Make Your Own Business Cards

If you are looking for ways to cut costs with your business expenses, try to make your own business cards. It is not that hard to do and can save you money along the way.

Make Your Own Business Cards

Designing business cards online can be easy and economical, but there are plenty of limitations associated with them:

• Only a few templates to choose from making branding your company difficult
• Very few fonts and colors to choose from
• Advertising on the back of the cards for the company that provides them

Making the cards yourself at home gives you many perks:

• You can use any graphic or series of graphics you want
• Limitless fonts, sizes and colors
• You can put text wherever you like, and it can say what you want it to
• Card layout is entirely in your hands
• Quality of paper is in your hands
• Having plenty of cards on hand to give out as you network with potential customers and other businesses

In order to make your own business cards you will need:

1. Card stock or ready made business card paper
2. Printer
3. Scissors or paper slicer
4. Business card software or program that contains business card templates

Business Card Software

Business card software is easy to find from shareware sites like Tucows. Another thing to consider is there is always the chance you already have a program installed without even knowing it as many programs that make flyers, posters and brochures also can make business cards.

If you have a newer computer, there is a chance it came with Microsoft Office. If that is the case, then you are well on your way to making your own business cards. Part of Microsoft Office is Publisher, a full functioning program that lets your design most anything -- including business cards. It includes several free templates and includes an option to import others.

You can Google for "publisher business card templates" to find free downloads. You can also use basic business card templates in Microsoft Word but it's not as easy to manage as Publisher.

Business Card Templates

Business card templates are "fill in the blank" cards. They include graphic and text placement as well as geometric lines or scenery. You fill in the needed information, manipulate the template (if an available option) and then print. There are thousands of free business card templates available to download.

Business Card Design's free templates which offers many templates based on your type of business. Some of their designs include real estate and restaurants.

Microsoft offers a large selection of free downloadable templates to use with their products. These templates are basic in nature but can be edited to fit your needs. Business Card Land offers a variety of templates designed for Illustrator and Photoshop that are typically used for printmaking.

Selecting Your Printing Material

What you print your cards on says a lot about you. There are sheets of perforated business cards available at any Staples or Office Depot. You will find a lot of different styles and designs, but these cards are pricey. The going cost is around $24.00 for 100 cards. Many printing services can make 100 cards for far less and at a better quality.

If you are watching the bottom line, then consider using basic card stock. In most cases you will pay far less than if you use card stock already designed for you or perforated cards. A ream of 500 sheets of good quality card stock goes for under $7.00 and you can fit 8 normal cards per sheet, which means you can make 4000 business cards.

Printing Business Cards

Once you have your software up and running with your template loaded and your card data entered, you can begin printing your cards. Use the print preview option to see how your card will look when printed. You may have to adjust the layout or design to make it work. Once you have a final product that you are happy with, you can run off a draft print on generic paper. Check to make sure it matches up to the preview and adjust as needed, then when ready put in your paper choice and print away.

If you use plain card stock, you may have to search in the business card program's printing options to turn on crop marks. These lines will be printed as a guide for you to manually cut them. Some templates include guide lines for you. Cut along the lines with scissors or a paper cutter.

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