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What Font is Best for Business Cards?

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It can be a challenging task choosing a font for your new business cards. There are often many options, and it can be unclear what you need to base your choice on.
Should you go for a classic, elegant serif font – or will that come off as old-fashioned? If you choose a more modern or contemporary font style, will your company stand out as fresh and up-and-coming, or will it make you look unprofessional?

The best way to choose a font for your business cards is to choose one that you feel represents you, or your brand. If you have a logo which you are featuring on your cards, it would also be a good idea to make sure your font has similar design characteristics.
You will also need to consider what colour to have your font – this depends again on your brand, logo and what you want to communicate visually with potential customers.
In this article we will select some stylistic fonts and discuss how these would work best on a business card, as well as how to choose a font colour.

The Psychology of Font for Business Cards

In marketing, the font you choose for your business cards (and other marketing material and promotional products) is important. The style of the typeface that you use on your cards can alter how a potential client, customer, colleague or contact will perceive you and your company. In this way, font choice is quite similar to colour, which we’ll touch upon briefly later.

For example: a modern, sans serif typeface will come across as contemporary, fun, and casual. If your company makes children’s toys, this style of font would be perfect – you could also choose a graphic, chunky font that evokes excitement and creates an aura of child-like glee.

But if your company provides financial or legal advice, the above font choice would be a big mistake. It could cause potential clients to take you less seriously, and doubt your professionalism. Instead, you’ll want to go with a simple, sleek and professional font which will make prospect clients trust you.

What Are the Different Types of Fonts?

As a general rule, serif fonts (such as Times New Roman) are perceived as more old-fashioned, dependable, and serious than sans serif fonts (such as Arial). They’re the kinds of fonts you’d likely see in older books and newspapers.

Handwriting-style fonts, such as Comic Sans MS, are the opposite: they’re perceived as very informal, fun, and fresh. They work well for small or casual businesses, such as dog groomers and children’s soft play centres.

Cursive, calligraphy or script-style fonts, like Amadeo and Studio Script, give off a romantic and feminine vibe. They’d be perfect if you’re a wedding planner or florist, for example.
Let’s now go through some examples of popular fonts and when they might be used.

Business Card Font Examples

Here are four of our favourite fonts for business cards, and the impression they might create about you or your business.

1. Avant Garde

Avant Garde is a brilliant font choice for anyone who wants something unique, but still professional. The letter spacing makes it extremely easy to read which is important on a business card.
Without being too bold, the roundness of this font makes text look approachable and it would work particularly well to draw attention to the key information on your business card.

If you have a modern, progressive brand with a fun and contemporary logo, this would be a great font choice for you.
If you feel this is for you, you may enjoy the ‘Fashion’ business card template for its modern, bright design.

2. Century Schoolbook

Century Schoolbook is the perfect example of a professional, easy to read serif font. This typeface is bold but without the chunky letters usually associated with standout font.
Although the style is similar to more commonly used fonts, it is a fantastic business card font choice for those looking to make their cards unique than, say, Times New Roman.
This font would work well for any professional brand, especially if you have a sleek, elegant logo. Choose a font like this for a company that needs to be taken seriously, such as an accounting firm or a solicitor.

If your brand fits this category, you may want to look at the simple yet elegant ‘Solid Black’ business card template.

3. Courier New

Courier New oozes simplicity. This typeface, which bears resemblance to typewriter font, is minimalistic in the best way. It is extremely clear and will stand out against any background.

This is a brilliant font to use for business cards as it merges playful and elegant perfectly. If your brand uses a to the point, minimal logo, Courier New would be one to consider.
For a brand with this aesthetic, the ‘Swoosh’ business card template could be a good fit.

4. Bauhaus

If you are looking for a fun and funky business card font that is still readable, Bauhaus would be an excellent choice.
It’s distinctive, striking and yet it still comes across as professional. It’s boldness means it would read clearly, even against a coloured background.

Bauhaus would make a brilliant business card font for anyone whose brand is quirky, eccentric, and fun, and would complement a bright logo.
No logo? Bauhaus would compliment the ‘Unique Antique’ business card template.

