Paper business cards
Make a small format carry the right amount of information.
A business card should feel considered in the hand and remain easy to read. Format, stock, finish and staff versions belong in one artwork brief.
Small piece, deliberate hierarchy
Give the essential information room to work.
The strongest starting point is not a finish; it is the information the recipient needs to recognise and use.
Once the hierarchy is clear, orientation, stock, surface and version handling can support the intended impression.
- Orientation
- Printed sides
- Stock
- Staff versions
- Finishing
Decisions to resolve
Balance identity, legibility and production
The final stock, surface and finishing combination is confirmed against the artwork and intended use for the actual job.
- 01Size and orientation
- Standard or job-specific format, landscape or portrait
- 02Information hierarchy
- Name, role, contact details and brand elements
- 03Printed sides
- What belongs on the front, reverse or shared layout
- 04Staff versions
- Static design plus the fields that change for each person
- 05Stock and surface
- Tactile, visual and handling expectations to discuss
- 06Finishing
- Any specialist detail and the artwork clearance it requires
Build the brief
Prepare the card as a system, not a one-off file
For multiple people, define a repeatable record and approval process. For a specialist surface, check the artwork relationship before treating it as final.
Include in the brief
- Quantity and number of staff versions
- Final size and orientation
- Front and reverse content
- Approved contact records
- Logo and brand assets
- Stock or finish expectation
- Artwork owner and proof approver
Print quote
Ready to discuss business cards?
Include the intended use, quantity, artwork status, delivery location and the decisions above. The team will confirm what is practical for business cards.