You can create your business card yourself. No matter whether you a professional designer or just a lay individual, you can create your personal-looking business card following some simple rules. The important thing is just to get started.

Do I Need Special Software Tools?

You may think that creating a business card require some special skills and professional software. However, a stylish business card can be made, using whatever software is installed on your computer. You can even use Microsoft Word for this purpose. Other options include Publisher and Power Point. Or if you have mastered Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator you can as well use these tools. Sometimes, you don't even need to rack your brains. Such programs as Publisher and many other contain a number of business card templates you can use as a basis.

Business Card Size and Setup

The standard sized of business cards is 3.5 wide x 2 high inches. That's the size that is most convenient to use, that's why it's preferred by most people. For standard design set the document size to the finished size, 3.5 wide x 2 high inches.

If you don't want to have white borders, you can opt for business card design with bleed.  Bleed area is an extra 1/8 inch of space for design elements or backgrounds that extend beyond the printed size of your card. Then this extra 1/8 inch is cut down to the standard size. This gives your business card an appearance that the printing "bleeds" off the edge of the card.

To create custom business card with bleed make the document size 3.75" wide x 2.25" high. The extra area then will be trimmed down and your card will have the desired bleed appearance.

Another interesting option is to create a vertical card. You'll need to switch the page width and height to see the design the way you intend it.

If you want to avoid trimming off last letters from your name or last figures from your telephone number, put all the information within the safe zone. This zone is the 1/8 inch around the margin of your business card. So, it is necessary that you put all of your text within the3.25 x 1.75 inch area.

Here is one more useful advice.  If you decide on the business cards with borders, make sure these borders are not too thin. Borders, that are less than 1/8th inch wide may not cut evenly. This may result in off-center look. You don't want your unique business card to look strange. So keep within the safe zone.

• Double-Sided Business Cards bring about twice better results