Ok, so we’ve all seen those collections of really creative and out of this world business cards that are supposed to inspire us and move us in the direction of revamping our own cards. Now, I don’t know about you but those lists kind of make me mad. Have you ever noticed that a lot of the time the cards in those collections are odd shapes, made out of something other than paper, or look like they could cost a small fortune to produce? The fact of the matter is that most of the time people don’t have a large budget for their business cards and creativity needs to stay within the standard 2″ by 3.5″ size because that is all that is available. For the most part, business cards need to be affordable, quick to mass produce, and printable just about anywhere.

So then what? Can the “wow” factor still be achieved with something so basic and standard? You’d better believe it! I have found that there are actually 6 simple factors that can be applied to any standard card that will help get you noticed.

Wow #1 – Change the Layout

Most cards are designed with a horizontal layout with the text reading from right to left. Information will either be flushed to one side or centered in the middle. But if you would like to really pull the wow factor into your card consider changing how you look at it – literally. A vertical design is always an eye-catcher because once you pull it out of your wallet or purse you will have to turn it to read it. This simple little adjustment can help you to interact with your audience in a matter of seconds. Also, pay attention to the way your type is placed on the card. If your overall card is horizontal, try throwing in some vertical or even diagonal type to break up the predictable.

Wow #2 – Get creative with Color and Type

Color actually trips a lot of people up. Before you start playing with color, take note that not all colors will compliment each other. Also, a lot of the time too much color can be a bad thing. But, done right, the use of creative coloring can really make for an outstanding business card. A good reference for color combination is Kuler – the Adobe website. Playing on that site before you design your card might help you with your design. In addition to that, creative type can be a great substitute for a logo if you don’t have one. Using an unusual font for your name or the name of your business can help add an artistic flair to your card. But, to help it stand out, use a standard font for the contact information.

Wow #3 – Put a little You into it

If you really want people to remember you after you hand them your card and walk away – try putting your picture on the card. Letting your face be your logo will bring a personal touch to your card and will help the viewer get to know you. Have you ever said – “I can see his/her face, but I don’t remember her name.”? That’s because words are easier to forget than faces. But if you have both on your card, it could just be that one that people will respond the most to.

Wow #4 – Dump the extra Information

These days everyone has multiple places available as contact information. We have our Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn web addresses, our personal websites, our business websites, our cell phone numbers, work numbers, home numbers fax numbers, email addresses, and regular addresses. You try fitting all of that onto one card and you’re going to have a mess of information that could just confuse the client. In this instance – less can be more. A good rule of thumb is to pick one to three key pieces of contact info but be sure that one of them will eventually lead to the rest of the information such as on your website.

Wow #5 – Go all Graphic

Illustrators have a knack for doing this. The appeal of the card relies on the image rather than the information. It’s something that Photographers also often do because the card becomes a canvas and a place to show off some of your portfolio. However, when you go all graphic, you have to make sure that you leave yourself a clean and clear area for your information to go. Never should one be layered on top of the other! The next time I see a Photographer that writes their contact information directly over an image, I’m gonna smack them up side the head (in a nice way of course.) Keep in mind that printing inks can bleed and without that clean area for your text, you may just end up with mud.

Wow #6 – Bring it to the Back

A two sided card is a great way to help your card stand out. It can give you extra room to add additional contact information or show off your picture, a sample of your work, or your logo. However, just make sure that the front of your card compliments the back. If the front of your card is designed with particular colors and fonts, make sure the design on the back is done the same way. An alternative to this would be to have one solid picture on the back, and your information on the front.

So there you have it. Six easy guidelines to help you put the “Wow” into your standard size business card. And, just think, you won’t have to drain your bank account  to do it.