and bold embossing tap into our innate sense of physical touch, leaving a lasting imprint on our memory.
You can incorporate raised patterns and funky shapes into your business card design. It doesn’t matter which shapes or designs you choose, so long as the texture is appealing and attention-grabbing.
Accessible business cards
Inclusion is an overarching theme for businesses in 2023. Diversity, equity, and inclusion are essential values for companies to share and spread awareness about. Accessible business cards include people with accessibility needs and show others that your business is progressive and accommodating. You’ll attract more clients and spread awareness about an important cause.
Visual impairment is one of the most widespread disabilities in the world. Creating a business card design with the visually impaired in mind will help tap into an underserved market. And choosing accessible business card features is easier than you think.
Adding braille to your business card can make your contact info more readable for the blind, and choosing a larger font size can help accommodate those with other visual impairments. You can also avoid certain colour combinations to make it easier on people with colour blindness.
Business cards made with unconventional materials
Instead of printing your contact info on paper, what about printing it on an unexpected material or even something edible?
Cookies, cakes, brownies, and other sweets are great places to print your business card details and give thoughtful gifts with a functional purpose. Unconventional materials like fabrics and wood add an exciting twist that appeals to your clients’ senses and can stand the test of time.
Postcard business cards
For a more personal and friendly design, consider a postcard-like business card. Rather than a traditional business card design layout, it’s designed with postcard features. This note-card-like design allows a small message or note to make a lasting impression.
Postcard business card designs are ideal for businesses in industries like writing, design, and branding. It’s also an excellent way for freelancers to add a personal touch to a busy gig economy.
Maximalist business cards
Minimalism still has its place, but maximalism has a moment. Bold and daring fonts and colours characterise these out-there business card design trends. A maximalist design might suit you if you want to make your business card pop.
Choose high-impact colours combined with modern fonts. Metallics, neons, and contrasting colours are all on the table. Keep it simple, or make it busy with patterns and exciting lettering. When it comes to maximalism, there are no rules. Just as long as your maximalist business card blows your customers away with a design they will never forget.
Artistic business cards
When art meets function in the form of a business card, how could you throw it away? For a design that embodies your business and appeals to your customer’s senses, create a business card design that is more of a work of art than a business card.
Some features of the artistic business card trend include holographic foil, handmade illustrations, and too-pretty designs to throw away. This business card design trend is ideal for artists, photographers, other creatives, and advertising and marketing firms.
Wrap-around business cards
The size of a business card is pretty limiting, but that doesn’t mean your design has to succumb to two dimensions. Wrap-around business cards create an immersive design seamlessly across the front and back. This business card design trend will pique your customers’ interest and keep them staring at your contact info for as long as they enjoy your unique wrapped design.
Retro business cards
The nostalgic colours and design of retro business cards have a playful personality that will be hard for customers to forget. Bubbly 70s fonts with funky colour palettes and psychedelic influences are bold and exciting. It will be a unique break from the norm that says much about your brand.
Incorporate vintage fonts and muted pastels to exploit this business card trend. You can also go bold with exciting colours and disco vibes. Use tie-dye elements, flowers, and blurs to add a more psychedelic effect.
Digital business cards
Would it even be a list of 2023 trends without a digital alternative? Yes, even business cards have gone virtual. This trend capitalises on the digital movement transforming how we live, work, and play. Rather than a physical business card, a digital business card is displayed on your customer’s device.
There are many ways to share a digital business card. For example, you could have a physical business card with a QR code that automatically pulls up your contact info. Or, you could share it in your email signature, on social media, and even through text messages. You can even have a business card with an NFC tag that connections can tap and send your contact info to their device.
Although there are increasing regulations for online businesses, going the digital route for your business card design is an innovative way to connect and show off your brand’s personality.
Business card design tips
Many unique business card designs have exciting textures, cool fonts, and new colour combinations. Every business can develop a winning business card design that tells your recipients what they need to know with a personal touch that is yours.
Coming up with an attractive business card design that will stick with whoever sees it can be pretty challenging, especially when many small business owners, freelancers, and other creatives don’t have much time to dedicate to creating a unique business card design.
To make it a bit easier, here are a few quick tips to help you come up with a great business card design:
- Include the essential details. Your business card is virtually useless without your business info. Don’t forget to include your name, email, phone, social accounts, and company name.
- Ensure that it’s legible. While something is to be said for an abstract design, you want your contact information to be clean and clear. Don’t put anything distracting behind necessary lettering, and choose a font that is easy to read for most people.
- Play with the shape. The classic credit-card-shaped business card fits perfectly into a billfold, but a unique shape can make your business card design stand out. Consider unconventional shapes such as squares, triangles, or circles.
- Use your Brand logo. A well-designed company logo helps boost brand recognition, so you should put it on your business card. It will help people recognise your brand out in the world and help build trust whenever they see your logo.
- Keep your branding consistent. Don’t make your business card design too unique. Consistent branding builds consumer trust and is highly valuable when selling your business or finding investors.
- Pick the right style. Alongside keeping your branding consistent, you should also pick a business card style that suits your industry and your business. For example, a sleek modern design for a real estate agent vs a colourful retro design for a consignment shop.
