How to Design a Business Card That Stands Out (UK Guide)

jaimeendhruv94
Nov 16
3 min read

Introduction

Your business card is often the first physical impression you make - whether you’re a freelancer, small business owner, or startup. And in a competitive UK market, a well-designed business card can instantly communicate professionalism, trust and quality. In this guide, we’ll walk you through how to design a business card that truly stands out, even if you have zero design experience. And if you don’t have artwork? Printmuse offers free design with every print order, making the process even easier.

1. Start With the Essentials: What Every Business Card Must Include

Before getting creative, make sure the basics are covered:

Your name
Business name
Job title or role
Phone number
Email
Website
Social media (if relevant)
Address (optional for online-first businesses)

Keep this information clean, short and easy to read.

2. Use a Strong Visual Hierarchy

A good design guides the reader’s eye. To create visual hierarchy:

Make your name or brand name the most prominent element
Use different font weights (bold for headings, regular for contact info)
Keep spacing consistent
Avoid clutter - white space is your friend

This ensures the card feels clear, organised and premium.

3. Choose Colours That Match Your Brand

Your colour scheme should reflect your identity:

Bold colours for creative brands
Neutral or corporate tones for professional services
Minimal colours for luxury brands

Stick to 2–3 main colours to avoid overwhelming the design. If you’re unsure, Printmuse designers can create a colour palette for you at no extra cost.

4. Pick the Right Font (This Matters More Than You Think)

Typography affects how your card feels:

Sans-serif fonts = modern and clean
Serif fonts = traditional and classy
Script fonts = elegant but should be used sparingly

Most UK businesses use a combination of one strong header font + one simple body font.

5. Use High-Resolution Graphics and Icons

Avoid blurry logos or low-resolution images - they look unprofessional when printed.

Ensure:

Logos are vector format (SVG, PDF, AI)
Images are 300 DPI or higher
Icons match your overall style

If your files aren’t print-ready, Printmuse can fix or redesign them for free.

6. Pay Attention to Print Size, Bleed + Safe Area

This is where many people make mistakes. Standard UK business card size is 85mm x 55mm.For perfect printing:

Add 3mm bleed on all sides
Keep text within a safe margin of 3–5mm
Use CMYK colour mode (not RGB)

If this sounds complicated, don’t worry - Printmuse checks all artwork before printing and sends a free proof.

7. Choose the Right Paper & Finish

Your business card material is just as important as the design.

8. Keep the Design On-Brand and Consistent

Your business card should match your website, signage, and social media branding. Consistency builds recognition and trust.

If your brand visuals aren’t locked in yet, Printmuse designers can create an on-brand layout free with your order.

9. Make the Back Side Count

Don’t leave the back blank unless intentionally minimalist. Great options include:

QR code linking to your website
Tagline or value proposition
List of key services
Social media handles
Logo on a coloured background

QR codes are especially popular in the UK - easy to scan and very effective.

10. Get a Free Professional Design (Even If You’re Not a Designer)

The easiest way to get a standout business card? Let a professional designer create it.

With Printmuse, every print order includes:✔ Free custom design✔ Free proof✔ 2 Fee Revisions included✔ UK-wide delivery

This ensures your business card not only looks great on screen but prints perfectly too.

Explore our collection of Business cards.