A reader recently asked me for advice on creating a business card as a student. Still in College and finishing up a degree, but ready to start the ever present process of networking she wanted tips and ideas for creating business cards and identity as a student that will be taken seriously in the workforce.

A specific question that came up was whether or not to use the University provided service of business cards with the University branding. While there may be some pros for the students, there are also some serious cons to this approach. First of all, it doesn't brand you as an individual, but rather as an extension of your University. Without knowing how your University may be perceived to your potential employer or networker this may be a negative thing.

Let's suppose for a moment that this employer recently had an employee that graduated from the same University and they were fired for poor job performance. Waltzing in as an extension of that same University can possibly backfire on you. On the upside, if a recent employee from that University was a star, it could help. However, by creating your OWN brand you eliminate this risk. So, let's discuss. If you're a student, chances are you haven't established a brand. So then what? How can you create a business card that will promote YOU and not some fictitious business or alter ego. What if you've not really "done" anything yet so to speak? No problem. Keep in mind that the primary use of a business card is to CONTACT you. So all you HAVE to include is valid contact information. Let's look at some ideas of things you CAN include on that card to give you credibility.

1. Your name. This may seem obvious, but as a student, with no "business" to be prevalent on a business card, Your NAME is the most important asset you have. Display your name predominantly on the business card to take the place of a business name.

2. Your field of expertise. Again, as a student you may not feel that you have yet established "expertise". But what did you study for? If you are a PR/Ad major then that's your field. If you're a Journalism major then obviously you write. Determine what your niche is and claim it on your cards. If you're still trying to find your exact niche, keep it broad. For instance, you might use "Communications" or "Marketing" as generic terms to avoid pinning yourself down too tightly.

3. Basic contact information. Be sure to include your city/state on the card as well as a current phone number. A word about phone numbers. Keep in mind that now that you are entering the employment pool you may need to change some of your previous habits. For instance, be very careful about your voicemail greeting on your phone. Screaming/singing into your voicemail message may have been cool in college, but once a potential employer tries to call you, it is an immediate turn off. Be sure to re-record your voicemail message to something more professional. "Hello, you have reached So-N-So, I'm not available at the moment, but please leave your name and number and a brief message and I'll return your call as soon as possible".

4. Email Address. Again, in lieu of something that used to get you by and have personal meaning such as "[email protected]" trade in your address for a new professional one. I strongly suggest Gmail accounts for a professional email address. Try to get something specific and relevant to you. Avoid numbers and make it as easy to remember as possible. When possible, use your name: "[email protected]" or "[email protected]". Creating a separate professional account will also help you to separate your professional contacts from your personal buddies.

5. Social Media contact information. Chances are a potential employer is going to look you up online. By including your social profile information on your business card, you show them that you have no skeletons in your closet and are beating them to the punch. Include your Twitter name and direct links to your LinkedIn or Facebook accounts. However, be sure that your content is employer friendly. Never use a social media outlet to bad mouth a previous boss or coworker. Keep your accounts clean and wholesome, understanding that you WILL be judged by what you allow to associate with your name on the web.

6. Blogs or Websites. Did you create a blog or Web site as part of a class assignment? If you did, and it's good, and you update it frequently, then feel free to add that to your card. However, if you don't feel that it's a good representation of your best work, or if you never update the blog, then you are better to leave it off. In order for it to be effective it must be current. Printing and Distribution. So now you have your information and a basic idea of your card.

The next step is getting them printed. My personal favorite for printing great, professional quality business card at a low price is OvernightPrints.com. Overnight includes a web based card designer, so if you'r NOT a designer, or don't have the software, you can use their Web site to still create a top quality card. And their quantities and prices are small and very reasonable. Staring at just 25 cards for $2.98 plus shipping.

Another option is Vista Print. A word of warning however, Vista Print's cards are "free" with the exception of shipping fees, but the backside of the card is Vista Print's logo and contact information. And the card quality is much cheaper and does not include a UV gloss finish, like Overnight does. So now that you have your card printed and designed, who do you give them too?

In short: Everybody! 90% of business success is networking. Never despise even the smallest connections that you might make. Stay especially alert at conferences, seminars and learning environments. All in all, put your best foot forward and establish your own professional reputation and you'll go far!

