A business card might appear straightforward to make given its limited surface area, but those small constraints can actually make design decisions even more important. It may appear to be merely a couple of millimetres between a logo that looks balanced and one that looks off; between a phone number you can easily read and one you can barely pick out; between a colour that runs right up to the edge or one that stops short after it’s been trimmed. Ensuring that the file is set up before placing your design will help establish solid foundations and save time on making amendments.
Set your file to the finished size required by your printer, but do not factor in bleed to those dimensions. Ensure any images, solid areas of colour, or repeat patterns that reach the edge of your card are extended to the amount of bleed your print provider requires. This can usually be set outside of the trim on all four edges. White space within the design itself should remain inside your card and not extend into any external space.
Create a safe area in your document to keep vital information like text, contact details, a QR code or a logo. This area may vary, but it’s generally safer to keep text at least 3mm from the edge of the document. While it’s possible that your card can be perfectly cut, the cutting can still slightly alter so text that looks like it is evenly spaced from the edge might not be so once trimmed. This is even more important when setting smaller type size. While a design needs to feel cohesive, there’s no need to fill every space, as too much content can sometimes make the information harder to read.
Consider the overall look when designing both sides at the same time, and check with your printer for the way they might turn their sheet over when printing both the front and back. A vertical front with a horizontal back could look different depending on how the page is turned. If you export the file as two separate documents ensure you save it clearly so they can’t get mixed up.
Review any images in the design before placing them. The photos will need to maintain a high enough resolution relative to their placed size, while a logo or an icon could be drawn out at a suitable size as a vector shape. Very thin lines, light grey text and very small type can look fine at first when viewing them on a bright computer monitor but may look very weak when printed on card. If you need to convert any images to a CMYK profile, ensure they’re in the correct one for printing; set plain black for small black text (unless your printer advises otherwise), and check your fonts are converted to curves or are embedded properly.
To try a more hands-on approach, start with a clean card with a name, role, a phone number, email address and a logo. Show your bleed, trim and safe area guidelines as you place your elements. Export your card for print with the required crop marks, then reopen the file without closing it or any other programmes. Look at the document to check the fonts and your images are sharp. Also look at the spacing and hierarchy. Check the document without the guide showing for balance.
Once you’ve exported your card for print, view the PDF file at actual size and ideally print a single test copy at actual size, which you can then cut along the trim edge and hold in your hand. This simple process can often reveal text that’s too small, margin space that feels too narrow or information that’s hard to locate. These changes should then be reviewed and adjusted before asking the printer to check a proof or to print your full run.