MOO.com is the best place to get custom business cards, thank you cards, postcards, and other print products that will build your personal brand or business! Get 20% off with the code FSP2019 through December 31, 2019.

Like many members of the FindSpark community, I’ve always been very career-oriented. I graduated college with two majors and two minors, had six internships as an undergrad, and was just 19 when I attended my first networking event (no surprise, it was put on by FindSpark, then called NY Creative Interns).

I was enthusiastic about my work and moderately successful, but for the longest time I lacked the most simple and effective networking tool that exists: my own set of business cards. When I finally forced myself to sit down and design a pack, my power to network amplified almost instantaneously.

I felt like (and, I’m sure, was viewed as) a more legitimate young professional. I no longer had to fumble with another person’s phone while attempting to manually enter my contact information. I could simply hand it over! I started keeping a small supply in my wallet—so many important networking opportunities happen outside of sanctioned events. This way, even if I wasn’t dressed up in my favorite pencil skirt, I could still stun with my professional preparedness.

It’s not enough to just have a business card, though. It needs to be a nice business card. No matter how wonderful your personality or enticing your work experience, it’s important to ensure that the folks you meet will remember you. A blank white card sporting your name in black Times New Roman does you no favors. Your business card should be as striking and memorable as you are.

The best way to do this? MOO business cards. When MOO became a FindSpark partner (thus meaning they had earned the valuable FindSpark stamp of approval), I knew they had to be worth checking out ASAP. I quickly decided to design my cards with MOO and have never looked back. The website, moo.com, is incredibly easy to navigate. There are ample choices of size, texture, and design templates for which to create your business cards, guaranteeing a beautiful outcome for everyone, regardless of individual creative abilities. You also have the opportunity to design your card completely from scratch, for those who have a specific vision they want to execute.

I had a lot of fun creating my cards, using the different design tools to figure out how I wanted to visually represent myself and my work. Wondering what should you put on your business cards? Here’s what worked for me:

AN INTERESTING PHOTOGRAPH

To make a subtle but clear statement, I decided put a photo of myself on one side. Not just any photo, though—a photo of me cliff jumping in the Bahamas. I write about travel, and I love adventure travel in particular; having a photo on my card that quite literally illustrates that is an amazing way to introduce my personal brand. Almost every person that receives my card asks, “Is that you?!” in reference to the photo. I love that I can show a cool and interesting fact about myself, rather than having to tell it to someone and hope they believe me. Consider your skills and interests and how you can visually display them on your business card. If you’re an artist, perhaps print one of your favorite works. If you’re a programmer, perhaps draw or spell something out using code.

YOUR NAME AND TITLE

On the opposite side of my card, I list my name, followed by an open-ended but descriptive title. I’ve worked a variety of jobs and have a range of skills, so I don’t want to limit myself to any one specific job title—I want to appear qualified for any relevant opportunity that arises! When I quit my full-time job last year to go full-time freelance, I didn’t have to get new business cards because the title on my card still applied. It’s important to have a business card that represents you and your expertise, rather than just that of your employer. (Because if you get a new employer, then what?)

YOUR CONTACT INFORMATION

I also list my most accessible contact information (phone number, email address, and social media—don’t forget social media!), as well as a link to my personal website, which I made with Wix. I like giving people options on how they can contact me; serious offers should feel free to call, while new, casual contacts can connect with me on Instagram.

WHITE SPACE

I intentionally have a lot of white space on this side of the card. I think it looks nice, and it balances out the full-bleed photo on the other side. Plus, having the space above gives my new contacts a place to write reference notes; where we met, what we talked about, my credentials, etc. You’d be surprised how much this comes in handy!

https://www.instagram.com/p/BK4ZSJEjybm/

The best quality of my business cards, in my opinion, is the thickness and texture. I splurged on Luxe by MOO business cards, and it’s been worth the investment many times over. Luxe cards are four times as thick as regular business cards, making them near impossible to crumple in someone’s pocket and much more likely to get picked out of a fishbowl. The thickness also makes it much easier to write on, which as previously mentioned, has been a huge benefit! I chose to round the edges of my card to prevent any accidental jabs, and I lined the width a nice teal color that compliments my photo. Looking at my business card is a 360° experience!

Thanks to my snazzy MOO business cards, I’ve had greater success in making connections, getting jobs and assignments, and even winning prizes! (My card has seriously resulted in so many raffle prizes, including a free Caribbean vacation!) There is no doubt in my mind that I will be a MOO customer for life.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BRaWBX9BtSY/

MOO.com is the best place to get custom business cards, thank you cards, postcards, and other print products that will build your personal brand or business! Get 20% off with the code FSP2019 through December 31, 2019.