I've got a confession to make. Of all the pieces that make up an identity package, my favorite by FAR is the business card. Why? The sheer flexibility it offers. There are NO limitations to what you can DESIGN with a business card. Any style, any shape, any color, and outlandish thing you can imagine can actually WORK as a business card. There is no other single design piece I've found that offer's so much flexibility. We've talked before about fake finishes design tricks and cheap ways to make a big difference, but let's look at some ideas that you can use to display your text. Text. We know that a business card HAS to contain information, and more often than not, it has to contain LOTS of information. Information that is ESSENTIAL to a strong business card. This alone, may sound like an overwhelming task, but what it REALLY is, is an overwhelming opportunity to do something great. Let's look at some inspiration for just such an occasion:

Recently, I observed a friendly debate between colleagues discussing the pros and cons of creating a business card that relied on die cuts, embossing or spot UV coatings. Is a business card really a good investment? Will it make the difference between being thrown away and being treasured?

My opinion? It’s up to the designer and the client. While there are definitely budget constraints that should be taken into effect I do believe that money spent on designing a dynamic business card is well invested.

Usually, on this blog I showcase others work, but today I thought I'd share some recent business cards I had the opportunity to design. As always feedback is more than welcome! Enjoy! [caption id="attachment_291" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Splinters"]

While it may not shock you, it never ceases to amaze me how often clients want to "pioneer" something new. Something perhaps, like a "bigger' business card. Their reasoning? Well, if it's bigger, it has to be BETTER! Right?

Wrong.

Sometimes it seems that as designers we are asked to do the impossible. Recently I had this experience with a client. While designing their business card the client kept thinking of things they wanted to add. A logo. Title. Name. Phone Number. Email. Address. PO Box. Another photo. OH! And only a one-sided card!

I squeezed and rearranged. I struggled and brainstormed. But in the end? The business card turned out very well and I was glad that I had one more card to add to my portfolio.

Every design we create serves a purpose. Is it up to us to determine that purpose? Or does each piece innately have a purpose?

Well, unfortunately I think there is truth in both. Our job is to amplify the innate purpose for each piece. Confused? Don't stay that way, let's examine the pieces we create on an everyday basis and the function they should serve.

The Business Card.

Part salesman, part reminder, part secretary. The business card created correctly can accomplish all these tasks in a single stroke. Often the most used piece of identity branding, too often businesses use a cookie cutter design and expect customers to take notice. Does it work? Maybe if your business is Office Depot. But if you're a designer branding yourself or a client you want to think outside the box to make a business card that will really get the attention it deserves.

I like to think of the business card as a pocket sized billboard. It should scream at the consumer and burn a hole in their pocket!

As the designer it's up to you to decide which information should be included and HOW it can be included to best represent your client and provide as the Heath brother's (Author's of "Made To Stick") would phrase it, "Stick-Ability" in the mind. (You want the customer to remember it!).

Chuck Green lists a Business Card Checklist that you might find useful to help you determine WHICH of the following bits of information is most vital to your client. Remember, you can't possible include EVERYTHING. So you'll have to pick and choose:

Business card checklist

Here are some of the many details you might include on your next business card.

PEOPLE
Name of person
(Nickname)
Title
Affiliations
Professional/academic designations

PLACE
Pronunciation of unusual names
Department/division name
Organization street address
Floor/suite/mail stop
Alternate P.O. box address
City/state/state abbreviation
Zip+four/postal code
Country
Home street address

COMMUNICATION
Voice phone/extension number
Toll-free phone number
Mobile phone number
Pager number
Fax phone number
Home phone number
E-mail address
Web site address

DETAILS
Office hours
Time zone
Appointment fill-in
Map/directions

ORIENTATION
Name of organization
Mission statement/business description
Product/service categories
Resource info
Special offer
Invitation
Illustration/photo
Logo
Organizational affiliations
Sponsorships

Once you've determined WHAT you're going to include, try to think about ways to include it that will make a statement!

Have you designed business cards you're proud of? Email them to me, and I'll showcase them in an upcoming post with links back to your site!