Your business card is often the first tangible representation of your brand that people encounter. A well-designed card reinforces your professionalism and helps you be remembered. A poorly designed one, however, can undermine your credibility before you've even had a chance to demonstrate your expertise.
After reviewing thousands of business cards over the years, we've identified the most common mistakes that Australian professionals make. More importantly, we'll show you how to avoid them.
Mistake 1: Information Overload
The most frequent error we see is trying to fit too much information onto a small card. While it's tempting to include every possible way someone might contact you, cluttered cards become difficult to read and look unprofessional.
A business card should contain only essential information:
- Your name (prominently displayed)
- Your title or profession
- Company name or logo
- One or two preferred contact methods
- Website if relevant
Fax numbers (unless essential to your industry), multiple phone numbers, physical addresses for home-based businesses, and lengthy taglines all contribute to clutter without adding value.
Mistake 2: Poor Font Choices
Typography makes or breaks a business card. Common font errors include:
Using Too Many Fonts
Stick to a maximum of two font families. Using three or more creates visual chaos and makes your card look amateurish. A clean combination might use a bold sans-serif for your name and a lighter weight for contact details.
Choosing Decorative or Unreadable Fonts
That elegant script font might look beautiful on your screen, but if recipients can't easily read your name or phone number, the card fails its primary purpose. Script and decorative fonts work for accents only, never for essential information.
Text That's Too Small
Never go below 8 point for any text on your card. Remember that many of your contacts may wear reading glasses or have reduced vision. Body text at 9-10 point ensures comfortable readability for everyone.
Mistake 3: Inadequate Contrast
Light grey text on a white background might look subtle and sophisticated on screen, but it becomes nearly invisible in real-world lighting conditions. Your text must have sufficient contrast against its background to be readable in various environments, including dim restaurant lighting or bright outdoor settings.
- Dark text on light backgrounds works best for body text
- Light text on dark backgrounds can work for larger elements
- Test your design by printing at home before ordering
- Consider how your card looks in black and white
Mistake 4: Ignoring the Safe Zone
Every printed piece has a "safe zone" - the area inside the trim line where important content should remain. Text or logos placed too close to the edges risk being cut off during printing, or may look cramped and uncomfortable.
As a general rule, keep all essential information at least 5mm from any edge. Most design templates include guides showing this safe zone, so ensure you stay within them.
Mistake 5: Low-Resolution Images
Images that look sharp on screen may appear blurry when printed. This is because screens display at approximately 72-96 pixels per inch (PPI), while professional printing requires 300 PPI or higher for crisp results.
If you're including a logo or image, ensure the source file is high resolution. Vector formats (AI, EPS, SVG) are ideal because they scale infinitely without quality loss. If using photographs or raster images, they must be 300 PPI at the size they'll be printed.
A quick test: if you zoom to 300% on your design and images still look sharp, they should print well. If they become pixelated, you need higher resolution files.
Mistake 6: DIY Design Without Skills
Free design tools have democratised graphic design, which is wonderful, but they've also led to many poorly designed business cards. If you don't have design training, consider these options:
- Use professional templates - Many printing services offer pre-designed templates that look polished
- Hire a designer - A simple business card design from a professional might cost $50-150, a worthwhile investment
- Keep it minimal - The simpler your design, the less likely you are to make mistakes
Mistake 7: Choosing Style Over Function
Creative business cards can be memorable, but creativity shouldn't come at the expense of usability. Consider whether your design choices help or hinder:
- Non-standard sizes - May not fit in wallets or cardholders, leading to cards being discarded
- Unusual shapes - Die-cut cards can stand out but may be expensive and impractical
- Overly dark designs - Make it impossible for recipients to write notes on the card
- Purely visual designs - Cards without clear contact information defeat the purpose
Mistake 8: Printing on Cheap Stock
The physical quality of your card speaks volumes. Thin, flimsy cardstock suggests you cut corners in business too. While you don't need the thickest paper available, anything below 300gsm will feel cheap in hand.
For most professionals, 350-400gsm strikes the right balance between quality feel and cost-effectiveness. If you want to make a premium impression, consider 450gsm or higher with a quality finish.
Mistake 9: Outdated Information
This mistake isn't about design, but it's surprisingly common and undermining. Cards with crossed-out phone numbers, handwritten corrections, or obviously outdated email addresses suggest disorganisation.
When your details change, order new cards immediately. The cost of a small print run is far less than the negative impression created by handing out corrected cards.
Include a QR code linking to your digital contact card or website. This way, even if some details change, recipients can always access your current information.
Mistake 10: Inconsistent Branding
Your business card should align with your other marketing materials. If your website uses blue and white, your cards should too. Inconsistent colours, fonts, or logo presentations create confusion about your brand identity.
If you have brand guidelines, follow them precisely. If you don't, use your business card as an opportunity to establish consistent visual standards that you'll apply to all future materials.
Getting It Right
The best business cards share common characteristics: they're clean, readable, professionally printed, and contain only essential information. They feel substantial in hand and accurately represent the brand they represent.
Before finalising your design, ask yourself these questions:
- Can someone read every piece of text easily?
- Is the most important information (your name) prominent?
- Does the design reflect my brand's personality?
- Would I be proud to hand this to a potential client?
If you can answer yes to all these questions, you're on the right track. Explore our comparison tool to find quality printing options that will bring your design to life.