Brand Strategists: Getting Help Choosing Between Horizontal and Vertical Business Cards

The brand strategist experts who know what they’re doing often say the same thing. That is to say, every detail of your business card design is important. 

Graphic design and branding are communication tools that share your brand’s culture, style, and message. Make your brand message clear with the right business cards. When making your business cards you need to consider choosing between a horizontal or vertical design. Here’s some information about choosing between the two approaches. 

Vertical Business Cards According to Brand Strategists

Business cards are more than a medium for transferring information. They also serve as a way of marketing yourself and your business. To stand out and get customer trust and buy-in you need to create a strong business card design. Let’s explore the advantages and disadvantages of the vertical design approach. 

Advantages

One of the biggest advantages of going with a vertical design is the unconventional nature. In other words, they draw the eye right away. 

Consulting with a brand strategist will help you determine the best variables for business growth. If your goal is to stand out and draw attention, consider a vertical business card design. This is particularly useful when you want to provide something unique and new. 

Disadvantages

The downside to vertical business card designs is the same as the main advantage—they’re different. As some clients love new and different, others don’t at all, or at least not in that way. By changing something that most view as standard and not needing change may turn them away.

In other words, vertical business cards can be a risk. The important thing is to get a brand strategist who can tell you when that risk is worth it and when it is not.

Horizontal Business Cards According to Brand Strategists

Advantages

Horizontal business cards have been the standard for business cards for a long time. All business cardholders use the horizontal design, generally speaking. Racks, books, boxes, stands, and about any other option for storing or displaying these cards use a horizontal axis.

Many potential clients find it perplexing to create a card outside of this traditional approach. By making a standard horizontal card, you are doing what others expect and only checking a box.

Thus, a potential client can digest all the information that’s on your card straight away. Which is partly what the use of a business card is for in the first place. People tend to absorb information faster if they already know what to expect and where to look. 

Downsides to Horizontal

One downside to horizontal business cards is that you will have the same card like everyone else. This means that you will have to find other creative ways to stick out and show how your business is unique.

Keep in mind, there are other opportunities to do this without changing your business card design. In general, it all comes down to each element included in your company’s entire brand strategy. A brand expert will be able to help you better differentiate between all options.

Choosing a Design Orientation Based on Brand Strategist Advice

Beyond the common advantages of each card design, there is more to consider when making a final decision.

For example, a vertical orientation only gives you an inch or two of width. This means that if there’s any proper name title in your information, such as your business name, that’s longer, it may not fit on one line. As a result, this could dissuade you from going vertical if that’s the case.

Another example of a piece of text that may be too long for vertical is your domain name. Yet, if the text you have is very short and to the point, this can be an advantage on a vertical card.

It’s also worth keeping what you’re trying to accomplish in mind for a card. You don’t want to get caught up in the details. Every decision you make, including the vertical or horizontal one, needs to focus on how it will affect your goal. Communicating your marketing message to potential clients is key. So, it can help to make your choice based on whether you think it will communicate your message more effectively or not.

Additionally, don’t forget to see your client’s side. Their industry and company should help guide you. A traditional company like finance or law may sway towards a horizontal design. Creative industries like film or music may appreciate the unconventional vertical approach.

At the end of the day, the most important thing is to make sure you get a brand strategist with experience creating cards to help you with the best advice. Contact us today to talk with a brand strategist that will help you scale your business.