Your business card makes us sad.

We're a commercial printshop, so we see a lot of business cards over the course of a year.  Some of them are great...most could be better. Business cards are a personal, immediate reflection of you and your business. Business cards may be small, but they are REALLY important. They are also not expensive, so you really don't have an excuse not to recycle the cards you have and get newer, better cards TODAY.
Our top ten most annoying business card features, in no particular order:

Outdated Photos.  Realtors, we're talking to you.  Your old photo is weird, it doesn't help people remember you, and it sends the message that you aren't organized enough to get updated cards.  We had a client refer to her business card photo as her "plastic surgery picture" ... what she would like to look like after a few thousand dollars in nips and tucks.  We'll remember her, but probably won't want her help selling a home.

Clip Art.  Actually, we have all seen that piece of Microsoft Word clip art somewhere else.  So, now your card looks amateurish and you are sending the message that you are cheap.  Nicely placed text is vastly superior to cute clip art, and sends a more professional message.

Free Cards.  Yes, that company that starts with "V" and ends with "T" and rhymes with "Miss-the-Print".  Your business cards are a great way to market yourself.  Don't use them as a great way for you to market someone else!  Free cards also say "I'm cheap!" and "I wasn't expecting to meet someone else who chose the exact same template.  Oops."  Business cards aren't expensive...save money somewhere else in your budget.

Fontastic.  If your card has more than two fonts on it, let go of the mouse before someone gets hurt.  If you have ever decided to use "Papyrus" or "Comic Sans" on your business card, you are fired.  The most important thing on your card is the information.  Don't crowd out your message with fancy fonts, busy designs, or too many colors.

Handwriting.  No, no, no, no, NO!  If you EVER have to pull out a pen to add or change any of the information on your card, GET NEW CARDS.  Now.  The only exception to this - specially-designated areas where handwriting is encouraged, such as appointment reminders.

Home-Made Goodness.  Home-baked cookies are wonderful.  Home-made business cards are not.  Your thinner-than-normal-cardstock cards with the obviously-perforated edges and low-quality inkjet printing send subliminal messages to potential clients about the level of professionalism your company has to offer.  For better results, pay for professionally-printed cards and deliver them to your clients with a basket of home-baked cookies.

Mind Your Own Business.  What you do and who you serve may seem totally obvious to you.  But since your card just says "ABC Enterprises Works For You!" your potential clients have no idea what you do and will probably toss your card in the recycle bin.  Include a simple tagline that explains the nature of your business.  "ABC Enterprises Delivers Home-Baked Cookies to Your Clients!" will get a lot more return phone calls.

Free E-mail.  You don't have to have a full-fledged company website to have an email address that includes your company name in the domain.  These are not expensive to obtain and not difficult to set up. A good printshop can help you with this!  Using a free email service like Google or Yahoo makes your company seem small and unprofessional.

TMI.  Too Much Information...your card is an introduction, not an essay.  Use that space wisely and take the time to develop an "elevator pitch" you can quickly and genuinely deliver while handing over your card.  The personal impression you make is much more important than having a card that includes every single product or service your company offers.  If you really must include a lot of information, consider using a QR code to direct people to your informative website, or purchase a folded card that acts as a mini-brochure.

Good to the Last Drop.  If you aren't completely sure about your card design, or you know there will be changes to the information in the near future, order a smaller quantity to test the cards out.  When you decide to make a change, recycle the old cards and start fresh.  You don't have to use all 500 cards (or 200, or 1000) before you make new ones.  If your cards are already outdated, get new ones!

And an eleventh bonus annoying feature:

It's Not The Size That Matters. Recently we've seen a new twist on business cards - mini cards!  They are usually half the size of a normal business card.  That generally means the fonts are smaller, they don't fit the the standard-sized business card holders and wallet slots most people have, and they are even easier to lose than a normal business card.  Unless you have a very specific and compelling reason why a smaller card more clearly demonstrates your brand message, stick with the basics!  Your card will be easier to read and hold onto, which is more likely to lead to call-backs from your target customers.

We're here to help!  Check out our website - www.aecprinting.com or stop by for some good, old-fashioned customer service.   We're located at 1501 South Yale Street, Suite 100 in lovely Flagstaff, Arizona.