Which Font Should I Choose?

If you’re having trouble choosing, there is nothing wrong with going for a traditional and well-known typeface for your business cards. For example, Ariel or Times New Roman. They’re both classic, professional fonts that would work for almost any brand and logo.
You don’t have to go the “unique” angle if you’re worried about what your chosen font will say about your business. You can always make your business cards stand out in other ways, such as through use of colour, orientation or clever image placement.

You could also consider looking at other brands, and consider how they use font to communicate with potential customers. If you find an example that you enjoy, you can try out a similar font on your business card.

What Font Colour Should I Choose for My Business Card?

Don’t forget about colour! On a business card, it is important that all the information can be read clearly. If your clients and customers have to put in extra effort to read your information, they may not bother, and will pick up a competitor’s card instead.
It’s best to go for a font that contrasts well with your background. If your background is white or cream, a classic and professional choice would be a dark colour such as black, graphite, or navy.

If your business card has a dark background, however (such as ‘Strike a Deal’), white (or another very light colour) would be the obvious choice.


If you do choose to go with another colour, make sure it contrasts strongly enough with the background to show up clearly on your card. As well as this, it would be best to select a colour that will accent your logo if you have one.

What Does Font Colour Tell Customers About My Business?

The psychology of colour is very interesting, and brands use colour all the time to tell their audience about their product or company. For example:

1) Black symbolises formality and sophistication
2) Purple oozes luxury and royalty
3) Red gives off an aura of energy and excitement
4) Green comes across as fresh and natural
5) Blue is a calm colour that signifies trust and honesty
6) Yellow represents fun, happiness and creativity
7) Pink symbolises love and emotion
8) Brown denotes toughness and simplicity

Business Card Colours

Where Can I Buy Business Cards?

At 123Print you can completely customise your own business cards to suit the experience you want potential customers to have. As well having a choice of 32 fonts and thousands of custom colours, you can also upload your own artwork and logo to make the card completely your own.

If you are not feeling so creative, you could have a look through our massive range of business card templates. All templates can still be customised so you can add your own personal touches to the design, and edit the font and colour to your liking.

You can order business cards with 123Print stress-free in the knowledge that we have a 100% customer satisfaction guarantee. Our 48-hour dispatch time and low price point means you can receive your order of high quality business cards quickly and cheaply.

10 Things You Should Never Put on a Business Card

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Business cards play a major role in someone’s first impression of your business. How you present your business cards to potential partners, clients, or customers can have a significant impact on whether or not they will want to work with you or your business in the future.
Because business cards are so important, this means that you really need to be sure that your business cards are well-designed, and carry all the vital information your contacts will need to get in touch. However, did you know that there are certain things you should never put on a business card?
By reading on, you’ll discover the top 10 things that you should never include on your business card. This will help you avoid making a bad first impression, and create the best impact possible on your potential business contacts.

1. Hard-to-Read Text

Small font sizes and cursive typefaces can be extremely appealing from a stylistic point of view, but this may not be the most functional option for a business card. After all, business cards are designed to convey information quickly and clearly.
The font should be instantly readable by everyone who receives your business card. The font doesn’t need to be too big for the card, otherwise you won’t be able to fit everything that you need to on it. But, the font should never be so small that it’s unreadable. The same goes for low-contrast fonts, and swirling, cursive typefaces.

2. Clutter and Fluff

Clutter isn’t good in the home or office, and it’s especially not good on your business card. A cluttered and ‘busy’ business card won’t be visually appealing for your potential customers.
Every bit of information on the card should be concise, important, and immediately redable, allowing people to access the information that they are looking for.
If it’s too cluttered, with too much ‘fluff’ (unnecessary text that doesn’t serve any real purpose), it may be confusing and/or overwhelming for the customer. Only include an inspirational quote, tagline or testimonial, for example, if there’s adequate space for it.
If you want to share any additional information that there’s not space for, simply put it on your website, and include a link to it on the card – or a QR code.

