I’m fond of saying, “If I see you at the beach coming out of the ocean, you should be able to hand me your business card.” In other words, carry your cards with you at all times because you never know when you’ll want to share one. Even in this age of digital everything, cards are still important. Here are some considerations for your business cards:

Five Components of a Great Business Card

1. High-quality stock.

Don’t cheap out with flimsy stock or use a finish that is difficult to write notes on.

2. All information of possible value.

Should you include your social media handles? Your blog address? Your cell number?

3. Your brand colors.

Avoid bright or pastel colors unless you have a color-driven business or work with children.

4. An appropriate font.

Ensure your font is consistent with your brand and image.

5. Standard Size.

I once ordered odd-size business cards so they would stand out, but they wouldn’t fit into standard slots on folders, so I had to pay to have the slots custom cut. People also tended to bend them to make them fit in. Next time I ordered standard size.