A Crash Course in Business Card Fonts & Colors

Have you ever bought new shoes or an outfit for work and had to ask yourself: “Is this really me”? When it comes to your business cards, that’s a question you should never have to ask. Just like fashion accessories can add or detract to your professional image, certain elements — including color, background and font — can do the same for your business card.

Color Me Professional
Make sure to keep colors consistent across your website, business cards and other marketing materials to give a cohesive feel to your brand. If you already have a logo, incorporate it, and its colors, into your card and build your color scheme from there.

• Keep It in the (Color) Family — Pick colors that are variations on a particular shade. Navy can be complemented by cool aqua blues, while deep reds can be offset by warm oranges and yellows.
• Opposites Attract — While a color wheel can show you hues in the same color family, you can also use it to find opposite shades that work together. Think pink and mint green as an opposite color palette that pops, or vibrant orange against a turquoise background for a fresh look.
• Not–So–Basic Black & White — If color isn't your thing, black & white business cards are timeless. Or shake things up by inverting those colors and going for bold, white lettering on a black background to stand out.

The Finer Points of Business Card Fonts
The first three rules of business cards fonts: 1) Make sure it’s easy to read 2) Make sure it’s easy to read and 3) Make sure it’s easy to read. Once you've done that, here are some other tips to remember:

• Mix It Up — Feel free to mix in a second font for added visual appeal. For example, if you use a big, bold script font for your name, opt for a cleaner typeface for your contact information. However, limit it to just two fonts, as more than that can add too much visual “noise.”
• Thin Is Not Always In — Thicker, bolder business card fonts will be easier to read even when you scale them down to 8 or 9 points. Thinner, more ornate fonts will be harder to read, especially at smaller point sizes.

Show Them Who’s Deboss
Looking for an extra–special touch that will give your cards a high-end look and feel? For just a little extra, you can emboss (raised print) or deboss (indented print) your business cards. If you plan on embossing, stick with a blank background for your card.

Ready to create your own eye–catching business cards?