Design and print customized business cards

Your business card should contain all of your important contact information -- everything from your name to your Web site address. While you can always be creative, make sure all your information stays readable. Avoid funky fonts that are hard to read. Those might be great for your name, but not for important data like your phone number. Your name (or the name of your organization) is generally printed larger than the rest of the information. You can also set it apart by using a different font or style. Just make sure it can be read. And double-check all of your important information - a business card with the wrong information is worse than no card at all!

As you can see here, you don't need a lot of text to get your message across. If you have a lot to say, don't forget about the back side of the card. Many designs will allow you to use that space as well, effectively doubling the size of your personal billboard. Need a place to put a map or inspirational quote? Now you have the space.

As you choose fonts or make decisions about templates, keep your overall intentions in mind. If a formal, business-like effect is what you're after, choose a serif font like Times Roman, Palatino, or Bookman. For a bolder look, you'll want a sans serif font like Arial, Verdana, or Gill Sans.

A business card is more than a phone number -- it's an introduction. And as you can see below, cards can be used for more than just phone numbers. HP supplies and templates makes the process easier than ever -- you get to combine your great ideas with innovative technology. You'll finally get the results you want -- as well as new cards any time you need them!

Color business cards used to cost a small fortune, but no more. You can use color in your logo, text, and illustrations. Add all that to a colored background and you've got plenty of opportunities to be colorful.

But approach color carefully. Use it well and it makes your card unforgettable. Use too much color (or use it poorly) and it makes the same card a real mess. Coordinate the color of your text, images, background and stock. If the background is bright, you may want to use less color elsewhere. They should complement each other, not fight for attention.

This card shows how choosing colors that are close to each other on the color wheel creates a soothing, yet distinctive effect.

To make it easy for you to quickly generate great-looking business cards, HP has designed a series of free templates. They are easy to use, customizable, and designed to work well with specialty HP papers and printers.

The HP Activity Center hosts a wide range of creative printing projects; make sure to visit the Home Office & business templates section to explore the business card templates, like the example shown. The selection is always changing, so check back frequently for new ideas. They're ready to help make your great ideas a reality.