3. Hobbies or Personal Interests

When people take your business card, they are interested in what your business can do for them. They want to know, in short, how you can help them. What they aren’t interested in is what you like to do in your space time.
Business cards aren’t like CVs or resumes. While you can have fun when designing them or using them, you should leave any non-essential information from the cards. Linking back to the previous point, this can help prevent the card from getting too cluttered and allow people to just see the information that they need from you.

4. Typos, Spelling and Punctuation Errors

Since business cards are the first impression that someone gets of you, and because they are supposed to be professional, typos and spelling or grammar mistakes can have a negative impact on your brand. Believe me, your customers will notice mistakes – so be sure to double and triple check your text before your cards are printed.
It’s easy not to notice a simple typing error, or a repeated word, on the first look over. And if you’re no great shakes at grammar, punctuation or spelling, it may be worth having somebody else read over your design before you finalise it.

5. Handwritten Information

Business cards can be pricey, and it can also be a hassle to have new cards printed when your information changes. For this reason, some people are tempted to hand-write new information on the cards.
The problem is that handwriting on business cards can leave a negative impression of you. Business cards should be professional and presentable, and handwriting can make your cards look messy. There should never be handwriting on a business card unless you are taking notes for yourself on someone else’s business card – or you’re writing down details of an appointment.

6. Inappropriate Slang or Jargon

A business card, first and foremost, should be professional. That doesn’t mean you can’t use any slang, contractions, or colloquialisms on your business card: it merely means that they should be appropriate.
For example, using contractions and slang might be perfect for a business card representing a kids’ soft play centre, or a roller rink where the target market is teenagers. But for an accounting firm, it would look downright unprofessional.
But be sure not to go too far the other way. Using long words and complex industry jargon on your business cards may be off-putting for customers and clients – they may not understand what you mean, and will simply throw your card away.

7. Outdated or Incorrect Contact Details

It’s crucial that you check all of the information on your cards to make sure that all of the information is current and correct. If people go to your website or call the number on the card but can’t get through to you, they will likely give up and move onto your competition.
Double-check to make sure all of the information on your business cards is up to date and accurate. If you change any of your contact details, such as your telephone number, socials or physical address, immediately discard your old cards and order new ones.

8. Jokes and Sarcasm

Remember when we discussed the use of slang, and how you need to tailor it to your business? The same goes for jokes, sarcasm, and irony. If your business is in a very serious sector, such as family law, your business card might not be the best place for you to show off your comedic skills. But if you’re a stand-up comedian, or a kid’s birthday party clown? Go for it!
When it comes to sarcasm and irony, it’s best to avoid it altogether. Sarcasm doesn’t translate well over text, and you can never be sure whether your reader will think you’re serious. You don’t want to miss out on custom due to a joke that didn’t land.

9. Low-Resolution or Pixelated Images

Of course you should use images on your business card – they’re important for catching the reader’s eye. The most important image, of course, is your company’s logo. You can also use photos of your products, or stock images to set the tone of the card.
However, you should never include a picture on your business card if it’s low-resolution. When printed, it will look blurry and pixelated – and this will immediately make your business card look unprofessional. Even a professional printer won’t be able to make a low-res image look clear and sharp.

10. Too Much Empty Space

White space is important, as previously mentioned. So why not take advantage of the back of the card to fit all the information you need, without worrying about the card looking too cluttered. Whoever you hand the card to will automatically turn it over to see what’s on the other side – so don’t present them with an empty page.

You can use the back of your card for promotional purposes, such as a coupon or as a space for loyalty card stamps. You could use it to write a basic pricing list of your most popular products or services. There are plenty of things that you can add to the back of the card to make use of all of that real estate.

What Should You Include on Your Business Card?

Now that you know what shouldn’t be included on your business card, you need to be familiar with what you should put on there. This final section will discuss the most important information that should always be present on your business card:

1)  Your Name and Title
This is one of the most important things that you need to have on your card because it introduces who you are. The title is particularly important – especially if you own your business. List yourself as the CEO, director, founder, what have you – just make sure there’s a title of some sort!

