Business Cards – The Billboards of Personal Branding

Business Cards by Mazzarello Media and Arts at Flickr.

Businesses don’t just want to be businesses, they want to be brands. Distinct, recognizable, unique, lovable brands. They want to project an image that embodies the values of their company and the value of their product. They want a voice that speaks to their customers, makes them listen, and convinces them to act (by spending their money).

A business, however, isn’t the only thing that can benefit from branding. You, as an individual, can be a brand, too. Personal branding will have the same benefits for you as it would for a company. Your personal brand will clearly show who you are and what you have to offer. How do you get your personal brand’s message out there? With the best self-advertising tool you have in your possession at all times – your business card.

Business Cards by Mazzarello Media and Arts at Flickr.Source

What is Your Personal Brand?

Before you can make your business card a clear representation of your personal brand, you need to determine what your personal brand really is. Ask yourself a few questions. What feeling do you want another person to have about you? What attributes of yourself are most important for them to recognize? Come up with a few strong adjectives and skills that describe you. That list is the inspiration for your personal branding. Everything that you do – way beyond designing your business card – should fall in line with that list and portray that image.

Your Brand in a Business Card

Once you’ve defined your personal brand, how do you convey it through your business card? A business card is a very small thing, physically speaking, but it packs a very big punch. Your business card will give off a strong impression about you, so you need to make sure it’s the right one. You can play with many different features on your card to create the look that best represents you: Texture, font type, font size, graphics or photographs, color, included information, and layout, among others. All of these elements combined should represent you.

Making It All Work

You don’t need to be a designer to create a business card that works with your personal brand. You can hire one if you prefer, but it really comes down to your own taste. You can take a basic business card template online and slowing tweak things to make it more “you.” If you want to give off a professional vibe, start by choosing an authoritative-looking font. If you want to give off a positive, cheerful vibe, choose a bold color. The possibilities are endless, but in the end, you should be able to look at your business card and love it. It should give off the vibe you want.

Standing Out from the Crowd

Finally, remember that your personal brand is what is going to set you apart from everyone else. Try to include at least one element in your business card that is unique or memorable. A powerful image or a textured edge will make someone look twice at your card and remember you.

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