Management + Leadership

DIY your own business cards

business card 2

First impressions are everything. Your business card is the small token of you that someone will carry with them and you don’t want to mess it up. You could talk with professionals from companies like Kaizen Print to guide you and save you a lot of time, or you could create your own. Whether attending a lobby day, ASDA conference or simply an appointment with a new patient, a business card is a simple way to market yourself.

Advice from our very own ASDA Vice-President Jason Watts: “Business cards are extensions of the person you are. A good card will leave a lasting impression.” Let’s leave a lasting impression and figure out just how to create a great business card.

You might be thinking… What should be on my business card?

  1. Name: Erinne Kennedy. Make your name stand out in bold, larger font or a different color. People need to be able to recognize this is YOU.
  2. School and graduating year. Option 1: NOVA Southeastern College of Dental Medicine c/o 2015.Option 2: Student Dentist, University of Florida c/o 2015.
  3. Position, such as within your ASDA chapter. However, please do not include a laundry list of every position that you have ever held because it’s distracting.
  4. Address. The best address to provide is your dental school/clinic’s address. If anyone needs to contact or send you information you have an accurate address that will last all four years of dental school.
  5. Clinic phone. Primary number for patients to call regarding appointments or information.
  6. Cell phone. A second number you can provide in case your patients need to get a hold of you quicker.
  7. E-mail. Keep it professional and use your school email address. That way you don’t have to worry about that embarrassing email you created when you were in middle school ([email protected]).

Here is a great example of how a business card show read:

Erinne Kennedy
NOVA Southeastern College of Dental Medicine c/o 2015
Clinic phone: (954) 262-7500
Cell: (954) 867-5309
E-mail: [email protected]

erinne

Do business cards really help while I am in school? Of course they do! Here is a list of ways you can use a business card while in school.

  • ASDA conferences – meet mentors, colleagues and vendors.
  • Lobby days – whether it be state or national.
  • Vendor fairs – Grab information for your school. Hopefully, secure a new sponsorship or lunch and learn!
  • Appointment cards for your patients
  • Give them to your patients and ask for referrals – this is the best way to get reliable patients!

Tips:

  1. Pick a clear font. Simple and readable is best.
  2. Glossy or matte? The choice is up to you but glossy may become cracked or have lines where it is bent. If you choose glossy be sure to have a metal business card holder.
  3. Thickness: aim for the middle. Not too thick and not too thin. Moo is a company that offers a quality card stock with perfect thickness.
  4. Picture. If you have a head shot you can add this as a small square on your card but it isn’t necessary.
  5. Logo. If you add your school logo, receive approval from your administration before printing.
  6. Vertical or horizontal – YOUR CHOICE!

Quality is important when creating a business card. There are many companies that print business cards. Vistaprint has a deal where you can purchase 250 cards for just $10. If you want to be a little more unique you can visit Moo. Below are some example business cards to check out. Lastly, you can have personally designed logos AND business cards for five buckaroos at Fiverr.com. The options are endless. Have fun creating your first impression with your very own business card!

business card 3 Business card

~Erinne Kennedy, Nova Southeastern ’15, contributing editor

Erinne Kennedy

Dr. Erinne Kennedy is an Ohio State University graduate and comes from Middleport, Ohio. She graduated from the Nova Southeastern University’s College of Dental Medicine in 2015. Dr. Kennedy loved everything about dental school, especially being involved in organized dentistry. While in dental school, she was involved with ASDA as a local vice president and national contributing editor. After dental school, Erinne attended a one-year general practice residency at the VA Hospital in Baltimore, MD. Erinne has a passion for giving back and is currently working toward a dental public health specialty at Harvard University in Boston, MA. Her love for writing and communicating continued after dental school when she became a blogger for igniteDDS and alumna writer for ASDA. Currently she serves as a contributing editor for Dental Product Review and is on the junior editorial board for DeW.

In her free time, Dr. Kennedy enjoys exercise in all forms: yoga, weight lifting, group exercise classes and running. Dr. Kennedy‘s professional affiliations include: The American Dental Association, The Massachusetts Dental Association and the Academy of General Dentistry.

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3 Comments

  1. Thanks for sharing, great tips on designing your business card. I think you can also add spot uv and rounded corners if you want to add a little bit of custom feeling on your business card.

  2. Great tips! I would also add to not forget about the back of the card. Utilize both sides and your card will stand out from the crowd!

  3. Very important tips to DIY, thanks for sharing!. Business cards are part of an introduction, they are important for making a favorable first impression.Business cards can also enhance credibility, as they can create a sense of professionalism and legitimacy for your business. Its really important to build a design that fit and identify with your business. Thanks

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