Editor’s Note: This story originally appeared in the first issue of BerkleyLive, our online lifestyle magazine that we created for the Community Marketing Program in Berkley, Mich. We thought it was useful information to repeat to the business community. -Bonnie

By Bonnie Caprara
BerkleyLive Editor

Before there was LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook, the quickest mode of exchanging personal information was the business card. However, person-to-person contact is still the first way we make business contacts and how we let new business contacts know the best ways to reach us and know who we are and what we do, and business cards are still just as important as ever.

But are we as boring as our business cards?

“Most business cards are boring; they don’t let us know what people do,” says Tim Toggweiler, owner of The Print Stop in Berkley.

One of the easiest ways to give your business cards personality.

“Four-color has gotten cheaper,” Toggweiler says. “You can put your picture on your business card, and if you’re an artist or a photographer, we can put one of your pieces on one side and your contact information on the other.”

Color is another way of amping up the text on your message and company logo.

“We can do any color under the rainbow except the color of green that’s printed on money,” Toggweiler says.

Paper stock is another way to add flair to your personal message. Options include glossy, matte and smooth finishes, UV coating, and stocks that allow for raised print and embossing. Foil can bring a bit of flash, making your card easy to find in a business card file. Sticker stock allows for multiple purposes including tacking your contact information so that it’s easily available for products that may require service.

Company logos are important, but if you’re an independent contractor or a job seeker, Toggweiler suggests not using clip art to add visual interest to your business card.

“Don’t use stock clip art from Microsoft,” Toggweiler says. “You may find the same thing on a business card of a similar business down the street.”

While there are many options to make your business card look as flashy as the Las Vegas strip, there are some people who should keep a more staid and conservative image on their cards.

“People like chiropractors, accountants and lawyers have to stay kind of serious,” Toggweiler says. “No one is going to take you seriously if you have a lot of color.”

With the many ways people can reach you, remember there’s only a 2 by 3½ space to get all your information on your business card.

“KISS: keep it simple, stupid,” Toggweiler says. “All you need is your company name, your name, what you do, and your mailing address, phone number, email address and website. As for the other contact information, any web-savvy person can find that on the Internet.”

The Print Stop, 3172 W. 12 Mile Rd., Berkley; 248-543-7867

Bonnie Caprara is the social media and media relations director of Community Marketing Associates and editor of BerkleyLive. She can be reached at bcaprara@commmktgassoc.com and at CommMktgAssoc on Twitter. Updates on BerkleyLive can be found on Facebook and Twitter.