Business cards serve many purposes but their primary purpose is to tell what you do and give the recipient a way to contact you.

At the very least a name and contact method (address or phone number) should go on your business card.  As for where to put this information, there are hundreds of possible arrangements, but there are a few commonly accepted guidelines for where to place the most essential information.

Minimum Information for a Business Card

Other information is optional but as a minimum the business card should usually contain:

  • Individual’s Name and/or Business Name
  • Individual’s Title or some other descriptive text to indicate what the person does if it’s not obvious from the business name
  • A way (preferrably multiple ways) to contact the person — could be phone, fax, email, web page, mailing address, street address, etc.

It is not necessary to but a complete listing of services or products on the business card.  Keep it to the essentials.  Use brochures and personal interviews to disclose the full range of services or products offered.

  • Orientation – Horizontal layouts are the most typical, most widely used format for business cards.
  • Name – Whether using a horizontal or vertical arrangement, the person’s name or the business name are usually the most prominent text item on the card.  It is usually placed in the center or upper half of the card and emphasized with a larger or bolder font.
  • Contact – Contact information is usually placed in the lower half of the card (left, right, or centered). The preferred method of contact (such as phone number or email) is often emphasized with a larger size, bolder font, or more prominent placement.