- Find a template or hire a designer. If the inspiration isn’t flowing when designing your business card, you could try a free or paid template online o hire a graphic designer to create the perfect design for your business.
- Print professionally. No matter who designs your business card, it’s crucial that you don’t print them at home. Find a professional printing service locally, or opt for an online printing service that will mail your business cards to you when they are finished. Be sure to ask about double-sided business cards!
- Get feedback. Asking for feedback is crucial for creating successful ads and marketing campaigns and can also be helpful when creating a new business card. See what your friends, family, and colleagues think. Collect referral data to determine how successful your business cards are at leading to conversions.
- Does it spark joy? KonMari, your business card design. Do you like the design? Does it spark joy? Or should you return to the drawing board and develop a design that captures the essence of your services?
Ten business card templates to inspire you
If you’re still not sure what business card design you’re going for, here are a few business card examples to inspire you:
Simple and streamlined
White lettering on a black background is a simple design that portrays modern elegance.
Fresh and colourful
Pastel florals and a pretty font featuring your name and logo are soothing and attractive to customers.
Bold and creative
Make a splash with a bold geometric design. Great for fields like construction, graphic design, and tech.
Useful and vibey
An excellent example of a business card that looks great on a coaster. With all the critical details cradled in a retro design, it’s perfect for leaving at a restaurant or pub.
Combine value and style
This business card template includes a promotional offer. It’s a great way to keep customers coming back for more.
A classic look
This business card tells it like it is. It is clear what this business owner does, and it's easy to find their contact info on a clean white background.
Try something different
This business card design draws attention to your name with company details neatly organised around the outside of the card.
Loud florals
Make your business card pop with bright colours and a clean design. The colours will make your card memorable, and the clean design makes it easy for customers to identify the information they need.
Trippy and fun
Business card designs with holographic materials or tie-dye designs give off a cool and funky vibe that says, “I’m creative and professional.”
Clean and iconic
Iconic colours and design can tell your business card recipients everything they need to know about you.
How to design a business card
Are you ready to design your business card? There are several steps toward creating a business card to be proud of:
Find a template that shows off your brand personality.
Your business card says a lot about who you are and what you do, so ensure that your template design accurately reflects your brand. Start by checking out different business card designs, or talk to a professional graphic designer who can help curate a brand experience with your business cards.
Find the correct font.
When it comes to business card design, every small detail counts, including the font you choose, placement, and size. Use a font that matches the energy of your brand and choose a font size that is easy to read without being obnoxious. Be mindful of your text placement, and ensure that people can read your font with your business card template.
Decide on the size and orientation of your business card.
Next, it’s time to choose what shape, size, and orientation to use for your business card design. These factors will change how your text looks, so you may have to play with a few different shapes or orientations. The most popular shape for a business card is a classic rectangle roughly the size of a credit card.
Pick an attractive layout.
Now that you have all the basics of business card design together, it’s time to organise the graphics and information in an attractive way that makes sense for the reader. Ensure that you include your name, company, and contact info in a place that is easy to identify and legible. You may move elements like your logo, a photo, and contact information around many times before settling on a business card design that flows well and reflects your brand personality.
Utilise the back.
Make your business card work twice as hard for you by using the space on the back. The reverse side of your business card is an excellent place for loyalty stamps, appointment reminders, or your logo. Be creative!
Maximise your branding efforts.
Your business card is another place to show off your brand’s personality and resonate with the target audience that connects to your perspective. Make sure your business cards are branded with your company logo, brand colours, and other elements that scream your brand.
Let your business card breathe.
Your business card design doesn’t have to be jam-packed. It’s okay to leave some blank space and let your design do the talking. If too many elements are on the business card, it becomes too noisy for the reader, and nothing, in particular, will stand out. A little white space helps draw attention to essential details.
Make it special.
By now, you should have a pretty solid design. You can take your business card design a step further with an exceptional finish. Special finishes like foil accents, glossy coatings, or extra-thick paper give your cards a 3D feel that leaves a memorable impression. Just make sure you choose a finish that follows your brand strategy and speaks to the aesthetics of your target customers.
Add a CTA.
Yes, you can add a CTA to your business card. It can be as simple as a special offer, a discount code, a helpful tip, or something else short and sweet that tells your customers what to do next. Examples of business card CTAs include “Find us on Facebook,” “Show this card the next time you shop,” “Check out our latest collection,” or “Call me for an estimate.”
Review your business card design.
Before you send her off to the printer, make sure that there are no misspellings, that your information is correct, and that your tasteful design accurately reflects your brand. Ask a colleague or friend to take a look or hire a professional to proofread it.
Final thoughts
There are many ways to create a well-designed business card that makes you stand out from the crowd. Choose one of these business card design trends, or make up your own to create a business card that your connections can’t throw away.
There are also many ways to get your hands on a fresh stack of business cards outfitted with your trendy design. You can make your own templates using a PDF tool such as Adobe and print them yourself, order them online from any printing services, or have a professional graphic designer take care of the finer details.
One of the most important things to remember regarding business card design is to keep it consistent with your current logos and branding. Continuity goes a long way for customers because it helps build trust and credibility. Brand reputation is important, so many companies opt to have a graphic designer create their business cards, logo, stationery, website, and more.