2) Company Logo and Tagline
This is important because not only will it tell customers where you work, but it will also help to spread your brand image and ethos. A contact should know what your business is about just by looking at the card.

3) Contact Information
Without your contact information, they won’t be able to communicate with you. Include your premises address (if applicable), your phone number, email address, and any socials. Double-check that your details are all correct before sending your design to print.

Where Can I Order Business Cards in the UK?

Your business card should be representative of who you are as a brand. That’s why it’s vital to use a professional stationer, such as 123Print, when it comes to designing and ordering your business cards. With a professionally printed, high-quality business card, you’ll instantly create a favourable first impression of your brand with customers, clients and peers.

At 123Print, we offer hundreds of full-colour business card templates, all of which are completely editable and customisable. Simply select your preferred design to open our easy editor, and begin inputting your information.
With a 100% satisfaction guarantee and thousands of satisfied customers, you can trust us with all of your business stationery needs. Browse our business card templates today!

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How Often Should You Update Your Business Card?

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Business cards are still very important marketing tools today, even though we currently live in the digital era. Understanding this, you have spent time and money carefully crafting the perfect business cards to represent your business.

But as well as creating a top-notch, stand-out business card, it’s also important to keep it up to date. Some common questions that people have when it comes to their business cards is whether or not they should update their business card, and how often it needs to be done.
By reading on, you can learn everything that you need to know about updating your business card, including when it’s time to think about re-designing it.

What Are the Signs That You Need to Update Your Business Card?

You might have been plodding along with the same old business cards that you designed months ago, or even years ago. But when is the right time to give your business card an overhaul – whether a complete redesign, or simply an information update?
There are some signs to look out for that quite clearly indicate that your business card should get an update.

Here they are:

Your Current Card Has Outdated Information

It’s absolutely vital that your business card doesn’t contain incorrect or outdated information. This can hinder a person’s ability to contact you – and that means lost business. Your information might need updating if:

1. You’ve switched to a new retail or office premises
2. You’ve changed your phone number or e-mail address
3. You’ve acquired new social media (e.g. a Twitter or Instagram account) since creating your business card
4. You’ve changed your business’s name, tagline or motto
5. You’ve updated or redesigned your logo, or changed some important design aesthetic, such as your business’s overall colour scheme

If any of the above apply, you will need a new business card to reflect these changes.

Your Business Card Isn’t Translating into Clicks or Customers

Maybe you’ve been tracking the response rate from handing out business cards (for example, by adding a unique QR code to each one, so you can see who’s actually read your card) and you’re not noticing the results you were looking for. Perhaps you’ve handed out hundreds upon hundreds of cards, but haven’t noticed an increase in new customers or clientele.

This might be an issue with your business card’s design. If it isn’t eye-catching and memorable – in other words, if it doesn’t stand out in the crowd – then you’re missing out on your card’s potential, and it’s time for a redesign.

In many cases, business cards just get tossed together in some pile and are only searched for when the person needs a specific service or product. As they pull out a card, they will try to remember the person that gave it to them. Make your card unique and memorable, then you will start noticing results.

Your Current Business Card is Uninspiring

Sometimes you just put together a business card hastily and without much thought because you needed one ASAP. If you rushed your business card, you probably didn’t put as much work into the design as you should have – perhaps you went with a boring template that you didn’t even spend time editing. There’s also the chance that you just didn’t know what you wanted at the time, but now it’s been a while and you’re feeling uninspired by the design you chose.

You need a business card that you find inspiring because this means it will also leave an impact on your potential clients. A revamp for your business card may be required to get something more inspiring.

Why It’s Important to Redesign Your Business Card

A good business card should accomplish the following aims:
1. Get the attention of/acquire prospects
2. Quickly tell people who you are and what you do
3. Encourage your prospects to keep in touch or engage with you via phone, email, social media, or visiting your business premises
4. Spread brand awareness and recognition (get your logo out there)
5. Let readers know of important information, such as store opening hours or prices (if applicable)

If you are not getting these results from your business card, that means it’s time for you to update and redesign your business card. These changes could be as minor as just changing the colours or going for a complete overhaul. If your current business cards aren’t working for you, it’s time to update your business card.

