Use other printed materials as inspiration. Compare the look and feel of these print catalogs: Tiffany’s, Pottery Barn, and Lillian Vernon.

Which one is your card most like?

Design tip: consider designing your card to be horizontal instead of vertical – eye-catching.

I recently had a woman fuss at me for the “wasted space” on my card. “You could add a value statement here,” she pointed out, referring to the blank backside of my business card.

Your card is the single most important piece of personal branding you will ever create. It is likely the only item that people will ever completely read and keep. Your card must reflect you. I am happy with the design of my card and I continue to tweak and improve it over time.

Rules for the first time you order cards:

1. Order from VistaPrint.com.
2. Use a light background with dark lettering, with high contrast.
3. The font should be between 7.5 point and 10 point.
4. Avoid childish or cartoon-y clip art. (More on this later.)
5. Order 250 cards the first time you place an order.
6. Use a highly legible font – not a fancy italic script.
7. Check and double-check the phone number and spelling.
8. When in doubt, keep it simple. Less is more.

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If your name is unique and locals have a hard time saying it, add a pronunciation tip to your card.

Exercise: search for your name on LinkedIn®. How many people have a similar name? 

Can you distinguish yourself with a small change? Perhaps a middle initial, a nickname in quotations, or your maiden name?

Typical business cards have a company logo, a title, and contact info.

So let’s start with the easy stuff. You will be handing your card to people you’ve just met, people you want to stay in touch with. Commonly, we expect people to contact us via phone or e-mail. Do you need to include a mailing address? Only if you have a retail location or office. If you work from home, avoid giving out your address, use a P.O. Box or just the name of the city.

Of these three, your name is the most critical item to get right. It sounds obvious, but think carefully about how you want to present yourself. The name you use on your cards should match your LinkedIn® profile, online presence, networking profile and any other items you create for your visibility campaign.

Remember, you can get a good deal on business cards at VistaPrint.com.

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One item you should never be without: business cards. 

Fortunately, online resources make it easy and affordable.

VistaPrint offers 250 cards for under $10. (You might select some options – like metallic accents – that push the price up a bit.)

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What can be done about a bad reputation?

Glad you asked.A bad reputation (deserved or not) can put a damper on business.

First thing is to try to correct whatever the perceived problem is. (I figure you’ve already tried that, though.)

Second step is to fill the internet with positives so the negative becomes a smaller portion of content about you. This might mean commenting on blogs, creating a YouTube channel, writing LinkedIn recommendations, and so on.

For your consideration, here are five rules of personal branding:

1. Focus on your passions, competencies and natural abilities
2. Make it easy to maintain
3. Be consistent and predictable
4. Be yourself – be your best self
5. Allow your brand to evolve with you