Are your business cards in need of a new look? Are they starting to look a bit dated, compared to your colleagues’? Or perhaps you’re in the process of starting a brand-new business, and are searching for that all-important colour scheme.
Whatever the reason, you want to make a good impression. Your business card helps to set the customer’s first impression of your company or services. And one of the most important aspects to consider when designing your business cards is your colour scheme.
Though you may think colour is just for show, it can actually say a lot about you and your business. Colours are very emotive: we naturally associate certain colours with certain attributes. The right colours can make your business card stand out from the rest, or become forgotten at the back of the drawer.
In this article, we’ll be exploring your business card colour options, from the traditional white to more daring shades of red and yellow. We’ll explain what each colour might say about you and your company, so that you can choose the right angle for your business.
What Colour Works Best for a Business Card?
Long gone are the days when business cards were entirely white, with black text. While that’s still a perfectly normal look for a business card, it’s far from your only option! With the advent of colour printing, we now have a world of shades to play with.
But don’t just go picking a colour for your business card at random. The hue you choose may say more about you and your business than you ever realised it would. Here are the most popular colours for business cards, and what they might reveal about you and/or your company.
White Business Cards
White is the classic business card colour. Even today, you’ll still find that a huge number of people still carry white business cards. The main reasons for white’s popularity are:
• It’s cheap (paper is white by default, so you don’t need to pay for colour printing)
• It’s the easiest background colour to read dark text against
• White is seen as serious, business-like, and official
A white business card would suit pretty much any company, but it certainly won’t catch the eye. An alternative is off-white (eggshell, ecru, ivory, etc.). Off-white is softer and easier on the eye; it’s still professional looking, but will stand out against the stark white of other business cards. The same can be said of a soft grey.
Black Business Cards
Black is fast becoming as popular for business cards as white. It’s not hard to see why. Black is simple, yet elegant – it exudes classiness and luxury. Black is the perfect colour for businesses selling high-end goods, or wanting to give off a vibe of power and sophistication. Picture celebrities in black-tie attending the Oscars – that’s the atmosphere that a black business card, designed well, can create.
The other major benefit of a black business card is that, if you use white text, you don’t need to pay for colour printing. One downside is that black business cards more easily show wear and tear. Go for a thicker paper if you want a black business card.
Brown Business Cards
Many businesses nowadays opt for brown business cards – and we don’t mean white paper that’s been printed with brown. We mean business cards that are printed directly onto brown Kraft paper.
Kraft business cards are ideal for anyone who wants to give off a rustic, country, or old-fashioned vibe. They’d be perfect, for example, for an arts and crafts course, a vintage coffee shop, or a florist. The main downside to brown business cards is that kraft paper can be more expensive than plain white copy paper. It’s also harder to read dark text on a brown background (we’d advise opting for white).
Blue Business Cards
When you imagine the colour blue, what runs through your mind? You’re probably imagining clear, cloudless skies, a gently flowing river, or waves lapping up against the seashore. Blue has always been a colour signifying calm, peace, and innocence. If that’s the vibe your business is going for, it could be the perfect colour for you.
Blue also give off a vibe of integrity, security, and reliability. That’s why blue is such a popular colour among companies that deal with customers’ personal information (e.g. Twitter and Facebook).
Green Business Cards
In 2020, ‘green’ has become synonymous with eco-friendliness and environmentalism. This is an absolutely perfect colour for any business that’s aiming to damage the Earth as little as possible – an electric car dealership, perhaps, or a wholefood shop that sells plastic-free goods. It also works well for any company dealing in plants (such as a nursery or garden centre), or any business associated with vegetarianism or veganism.
Green can also signify friendliness and approachability. It’s similarly associated with freedom and growth – ideal, for example, for a life-coaching business.
Yellow Business Cards
Yellow isn’t a very popular colour for business cards, but we can’t understand why! The colour yellow is associated with happiness, fun, and brightness. Perhaps it isn’t as ‘serious’ a shade as white, grey or black – but it would be a perfect, sunny colour for a childminder’s business card, for example.
The colour yellow can also be associated with electricity, energy, and manual labour (such as construction work). This is particularly effective if paired with black as a secondary colour.
Pink Business Cards
Modern society is trying its hardest to steer away from associating specific colours with specific genders. However, pink is one of those hues that seems to be permanently cemented in our society as a ‘feminine’ colour. You’ll rarely find a male tech support worker, for example, with a rose-pink business card (but if you’re the pioneering sort, we say go for it).
Pink is the perfect colour for any business in the beauty trade (such as a ladies’ hairstylist, nail technician, or beauty salon). It can also work well for fashion designers, and any other business whose primary clientele are women. Soft pink paired with white and gold screams ‘bridal’, so is a great choice for the wedding industry.
Red Business Cards
Red is a tricky colour for business cards. If used correctly, a well-designed red business card can stand out a mile and really draw attention to your company. It can create an impression of confidence and daring – you’re not afraid to try new things, and you don’t shy away from the spotlight.
But be careful: red is also associated with anger and adrenaline, and is a well-known ‘warning colour’. If you run a relaxing health spa, for example, red is definitely not the colour for you. A paintballing company, however, would suit a red business card down to the ground.
Orange Business Cards
There’s something about the colour orange that bursts with energy, vigour and originality. An orange business card says that your business is young, fresh, and up-and-coming. It’s the perfect shade to choose if you’re trying to reach a younger audience, or you want to create an impression that you’re the first off the mark for your particular product or service.
An orange business card would suit you if your company sells a particularly modern service or product – such as a tech company. It’ll also work simply if you want to give your cards that extra ‘oomph’.
Multi-colour Business Cards
Who says you have to choose just one colour? Multi-coloured business cards are becoming ever more popular. They’re not the easiest cards to design, but they can be well worth the effort.
If you’re an eco-friendly business, but you also want to exude an aura of calm, why not go for green and blue? Or for a feminine feel that still exudes power and elegance, pink and black would be perfect.
Whatever colour you choose for the background of your business card, make sure you select a font that will stand out. Use a contrasting colour, a light colour for a dark background, or a dark colour for a light background. You also have the option of containing the text inside a white box, for example.
Open up our handy business card creator to start making your own custom design. You can upload artwork, insert your own text, and experiment with colours to your heart’s content. Browse our templates if you need a little inspiration!