When It’s Time to Redesign Your Business Card

You should redesign your business card whenever you need to. There’s no exact timeframe on how often you should redesign it – whether it’s every quarter with the seasons, once a year, or every few years.
The most important thing to remember is that all of your business marketing materials should be updated at the same time, in order to ensure brand consistency. This is vital for raising brand awareness for your company and keeping your business recognisable across the board.
One of the biggest reasons why people don’t benefit from business cards is because of the design. Your business card design may be too confusing or not memorable enough for your prospects. Redesigning your card could be the solution that you are looking for. Remember, there is no real timeframe on how often you redesign you card; just do it when you feel it’s time.

How to Redesign a Business Card

After you realise just how important your business card redesign is, you can move onto how to best go through this redesign process for the best results. The last thing that you want is to go through this entire process of redesigning your card, only to not have the results that you are looking for.
Here, you can see the steps that you need to take to make the most out of your business card redesign.

Know Who Your Audience is and Your Value

The first place that you need to start is to determine who your audience is and what value you have to offer. Why do they need your services? Why are you the best team to help them with what they need? This is an important first step because this will help you design the most appealing card for them.

To do this, ask yourself a couple of questions:
1. Is your company in the tech industry? Show off your tech skills by adding a QR quote for your website or landing page to your business card.
2. Can people find your company on social media? Be sure to include your social media profiles/handles to the card so people can find you.
3. Do you work in a very formal industry? You should stick to business cards that are sleek and minimalistic, only offering the most essential information for your prospects.

Create a Business Card the Matches with Your Brand

You don’t want some generic looking business card that could look like it belongs to any business. You want something that is unique to your brand, so that customers can immediately recognise who the card is for without having to do read it.
You will get best results when working with a professional company such as 123Print, as they can create a truly eye-catching design for your business card that will really make you stand out.

Some things to think about when doing this:

1. Which colours best represent your brand or work best for your audience? For example, blue and purple give off vibes of calm and relaxation, whereas red and orange create an aura of energy and vitality
2. Would a specific shape aside from the traditional rectangle better represent who your brand is? For example, would a vertical business card help you stand out from the crowd?
3. What’s the best way to layout the card so that there’s no clutter and the business card is easy to read?
4. Which type of paper will it be printed on?
5. Are there any design trends that interest you that you want included on your new design?

Be Creative

You need to stand out from your competition when you are creating a business card. That’s why it’s such a good idea for you to get creative and think outside of the box. If your card stands out, then your business will stand out to the prospects when they are thinking about specific products or services.

Take the time to find something that represents you and your brand while also being creative enough to be memorable for your prospects. For example, maybe you want to add a loyalty card section to your card that customers can have stamped when they buy from you? Perhaps you want to go against the grain with a funky font or loud colour scheme?

Where Can I Buy Business Cards?

It doesn’t hurt to take the time to freshen up your business cards. There are many reasons as to why you should update your business card, but it’s always a worthwhile change to ensure that your cards always represent who you are as a person and a business.
Once you determine that it’s time to redesign your business card, head over to 123Print to browse our extensive range of full colour business cards. Choose your favourite from thousands of templates and edit it to perfection, or create your own design completely from scratch!

We offer several paper options such as standard, heavy, and recycled. You’ll find a fabulous array of designs from the bold to the understated, and vertical, horizontal and double-sided formats. With our 2-day shipping and 100% satisfaction guarantee, you can’t go wrong!

Business Card Colours – What Doesn’t Work

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As you may already know, if you have been browsing our main website, we do love printing those business cards! Fabulous and marvellous designs, every last one of them! We print thousands of red, green, blue, orange, pink and purple cards every week. So when it comes to colours and what works well on a business card, we like to think we’re a bit of a know it all in this area. Which, let’s face it, we are!

Business Card Colours Continue reading Business Card Colours – What Doesn’t Work →